Stephen Norton is a financial advisor with Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Belmont Capital Advisors, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC, Kalos Management, and Centermark Capital Management. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved as an agent in the insurance and human resources sector. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC, operating under Fusion Investment Advisors, provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plan participants, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm uses an open-architecture platform to implement tailored investment strategies with continuous monitoring and rebalancing.

Katherine Pepper is a financial advisor at First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked with various First Citizens entities since 2006. Pepper serves as a board member for the Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center. First Citizens Asset Management provides investment advisory and sub-advisory services to individuals, trusts, corporations, institutional accounts, and municipal entities. The firm manages global, multi-asset model portfolios using a multi-team platform and integrates both quantitative and qualitative research in its discretionary management approach.

Richard Adams Jr. is a financial advisor with CG Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and nine years of industry experience. He has worked with Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC, Geneos Wealth Management, and CG Financial Services of North Carolina. CG Advisory Services is an SEC-registered firm managing approximately $4.02 billion for a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and consulting through proprietary model portfolios, third-party managers, and customized private equity and hedge fund access.

Eric Kotecki is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with three years of industry experience, currently serving at Credit Union Investment Services. He has been associated with State Employees’ Credit Union since 2018, where he provides financial advisory services to eligible members. Kotecki also holds an agent role with SECU Life Insurance Company, working in conjunction with his credit union responsibilities. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors residing in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and financial planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goals-based approach using low-cost index funds and ETFs, and operates within the credit-union ecosystem as a wholly owned subsidiary of State Employees’ Credit Union.

Sandra Carlson is a financial advisor with Waverly Advisors, LLC, holding CFP® and Series 66 designations and bringing 21 years of industry experience. She has been with Waverly Advisors since 2024 and previously worked at Rinehart Wealth Management, where she also serves as Chief Compliance Officer. Carlson teaches a tax planning course for the CFP program at Queens University and is a director of programs for the Financial Planning Association. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations and offers a range of investment management, financial planning, and multi-family office services.

Mario Brown is a financial advisor at IP Financial Advisory Services LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including VALIC Financial Advisors, Merrill, and New York Life. Outside of his advisory role, Brown serves as a non-commissioned officer in the Army Reserve and teaches business-related courses at Valencia College. IP Financial Advisory Services LLC primarily serves individual retail clients, focusing on non-high-net-worth investors and retirement plan participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing a range of analytical approaches and discretionary management strategies, including access to third-party managers.

Daniel Brackett is a CFP® with four years of industry experience currently advising at Choreo, LLC. He previously worked at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC. His background also includes time at UBS Financial Firm Inc. and roles in education and other industries prior to entering financial services. Choreo, LLC serves a diverse client base that includes individual and high-net-worth investors, family offices, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, endowments, and institutional clients. The firm employs a quantitative, committee-approved investment process and offers a range of advisory services such as portfolio management, wealth consulting, outsourced CIO solutions, and specialized services including 1031 like-kind exchange and Opportunity Zone consulting.

Christopher Hernandez is a financial advisor with Ally Invest Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Merrill, Bank of America, Jack Patterson & Co., and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Outside of financial advising, he is a member of Better Books Advisor LLC, a bookkeeping services business. Ally Invest Advisors serves a broad retail client base, offering discretionary portfolio management through automated services and advisor-led guidance. The firm employs Modern Portfolio Theory-based model allocations across multiple risk tiers, utilizing primarily ETFs and automated rebalancing, while managing tens of thousands of client accounts through digital and automated processes.

John Aprill is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Everett Harris & Co in Charlotte, NC since 2012. Everett Harris & Co provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management services to individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable institutions, foundations, and endowments. The firm employs fundamental analysis and a predominantly buy-and-hold strategy, investing across U.S. and foreign equities, fixed income, commodities, and options.

Gregory James is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Modera Wealth Management, LLC since 2023. Prior to joining Modera, he spent 22 years at Parsec Financial Management, Inc. He is also a part-owner of a yacht charter company, Lisky LLC, which is unrelated to his investment work. Modera Wealth Management provides fiduciary, fee-only advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs an allocation-driven investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing diversified portfolios and a range of strategies including independent managers and optional ESG integration.

Timothy Graham is a financial advisor with Private Client Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Alphastar Capital Management and LPL Financial. Private Client Services is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, families, high-net-worth clients, and various institutions. The firm employs a structured discovery and risk-profiling process to develop investment strategies and offers multiple implementation platforms, managing approximately $1.05 billion across more than 3,200 client accounts.

Carter Otey is a financial advisor at Modera Wealth Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation. He has experience working at Forvis Mazars and a background in education from Liberty University and Cannon School. Modera Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and plan sponsors with wealth management, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a diversified asset allocation strategy based on Modern Portfolio Theory and integrates investment management with accounting, tax, and business coaching services.

Phillips Bragg is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at Bragg Financial Advisors Inc in Charlotte, NC. He previously worked for Queens Road Securities, LLC for 20 years and has been with Bragg Financial Advisors since 1996. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer of Edgemont, Ltd, a fishing club in North Carolina and Tennessee. Bragg Financial Advisors is a family-owned, multi-advisor firm providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and investment companies. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, broad diversification, and periodic rebalancing, offering model-based management and sub-advisory services including a specialized Small Cap Value Managed Account Program.

Michael Van Ness is a CFA® charterholder with eight years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Waverly Advisors, LLC and has concurrent experience at Rinehart Wealth Management dating back to 2010. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, serving a diverse client base including non-HNW and high-net-worth clients.

Luis Dieguez is a financial advisor at Blueprint Financial Advisors in Charlotte, NC, with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Hornor, Townsend, & Kent LLC and Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, Luis coaches his son’s 9U baseball team. Blueprint Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered, multi-advisor firm that serves individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofit entities. The firm manages approximately $1.4 billion in client assets using a globally diversified, strategic-and-tactical investment approach that emphasizes trend-following and momentum rules across multiple timeframes.

Vernon Moses is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Fidelity Investments, Truist Investment Services, BB&T, Bank of America, and Merrill. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary account that uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and invests via approved models managed by PNC or third-party strategists.

Sam Merrill is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Truist Bank and The Reynolds and Reynolds Company. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer for North Carolina Little League District 3, managing funds for seven local leagues and related tournaments. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Kelly Lauterjung is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. since 2020. Prior to this, she worked at Robert W. Baird for five years. In addition to her advisory role, she is a co-author of non-investment related books. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a broad client base, including retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and specialized wealth management programs, operating under fiduciary standards and utilizing both qualitative and quantitative analyses.

Kyle Gensrick is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Creative Planning since 2022 and previously at Wipfli Financial Advisors and Hewins Financial Advisors. He attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and emphasizes a financial planning-led investment process with a range of portfolio management and retirement plan services supported by a large advisory team and centralized infrastructure.

Albert Grenert Jr. is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors, and Ameriprise Financial Services. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs.