Eric Wellford is a Benefits & Planning Consultant in Executive Services. He provides benefits guidance and planning support for executives. Eric has been with Fidelity Investments since 2021, starting as a Workplace Planning Consultant I-3 before becoming a Benefits & Planning Consultant in 2026. In his personal time, Eric enjoys art, camping, hiking, photography, and traveling.

James Hoke is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, where he has worked since 2015. He has 10 years of industry experience and serves as a board member for several local organizations, including the Kenly Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, and the Johnston County Tourism Authority. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits, offering holistic, goal-based financial planning that covers a wide range of topics without direct portfolio management or discretionary trading authority.

Tyler Lindsey is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at Lindsey, Lindsey & Mueller CPA’s, where he provided tax preparation services. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and trusts, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory through a network of independent Financial Professionals. The firm provides a range of investment solutions, including proprietary and third-party model strategies, with flexible custody and platform arrangements tailored to client objectives.

Scott Macdonald is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the founder of the Special Needs Team. He has dedicated over thirty years to providing financial advice and guidance tailored to the unique needs of disabled, special-needs, and elder-abuse victims and their families. His team collaborates closely with attorneys, caregivers, trustees, fiduciaries, and benefits counselors to address both the near- and long-term financial requirements of their clients. Scott has extensive expertise in managing Special Needs Trusts, court-supervised trusts, probate investing, and understanding the California Probate Code and the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. He employs sophisticated modeling tools and analytics to support the financial and quality-of-life goals of special-needs populations. His approach is collaborative and firmly centered on client well-being. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the California State University system and carries the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Scott has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Best-in-State Wealth Advisors from 2020 through 2025. He is active in his community through involvement with the Rotary Club of Tahoe Incline, the Society for disAbilities, and the Tahoe Fire Helicopter Project. Outside of work, Scott enjoys boating, fishing, hiking, skiing, and spending time with his family.

Nichola Agins is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment consulting services, utilizing multiple portfolio management styles supported by in-house research and affiliated sub-advisers.

Lyben Hizkias is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill and Bank of America, Hizkias worked at Fidelity Investments and held roles in various companies, including Akula Security and Conquer Strategic Marketing. 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 model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal and third-party managers, serving individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients.

Anastasia Council is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving clients at Edward Jones since 2014. She holds a Series 66 license and is based in Raleigh, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates through a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and over 15,000 branch offices.

Joshua Filyaw is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he collaborates with clients to develop comprehensive financial plans tailored to their unique goals and preferences. He began his role as a Financial Consultant in 2024, having previously served as a Planning Consultant at Fidelity from 2022 to 2024. Prior to joining Fidelity, Joshua worked as an Investment Resource Consultant at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2021 to 2022 and as a Personal Banker at Wells Fargo Bank from 2019 to 2021. Outside of his professional work, Joshua has interests in baseball, cars, football, running, singing, and traveling.

Cameron Pait is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory role, he is a minority owner of a real estate business that manages properties inherited from his late father. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Quinn Angel is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Quinn has worked at Merrill since 2022 and has a diverse background including roles in education and retail. Merrill, together 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 model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

James Forrester is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding a Series 66 credential and over 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2015. Outside of advising, he owns a commercial fishing boat and is a one-third owner of a water disaster mitigation equipment sales and leasing business. He also serves as president of the board for Pine Knoll Townes Phase 1. Raymond James & Associates is a large dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser overseeing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering a range of financial planning, investment consulting, and institutional fiduciary services.

Luke Hopkins is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Mass Mutual Investors Services and First Command Advisory Services. Outside of his advisory role, he holds a 25% ownership interest in Legacy Vault App LLC, a marketing-related business. 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 roughly $671 billion in assets and employs over 14,000 financial advisors, offering both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics.

Scott Blanchard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been active in the industry since 2024. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he was associated with Charles Schwab and Steward Wealth Strategies. Outside of finance, his background includes roles in education and the restaurant industry. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by internal and third-party research.

R. Grove Jr. is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 32 years of experience. He specializes in working with a select number of high-net-worth families and businesses, developing, executing, and tracking sophisticated financial management and portfolio strategies. His approach combines investment management with personalized financial services to help clients achieve financial security by simplifying complex financial landscapes. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina and is a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® designee. Grove takes a goals-based approach to wealth management that integrates his team's certifications with detailed knowledge of each client's family priorities and resources to design customized strategies. His areas of client focus include college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and socially responsible, values-based, and ESG investing. Outside of his professional duties, Grove lives in Cary, NC with his wife and has three adult children. He enjoys golfing, running, and spending time with his family. He is the co-founder and Vice President of The Continuous Blessings Foundation and has served on the finance committee at his church, as a board member for the Y Guides of the Triangle, and Life Experiences, Inc.

Mark Despagni is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he is a baseball instructor. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs and investment solutions. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and operates a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Trevor Lawson is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with OSAIC since 2018. Prior to joining OSAIC, he worked at Jhfn Sii from 2013 to 2018. He volunteers as an instructor, teaching courses on financial preparation for widowhood to individuals aged 50 and over. OSAIC serves a broad range of retail and institutional clients through a large network of advisors, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services along with various managed account solutions and access to third-party money managers. The firm employs a range of asset-allocation tools and maintains multiple platform relationships to support diverse client needs.

Erik Williams is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Fidelity Investments, Kreative Intelligence LLC, UNC Greensboro, and Wells Fargo. Outside of his advisory work, he is an officer at Kreative Intelligence LLC, a company that sells custom goods. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and a structured discovery process. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and delivers both direct and employer-sponsored financial planning services.

Grady Sykes III is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with LPL Enterprise and is also the owner of Sykes Capital LLC, a securities sales firm based in Jacksonville, FL. His prior experience includes roles at Revision Wealth Management, Trinity Wealth Securities, and Florida Financial Advisors. LPL Enterprise serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations, providing financial planning, advisory services, and access to model portfolios and third-party asset managers through an integrated platform that combines advisory programs with brokerage and insurance products.

Jordan Sellers is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and having three years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Fidelity Investments and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also the owner of SELLERS Foundation LLC, a non-operating entity currently in the process of dissolution. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, utilizing a combination of quantitative asset-allocation models and centralized due diligence. The firm delivers services on a non-discretionary basis and applies an ESG eligibility framework in its investment recommendations.

Austin Harris is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. based in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Raymond James since 2020 and previously was with Bb&T Securities and Scott & Stringfellow. Harris is also an insurance agent with Towne Insurance, focusing on non-variable insurance products. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary investment consulting and supports a large network of advisors, with specialized services in municipal finance and SIMPLE IRA employer advisory programs.