James Matthews is a CFP® professional with 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Primerica Advisors and has previously worked at Aon Hewitt Financial Advisors LLC and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Matthews is involved in writing for his firm and serves on the Peer Review Board for the Journal of Financial Planning. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, offering brokerage and advisory services along with financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and business consulting. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party models and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Kelly Ryan is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 30 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth in 2024, Ryan worked at FSC Securities Corporation for 22 years and at OSAIC for one year. Outside of advisory work, Ryan is involved in fixed insurance sales. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of advisory programs and operational support, allowing affiliated advisors discretion to construct client portfolios from various securities and insurance products while offering model portfolios managed by its Investment Management and Research team.

Thomas Cline is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2009 to 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the United Way of Roanoke Valley. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm’s client process involves IAR-led assessments to tailor investment allocations using fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various asset classes.

Tiffany Ku is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TLG Advisors, she worked at The Leaders Group Inc. and CTBC Bank USA. Ku also serves as a Client Services Manager and Writing Agent for a life insurance brokerage business. TLG Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm focuses on investment supervisory services and portfolio management through a manager selection process informed by fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, and offers a direct-to-consumer digital program called Starlight Portfolios.

John Hall is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, and Carroll Financial Associates Inc. He operates out of Charlotte, NC. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a strategic investment process combining passive and active management, supported by an internal Investment Committee and multiple program offerings.

Hannah Smith is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with five years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Beneficial Investments and Robinson & Stith Insurance. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Michael Thompson is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors based in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities since 2012 and has been affiliated with Guardian Life Insurance Co. since 2001. Outside of his work with Guardian, he operates Thompson Planning Group Insurance, focusing on the sale of traditional insurance products. Park Avenue Securities serves a diverse retail client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory services, employing a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supporting various account-level features such as lending solutions and tax-harvesting.

Joshua Griffin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services who holds a Series 66 designation and has 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and its affiliated entities since 2016. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program implemented through a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

William Magill is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 license and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward Jones for four years and has been with both Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial since 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he has worked as an Uber driver and is employed by Primal Brewery. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various managed account solutions. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model that utilizes both proprietary and third-party strategies and technology platforms.

Emanuel Thomason is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Life Group, Edward Jones, Thrivent Financial, and LPL Financial. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms and combines long-term investment strategies with options for shorter-term trading, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets through a network of investment adviser representatives.

Jason Woloszyn is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial and Fisher Investments. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and services, including discretionary model portfolios and customized investment solutions, while offering operational and compliance support to affiliated advisors.

Shawn Thompson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Alight, and Retirement Clearinghouse. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm’s approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed accounts.

Jacob Schmidt is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. His prior roles include positions at The Vanguard Group and Facet, and he has spent four years as a self-employed professional. Outside of finance, Jacob is also a musician and performs as a singer. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice as part of the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering clients annual financial reviews and investment recommendations using Schwab’s research tools and asset allocation models, while final trading decisions remain with the clients.

Christopher Prevette is a CFA® charterholder with five years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, having previously worked at Principal Financial Group and Wells Fargo Bank. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of the Charlotte Carolinas Rugby Club, a nonprofit focused on youth and community outreach, where he holds the position of treasurer. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm combines a network model of independent advisory representatives with access to brokerage services and third-party platforms for estate planning and portfolio management.

Natasha Allen is a financial advisor with CWM, LLC based in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Series 66 designation and has three years of industry experience, including prior roles at Edward Jones and LPL Financial LLC. Outside of her advisory work, Allen leads coaching programs focused on emotional eating and weight loss through her consulting business and serves as a Skills Development Coach at the Life Purpose Institute. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, foundations, and institutions, with over 600 advisors nationwide. The firm manages portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis using model portfolios and blends fundamental and technical analysis alongside third-party sub-advisors and customized tools.

Brett Schmidt is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently advising at Rockefeller Financial LLC. He previously worked at Truist Advisory Services and BB&T, accumulating extensive experience in wealth management. He also serves as the Charlotte Chapter President for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, organizing community events and raising awareness for inherited retinal diseases. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, and operates as a registered broker-dealer with a comprehensive investment platform that includes equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

Gary Spencer is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has three years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at Baldwin Risk Partners and S&P Financial Group, among other positions. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary manager arrangements and uses AI-enabled tools to support its research and manager selection processes.

Vincenzo Atkinson is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked at SunTrust Advisory Services LLC and SunTrust Bank since 2016. He is currently based in Charlotte, NC and affiliated with Truist Advisory Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, utilizing third-party platforms and AI-enabled tools to support manager selection and oversight.

Eduardo Gelpi is a financial advisor with T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Edelman Financial Engines, LPL Financial LLC, Ameriprise Financial Services, and Wells Fargo Advisors. T. Rowe Price Advisory Services offers a retirement-focused advisory program combining nondiscretionary financial planning and discretionary investment management, primarily using proprietary mutual funds and ETFs for individual investors and households with retirement goals.

Lara Ferguson is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Citizens Securities, Inc. since 2022. She previously worked at LPL Financial, LLC and DaVinci Financial Designs from 2020 to 2022. Outside of finance, she was involved with Southern Comforts Consignments and served at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering investment advisory programs alongside brokerage and insurance services. The firm provides a digital advisory program utilizing ETF-based portfolios and a proprietary risk assessment, as well as a Managed Account program.