Stephen Wilson is a CFA® charterholder with 17 years of industry experience. He joined &Partners in 2025 after an 11-year tenure at Wells Fargo Clearing. Wilson serves as an investment committee team leader for the United Methodist Foundation of Western NC. &Partners serves a diverse client base including individual, institutional, and sovereign wealth fund clients, offering investment advisory, brokerage, and financial planning services. The firm employs a range of portfolio management strategies using proprietary models and third-party managers, operating as both a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser.

Lincoln Maurer is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc., holding a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Investment Institute since 2022 and previously held roles at Somic America, Inc., Liberty University, Wytheville Community College, Central Contracting, and Pensacola Christian College. Wells Fargo Investment Institute is an SEC-registered, bank-affiliate advisory and research organization that provides manager due diligence, securities research, asset allocation guidance, and model portfolios primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses. Its research and strategy development use both qualitative and quantitative analysis, supporting affiliate entities with impersonal, model-driven investment advice.

Katherine Grier is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services and holds a Series 66 designation. She has been with Truist and its related entities since 2021, with experience spanning Truist Bank, Truist Investment Services, and Levy at Truist Field. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non‑discretionary consulting, supported by third‑party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Ryan Schrift is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 19 years of industry experience, including roles at Independent Advisor Alliance since 2016 and LPL Financial since 2012. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a City Councilman for Belmont, NC, and is a managing partner of The Schrift Boys Farm in South Carolina. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base, including individuals, small businesses, pooled vehicles, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management supported by various analytical techniques and technology platforms.

Alexander Talley is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has eight years of industry experience. His career includes multiple roles within First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services dating back to 2014. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory, brokerage, and insurance services to individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both strategic and tactical asset-allocation approaches and offers a range of portfolio management options, including model portfolios, separately managed accounts, and an automated Guided Investing platform.

James Webster is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He is currently with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc., where he has worked since 2024. His prior experience includes roles at Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions and LPL Financial. Wells Fargo Investment Institute is a bank-affiliated advisory and research organization that provides due diligence, securities research, asset-allocation guidance, and model portfolios primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses. Its investment advice is generally impersonal and non-discretionary, delivered through team-based research and proprietary forecasting tools.

Karen Shane is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience. She is currently with &PARTNERS, where she has worked since 2025. Prior to this, she spent 16 years at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. &PARTNERS serves a wide range of clients, including individuals with varying net worth, retirement plans, charitable organizations, foundations, universities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers both investment advisory and brokerage services, utilizing a combination of proprietary models and third-party manager solutions through platforms like Envestnet and NFS.

Jonathan Ganzert is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and bringing 47 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2005. Ganzert serves as a board member of the Village of Morrocroft Homeowners Association, contributing to community management on a volunteer basis. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing around $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and multiple advisory programs.

Philip Lee is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses. He has 22 years of industry experience and has worked with LPL Financial LLC for the past 10 years. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines a network of advisory representatives with access to various portfolio management strategies and technology platforms to support its services.

Deidre Caldwell is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 38 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked for Robert W Baird for 10 years prior to joining Janney Montgomery Scott in 2024. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC manages approximately $110 billion in client assets and serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients. The firm offers brokerage services, financial planning, consulting, and multiple advisory programs, combining in-house portfolio management with third-party managers across various investment platforms.

Jacob Hackney is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, P.J. Robb Variable Corp., and Crump Life Insurance Services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm offers point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

James Schenck is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and its affiliated entities since 2021, and previously spent over two decades at BB&T Investment Services and BB&T Securities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform arrangements and AI-enabled research tools, with an integrated approach involving affiliated broker-dealer and banking services.

Ronald Carland is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC since 2022. He has also been associated with Altavista Wealth Management, Inc. since 2005 and is president of Carland & Andersen CPA, a CPA firm he has led since 1980. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a manager-driven investment approach using third-party independent managers and sponsors proprietary investment vehicles, including private funds and a registered interval fund.

Trevor Sellers is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Gastonia, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Empower Financial Services, Inc and PHMG, as well as diverse experience outside the financial sector. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, along with Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm delivers integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Charles Campbell is a ChFC® with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving with Kestra Advisory. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and has been involved with Kestra Investment Services, LLC since 2014. Based in Charlotte, NC, his background includes providing investment advisory and employee benefits sales. Kestra Advisory Services offers investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including plan sponsors, institutional, and individual clients. The firm provides comprehensive services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and access to multiple management platforms, serving a wide range of investors including sovereign wealth funds.

Leland Harrelson is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual and Marslender-West Asset Management Firm. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform arrangements and AI-enabled research tools, to deliver its investment solutions.

Lucy Cain is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 credential and has previously worked at Truist Bank and TRUIST Investment Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she has experience working at Pure Barre Charlotte, an exercise studio. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, leveraging third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support its investment offerings.

Elaine Bennett is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with 25 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Park Avenue Securities since 2001. Her responsibilities include managing contingent roles related to estate and financial matters for family members. Park Avenue® Wealth Management, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, serves individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients with brokerage services, financial planning, and investment advisory programs. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory relationships using model portfolios from in-house and third-party managers.

Jeffery Smith is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities. His work history includes multiple roles at Guardian Life Insurance and Park Avenue Securities since 2016. He serves as President of the Rotary Club of Troutman. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage services, financial planning, and investment advisory programs to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory relationships and incorporates proprietary and third-party model portfolios.

Paul Brown is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC. His career includes roles at LPL Financial, Bank of America, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner of Streamline Productions, a business he has operated since 2008. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm utilizes a network model of advisory representatives and employs various portfolio management strategies supported by technology platforms and third-party managers.