David Leder is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. He has 11 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Cambridge Investment Research and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, Leder is president of Legacy Insurance Solutions LLC. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of custodians, third-party money managers, and platform programs to implement investment strategies, with a majority of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Casey Pickett is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Transamerica Life Insurance, and Merrill, among others. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers a range of advisory services, including model and customized portfolios, and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Peter Sargent is a CFP® and CFA® with 33 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2012. Based in Raleigh, NC, he holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. 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 range of clients, including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and municipal clients, offering brokerage services, financial planning, consulting, and multiple wrap and advisory programs.

David Walters is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and businesses. The firm utilizes a range of portfolio management strategies, tax-aware services, and technology-driven model portfolios, supported by its affiliation with a bank holding company that provides integrated banking resources.

Amy Boyd is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience. She has worked at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. since 2022 and previously was with Wrenn Financial Strategies, Inc. and operated as a self-employed advisor. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory and features globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts, utilizing a range of implementation options and emphasizing tax management and regular rebalancing.

Stephen Snow is a financial advisor with OSAIC Institutions, INC. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Southern Bank and Trust, Infinex Investments, Inc., and Wells Fargo Clearing. He participates in a financial advisor referral program with Southern Bank. OSAIC Institutions serves individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans by offering a range of advisory and brokerage services through customized engagements. The firm features a predominantly non-discretionary assets base and provides access to alternative investments and lending solutions via extensive banking and credit union networks.

Melanie Price is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 22 years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with New York Life Insurance Company and its related entities since 2010. Price is also appointed with outside insurance carriers to broker non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm offers a variety of program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with a significant portion of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Jason Obermeier is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Thrivent Financial and its investment management division before joining Principal. Outside of advisory work, he receives royalties from prior work as a composer for film and television. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Joshua Denney is a ChFC® and Series 63-licensed financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC. He has three years of industry experience, including positions at NYLIFE Securities and New York Life since 2022. Outside of his advisory work, Denney serves as a certified referee for the US Gaelic Athletic Association, volunteering at regional sports tournaments. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm works with individual investors, defined contribution and benefit plans, and institutional clients, emphasizing tailored advice and primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Donella Winkler is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. She has prior experience at Adams Chetwood Wealth Management, Zeiders Enterprises, BancWest Investment Services, Inc., and Bank of the West BNP Paribas. Outside of her advisory role, she provides financial education through Zeiders Enterprises, focusing on topics such as Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), credit scores, and budgeting. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized investment portfolios using various model strategies and employs technology to manage held-away employer retirement accounts without client login credentials.

Austen Hawkey is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. His prior roles include positions at First Oak Wealth Management, Armor Investment Advisors, and Bank of America. Creative Planning offers investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a broad range of supplemental approaches and integrated retirement plan services.

Lupton Haigler is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Truist Advisory Services, Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and BB&T Capital Markets. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that manages approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory services.

Bradley Curelop is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently with PNC Wealth Management. His prior roles include positions at United Brokerage Services, Suntrust Investment Services, Suntrust Bank, and Bb&T. He is a co-owner of a short-term rental business with Stacey Curelop. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an online discretionary model account available as an invitation-only pilot for employees, which uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and implements investments via approved model strategies with mutual funds and ETFs.

Jonathan Shimer is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and also serves as a financial advisor and partner at Vigilant Financial, operating under Kestra Investment Services since 2005. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse range of institutional and individual clients, offering fiduciary consulting, plan design, and investment advice supported by due diligence and a broad selection of management platforms and third-party solutions.

Hayden Lewis is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and has worked at several firms including Fidelity Investments and State Employees' Credit Union. Outside of his advisory role, he has experience in property rental management. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm combines risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation with discretionary and non-discretionary management, supported by fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, and benefits from its affiliation with a bank holding company.

Michael Dipenta is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm separates one-time financial planning services from ongoing portfolio management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group utilizing affiliated funds.

Wesley Shade is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Truist Advisory Services. His prior experience includes roles at Truist Investment Services and First Citizens Investor 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 with non-discretionary consulting and employs AI-enabled tools to support its investment research and fiduciary oversight.

Stephen Kanoy is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Truist Advisory Services, BB&T, and related entities. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm offers portfolio management through wrap programs, an automated Guided Investing platform, tax-aware services, and financial planning, leveraging its affiliation with a bank holding company to integrate banking resources and operational support.

Joshua Maida is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2016 and is also associated with AGIA, where he works with non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm operates at scale with over 1,200 advisors and integrates technology and model solutions to manage a large client base.

Serene Alsous is a CFP® and ChFC® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors. She has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2017 and holds an agent position with Agia. Alsous is also a notary public in Wake County, North Carolina. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed account solutions through a large network of advisors.