Cindy Ghattas is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 19 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® and Series 66 designations and has been with Creative Planning since 2016. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies for long-term objectives while incorporating private market investments and other tailored solutions.

Rocco Testa Basi is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with less than one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at General Dynamics Electric Boat, Soundwater Properties, and Connecticut College. Wells Fargo Investment Institute specializes in manager research, global investment strategy, securities research, and model-portfolio services for Wells Fargo affiliates and other financial institutions. The firm provides non-discretionary, non-customized investment models developed by specialist divisions, rather than individualized portfolio management or financial planning.

Laura Brown is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. Her career includes tenures at LPL Financial, Mass Mutual Investors Services, and Centaurus Financial. Brown also manages an investment-related business within LPL Financial, dedicating significant time to it. 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 combining discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with technology platforms and access to third-party managers and estate-planning resources.

Michael Proud is a CFP® with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC. He has prior experience with Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing, and is also a co-owner of Nine Bridge Financial Partners LLC, an investment-related business. Concurrent Investment Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes customized, primarily long-term portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, and other securities, supported by affiliated sub-advisory arrangements and integrated platform solutions.

Zachary Kelly is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. He has worked with First Citizens Investor Services since 2019 and was previously employed at First Citizens Bank from 2012 to 2026. Kelly serves on the advisory board of the Kraft Family YMCA, contributing to program oversight and fundraising efforts. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers portfolio management, model portfolios, a Guided Investing platform, and financial planning, utilizing a client-centered process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Andrew Breasure is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Truist Advisory Services. His background includes roles at North Carolina State University and Steward Wealth Strategies. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of Tau Properties, Inc., a nonprofit housing corporation affiliated with Pi Kappa Phi at NC State, where he oversees housing operations and alumni engagement. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates traditional research with AI tools and offers services through its affiliation with Truist Financial, combining extensive bank and broker-dealer relationships.

David Landrum is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Charles Schwab Bank SSB, and several other firms across different industries. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s advice is based on standard asset-allocation models and internal research tools, with investment selections executed only upon client authorization.

Ashley Schuster is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Advisory Services since 2021, as well as previous positions at Bb&T Securities and BB&T Investment Services. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI-enabled tools and provides ongoing client reviews, leveraging its broad financial and operational affiliations.

David Nantau is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, E*Trade Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, and Regions Bank. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning process and serves a large participant base relative to its advisor headcount.

Robert Maloney is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Howard Hanna Mortgage Services and Allen Tate Mortgage. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and utilizes fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis for portfolio allocation across various investment vehicles.

Gerard Nieters is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at Sage Financial Partners since 2006 and has been affiliated with Principal Life Insurance Co. and Principal Securities Inc. since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in selling group and individual health insurance as well as other insurance products. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse clientele, including individual investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Kevin Renz is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at First Citizens since 2018 and previously held positions at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Bank NA, and Credit Union Investment Services. First Citizens Investor Services serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities with a range of advisory and brokerage services, including portfolio management, wrap programs, model portfolios, and financial planning. The firm emphasizes advisor-led client assessments and employs fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage investments across various asset classes.

Jackey Webb is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and 15 years of industry experience. Prior to joining First Citizens Investor Services in 2015, Webb worked at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2011 to 2015. Outside of advisory work, Webb serves as Vice President of the Pisgah High School Athletic Booster Club and is a volunteer PA announcer for Pisgah High School sports. Webb also holds a leadership position as 3rd Vice-President of the Canton Lions Club. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients by providing advisory and brokerage services through a range of portfolio management solutions, including UMA and SMA programs, model portfolios, and automated investing platforms. The firm focuses on tailored client assessments and applies various investment analyses to construct diversified portfolios across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Amanda West is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Janney Montgomery Scott. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for six years before joining Janney Montgomery Scott, where she has been since 2022. 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 clientele, including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and municipal clients, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs supported by in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Scott Warner is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, Nuveen Securities, LLC, and Nuveen. Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides manager research, global investment strategy, securities research, asset allocation analysis, and model-portfolio services to Wells Fargo affiliates and unaffiliated financial institutions. The firm specializes in delivering non-discretionary, non-customized model portfolios based on research from its specialist divisions.

Irina Podmolska is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. and has prior experience at Charles Schwab, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and M&T Bank. Podmolska holds a Series 66 license. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s investment approach relies on Schwab’s proprietary asset-allocation models and research tools, offering tailored recommendations without exercising discretionary trading authority.

Benjamin Thomas is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and has been with Truist since 2025. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation and manager selection, offering services through the Envestnet platform and maintaining extensive affiliated financial relationships.

Stuart Moffitt is a financial advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked within various Bankers Life entities since 2020. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent for Bankers Life & Casualty, specializing in Medicare, long-term care, life insurance, and annuity products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan services. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to craft tailored asset allocations, offering both wrap and non-wrap programs through Pershing as custodian and Bankers Life Securities, Inc. as broker-dealer.

Constance Kennedy is a financial advisor at T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at GWFS Equities, Inc. and BB&T. T. Rowe Price Advisory Services offers the Retirement Advisory Service, providing individual investors and households with goals-based financial planning, retirement income planning, and discretionary investment management primarily through T. Rowe Price mutual funds and ETFs. The firm employs tax-aware strategies and Monte Carlo simulations to develop financial plans and manages accounts on a discretionary basis.

Caroline Thomas is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with three years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services, as well as prior experience at WPS Health Solutions and FN America. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI-enabled tools and offers ongoing client reviews, serving clients through a platform that includes third-party investment manager selection and fiduciary partnership services.