Meralyn Ratnasekera is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Her prior work includes roles at First Citizens Investor Services, First Horizon Bank, and SunTrust Bank. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and employs over 14,000 financial advisors, offering both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Matthew Wallace is a Benefits & Planning Consultant with the Executive Services team at Fidelity Investments. In his current role, he supports Executive Planning Consultants by meeting with clients to help them understand and maximize their employer-sponsored benefits, including 401(k) plans, pension benefits, and company stock programs. Matthew has been with Fidelity Investments since 2022, beginning his tenure as a Workplace Planning Consultant III before transitioning to his current position in 2026. His work focuses on providing education and guidance regarding available benefits, answering client questions, and assisting clients in making informed decisions to maximize the value of their benefits. Outside of his professional role, Matthew enjoys bowling, spending time with pets, snowboarding, and traveling.

Jovana Romero Hernandez is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Bank of America and Merrill. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and combines brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics.

Christopher Griffith is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2007 and previously spent four years at Ameriprise. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in non-variable insurance products including life, health, disability, and fixed annuities. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies, supported by advanced advisor tools.

Cory Wessel is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Baird since 2018 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2018. Wessel holds the Series 66 designation. He is part of The DDK Group, a team within Baird’s Private Wealth Management department that serves individuals, corporate clients, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, portfolio management, separately managed account programs, and custody and brokerage services, supported by internal research and ongoing manager monitoring.

Michael Kaplan is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, Kaplan serves as president of his condominium owners association. Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that offers a retirement-income planning service for clients generally holding at least $1 million in investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficient strategies to provide tailored written recommendations.

Robert Roepke is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has worked for over 28 years. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He works with individuals, families, professionals, and small businesses, employing a consistent methodology focused on understanding each client's specific needs and concerns. Robert's approach begins with a disciplined process to establish explicit objectives and achieve financial goals while minimizing unnecessary risk. He utilizes Merrill Lynch's resources to develop tailored strategies and emphasizes regular reviews to ensure alignment with clients' objectives. His commitment to effective communication and ongoing monitoring allows strategies to be adjusted in response to changes in clients' lives or lifestyles. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1983, Robert and his wife settled in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they have raised their three children. He is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys playing golf. Robert also participates in community volunteer activities as part of Merrill's tradition of service.

Kenneth Nelson is a financial advisor with Cetera in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 38 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Investors Capital Corp. and Morgan Keegan & Company, LLC. Nelson also serves as a guest lecturer at Duke University and NC State University, where he teaches a weekly class, and he is an economic commentator and author involved in various media activities. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered advisor serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across multiple program structures.

Trang Pham is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2024, Pham worked at Truist, Citibank, and HD Bank. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment menu offerings.

Kristina Shifflett is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2013. She holds a Series 63 designation and is based in Raleigh, NC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides advisory programs to both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored financial planning using structured processes and firm-approved tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Steven Megaloudis is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has been with Wells Fargo Bank NA since 2014. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers a range of brokerage and advisory solutions.

Jessica Lamb is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with 22 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation for nine years. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as president of a company specializing in insurance, benefits, and human resources. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, pension, and charitable organization clients, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs proprietary model strategies and provides access to third-party advisers through multiple platforms.

Justin Meservier is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and CUSO Financial Services, LP. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in rideshare activities with Door Dash. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and retirement advice, supported by extensive operational and research tools.

Thomas Wilson is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, where he has worked since 2019. He has six years of industry experience and holds leadership roles outside of finance, including CEO of Iceberg Entertainment, an entertainment and speaking business, and CVO/CEO of Mogul Vision, a marketing and business development firm. Wilson is also associated with G & W Trucking, although he currently does not perform active duties there. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory and investment programs. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and operates through a large network of advisors and branches across the United States.

Katrina James is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 63 designation and 32 years of industry experience. She has worked at Merrill since 1997. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as an administrator for a non-investment-related entity named D R E. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional investors.

Angela Goins is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. She previously worked at The Carolinas Financial Network for three years before joining Edward Jones in 2017. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Charles Brinkman is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Merrill based in Raleigh, NC, and has 15 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Merrill since 2010 and concurrently with Bank of America, N.A. since 2013. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers both model-based and discretionary investment strategies, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors, with portfolio implementation tailored to investor tax sensitivity and preferences.

Parker Szarek is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with a Series 66 designation and less than one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles in technology and sports media, and he attended North Carolina State University. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of financial professionals and multiple platform options.

Kari Flores is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Clayton, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entity since 2011. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to generate written recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of a large institutional firm.

Robert Willauer is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2011 and has been associated with Ohio National Financial Services since 2007. Outside of advisory services, he serves as Vice President of Operations at Adolos, LLC, focusing on technology and operational coordination. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies alongside operational tools to support its network of over 22,800 advisors.