Kendra Gray is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including LPL Financial and Hornor, Townsend and Kent, LLC. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a multi-manager approach with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, incorporating both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and a range of investment vehicles.

Edward Smyth is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and previously worked at Kingfisher Capital, LLC and Perennial Research LLC. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach featuring globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts, tax management, and a range of implementation options such as ETFs, mutual funds, separate accounts, and direct indexing.

Brett Miller is a financial advisor at Corient with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 65 license. His prior roles include positions at McGill Advisors, Inc. and Ci Brightworth. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that incorporates in-house and third-party strategies, risk management tools, and may include alternative investments and private fund allocations.

Joseph Dumser is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at BB&T Securities and Truist Investment Services. He is a part owner of a Bojangles franchise as a passive investor. 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, supported by third-party platforms, and employs AI-enabled equity research alongside supervisory oversight for manager selection and portfolio review.

James White is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he owns multiple residential rental properties. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides a fiduciary standard through its RIA services and manages portfolios ranging from model-based to customized solutions under approved investment policy statements.

Ryan Prokay is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF in 2023, he owned and operated Carmel Lawn and Landscaping LLC for over a decade. He also serves as a board member of the Mt Isle Harbor Homeowners Association. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm distinguishes between one-time financial planning services and ongoing portfolio management, employing both model and customized portfolios within a fiduciary framework.

Joseph Rebello is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked with Truist Advisory Services since 2021 and previously spent over two decades with Bb&T Investment Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is the president of a home building and remodeling business based in Charlotte, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary management relationships and employs AI-enabled research tools to support its investment approach.

Randy Johnson is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at LPL Enterprise, Edward Jones, Bank of America, Merrill, and Wells Fargo Clearing. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and corporate entities, often serving clients connected through employer retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds and donor-advised fund advisory services.

Joshua Selvey is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he held various roles including involvement with Calibers Indoor Gun Range LLC and Breezy Moving Company LLC. He has also worked in non-financial sectors such as Wilmington Water Tours and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected with TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm operates a vertically integrated advisory model that includes point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management services.

Brandon Johnson is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience, currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Bank, and PNC Wealth Management. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities through investment adviser representatives and third-party portfolio managers. The firm’s investment process incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to allocate across various asset classes, serving a mix of discretionary and predominantly non-discretionary accounts.

Deborah Mcwilliams is a CFP® with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner since 2018. Her prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Merrill. She is involved with local nonprofits, serving as Event Chair for the WINGS Scholarships and Mentoring Program and volunteering on the grant committee for the Women's Impact Fund. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm provides customized portfolio solutions supported by both in-house research and third-party managers, with a notable integration of tax and accounting services and specialized financial wellness and family office capabilities.

Justin Chamberlin is a Series 65-credentialed financial advisor based in Charlotte, NC, with one year of industry experience. He has held roles at Advisory Services Network, Williams Wealth Management, First Citizens Bank, and several other firms. He is affiliated with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, an SEC-registered, bank-affiliate advisory and research organization that provides manager due diligence, securities research, and asset allocation guidance primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses and select external advisers. The institute's model portfolios and investment advice are delivered for implementation by affiliate businesses rather than managed directly.

Joseph Varamo is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021, following a 20-year tenure at BB&T Investment Services and three years at BB&T Securities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary management through third-party platforms and integrates inter-affiliate resources to support investment and fiduciary solutions.

Seth Wheeler is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC. He previously worked at Northwestern Mutual in various capacities from 2020 to 2025 and has a decade of service in the Armed Forces. Wheeler is also a board member of Veteran's Bridge Home, a nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, NC. 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 offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services and operates as a registered broker-dealer, providing access to alternative investment vehicles and integrated advisory offerings.

Kyle Greer is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he held positions at Empower Financial Services, Inc and has experience in the hospitality sector with Gas Lamp Grill and 1750 Taphouse. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, offering integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its financial planning approach.

William Conde is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has recently transitioned to advisory work following a 25-year career in the U.S. Army and a three-year tenure at Amazon. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm provides financial planning and wrap-fee asset management programs that utilize a centralized Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers for portfolio construction and oversight.

Richard Custer is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 20 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Principal Financial Services since 2016, as well as Principal Life Insurance Company since 2006. He also holds a bank officer role at Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company, supporting retirement plan account relationships across multiple Principal entities. Principal Securities offers brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm provides direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Melissa Vian is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals connected to employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, and it acts as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Scott Zimmerman is a CFP® professional at Mariner with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including JP Morgan Securities, UBS Financial Services, and SIP. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm employs customized discretionary portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee and provides integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness solutions.

Andrew Bowling is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Investment Institute in 2022, he worked at The Vanguard Group and Fidelity Investments. Wells Fargo Investment Institute is an SEC-registered, bank-affiliate advisory and research organization that provides manager due diligence, securities research, and asset-allocation guidance primarily for Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses. The firm’s research and model portfolios are delivered to affiliated businesses for implementation rather than being individually tailored or directly managed by the institute.