Michael Smith is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Kannapolis, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2012. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and combines third-party portfolio managers, strategist portfolios, and advisor-managed sleeves, with features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

William Robinson is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment since 2005 and also has a long tenure with Zodiac Enterprises Inc. and Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. Robinson serves as chairman of the board for Chun University, an organization focused on music and religious education, and holds trustee and leadership roles in local educational and church-related institutions. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is an enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, with a history of working with educators and 403(b) and 457(b) program participants. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and access to third-party managers, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that develops strategic model portfolios and adaptive investment strategies.

Kevin O'Hare is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Concord, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2008. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an independent soccer referee in Charlotte, NC. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors through its Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank with a unique combination of municipal-advisor registration and bank affiliation.

Daniel Schwartz is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Nuveen Asset Management, LLC and ClearBridge Investments LLC, among other firms. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the Academy of IT at Cox Mill High School and co-owns a Code Ninjas franchise in Concord with his wife. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a strategic investment approach combining passive and active management, supported by an internal Investment Committee and research focused on factor premiums such as value and momentum.

Darhyl Pulley II is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 2007 and previously worked at MSI Financial Services, Inc. from 2005 to 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as president of Monarch Coffee, Inc., a potential future coffee shop venture. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, with a history of working with educators and participants in 403(b) and 457(b) programs. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management through advisor- and firm-managed models, and access to third-party managers, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that constructs strategic model portfolios and adaptive strategies.

James Koester is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Concord, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Brookstone in 2023, he worked at JDM Financial, Secure Asset Management, Capital Financial Services, and Concorde Asset Management. He is also involved with JD Mellberg Financial, focusing on annuities and life insurance for retirees and those planning retirement. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset allocation models, a turnkey asset management platform, and sub-advisory relationships to deliver its investment solutions.

Kevin Spence is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 26 years of industry experience and holds the Series 66 designation. His prior roles include positions at TIAA CREF Individual & Institutional Services, Cary Street Partners, Luxon Asset Management, and HSBC Technology & Services USA. He serves as a FINRA arbitrator, contributes scholarly articles on regulatory compliance, participates as a speaker at financial services industry conferences, and is a council member of the Securities Industry Continuing Education Programs. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain retail clients. The firm offers integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan sponsor-chosen investment lineups.

Corie Basham is an Investment Advisor Representative at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2026. Prior to that, she worked at Fifth Third Bank, Randstad, and Enterprise Rent a Car. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts through both advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers various managed account programs via the Passageway platform, utilizing third-party portfolio managers, and provides a range of investment options from mutual funds and ETFs to separately managed accounts and direct indexing.

Tracey Hayes is a ChFC® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones in Albemarle, NC since 2011. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Brian Kincaid is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with seven years of industry experience, currently serving clients at Edward Jones in Harrisburg, NC. Before joining Edward Jones in 2019, he worked at Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. from 2015 to 2019. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including pension plans and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

David Nifong is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 25 years of industry experience, including prior roles at LPL Financial, Independent Advisor Alliance, and Wells Fargo Clearing. He serves as president of an architecture committee in Bryson City, NC. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary management through multiple platforms and maintains proprietary model strategies under the Founders Gate Capital brand.

Lexter Fennell is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Concord, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2009. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth households, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Jerry Merrill is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including The Vanguard Group, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, and Merrill Edge/Bank of America. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, including retail and institutional investors. The firm utilizes a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage model portfolios comprised of mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Michael Marasco is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has six years of industry experience, including roles at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. prior to these, he held positions in diverse industries such as education and construction. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments, delivering non-discretionary asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting supported by centralized due diligence and a combination of quantitative and qualitative research.

Jesse Riley is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Concord, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has one year of industry experience and has been with Wells Fargo Bank and its affiliates since 2012. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options in its investment menus.

Patrick Foley is a CFP® with 33 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2012. He is based in New London, NC. Outside of his advisory role, he is a managing member of a real estate holding company. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving millions of individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products, supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Natasha Rufino Da Silva is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, serving the Suburban Philadelphia market. She is recognized as Merrill’s only African American advisor in the region and collaborates with an award-winning team that includes partners with over 40 years of experience. Drawing upon her athletic background, Natasha applies a disciplined and focused approach to her work with high net worth families and individuals. Her expertise spans advising medical professionals, athletes, business owners, and affluent families on various aspects of financial life, including wealth growth and preservation, retirement planning, managing new wealth, and tax minimization. Natasha emphasizes personalized strategies tailored to each client’s unique financial goals and has a commitment to educating her community on financial literacy, especially empowering Philadelphia’s youth. Natasha holds a Bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University and completed an Accredited Certificate Program at Temple University. She carries several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). She is involved with community organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Tri State Black Men in Medicine. Fluent in English and Yoruba, Natasha focuses on clear communication to help clients understand financial strategies and market conditions.

David Torres is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previously worked at E*TRADE Securities LLC and TIAA-CREF. Outside of his advisory work, he owns an e-commerce business, GroovyCoconut, Inc. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services to individuals and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm uses structured planning tools and investment modeling as part of its advisory process.

Stephen Abercrombie is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. for 17 years. Fidelity’s affiliate Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients using a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also manages multiple registered investment companies and utilizes systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation benchmarks.

Christopher Horton is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2025, he worked at Edward Jones for eight years and spent a year with Learfield/NC State Wolfpack Sports. Horton is also the CEO of Horton Wealth, an independent financial advisory business. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning and investment consulting services to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and corporate clients. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary advice using analytical tools and supports a wide network of advisors, with specialized capabilities in municipal finance and employer retirement plan consulting.