Sharmishtha Prasad is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and with 14 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Coastal Federal Credit Union, PNC Bank, Bank of America, Merrill, and Wells Fargo Private Bank. She serves on the boards of the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Community Foundation of North Carolina East. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning services, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing model portfolios and research from multiple sources.

David Mc Dowell is a financial advisor at Osaic in Raleigh, NC, with two years of industry experience and a Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Osaic, he held roles at James River Insurance, First Citizens Bank, and Appalachian State University. His other business activities include serving as a financial advisor at Capitol Financial Solutions and working as an insurance broker with Carter McDowell. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional clients, offering integrated brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs various asset-allocation tools and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, with access to multiple third-party money managers and advisory platforms.

Mike Patti is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 20 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Patti holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools supported by its Global Investment Committee.

E Ostendorff is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has extensive experience in estate and investment planning, serving the financial needs of families, endowments, foundations, and non-profits. E Ostendorff began his career at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1995 as the Estate Planning specialist for multiple Merrill offices. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the College of Charleston and earned his Juris Doctorate from Nashville School of Law. His professional credentials include the Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. Outside of his professional work, E Ostendorff is a founder of the Continuous Blessings Foundation and has participated on the finance and membership committees for North Ridge Country Club. His personal interests include football, golfing, music, and reading.

Ward Marslender III is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he owns Marslender-West Asset Management, an investment-related business. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services, including retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, delivering tailored recommendations supported by proprietary research and planning tools.

L James is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He leads a team that has over 30 years of experience assisting affluent families with thoughtful investment guidance and comprehensive financial planning. His approach focuses on helping clients simplify their financial lives to support their lifestyle, legacy goals, and retirement income needs. James holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA®). He earned his bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University. Throughout his career, he has been recognized in Barron's America's Top Financial Advisors and Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors. Outside of his professional responsibilities, James enjoys boating, hiking, music, singing, skiing, swimming, watching movies, and spending time with his family. He is committed to staying current on tax and estate planning issues and cutting-edge financial strategies to provide value to the families he serves.

Jeremy Potts is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with LPL Financial since 2019. Prior to joining LPL, he worked for Parata Systems LLC for 11 years. 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, financial planning, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research from LPL and third-party subadvisors.

Christian Kubista is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo entities since 2009, including seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and ten years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Kubista serves as treasurer for the North Carolina Veterans Business Association. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions, relying on research and analytics to guide investment decisions.

Alyssa Potts is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors based in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions in the United States Navy and several retail and hospitality companies. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, utilizing extensively LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed third-party managers to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Jason Peck is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with six years of industry experience, currently with Raymond James & Associates in Raleigh, NC. He has been with Raymond James since 2020, following seven years at Canvas Solutions, Inc. Raymond James & Associates is a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets, serving a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and government entities. The firm provides wealth advisory planning and investment consulting primarily on a non-discretionary basis, with integrated resources spanning public finance and institutional consulting.

Nathan Goulet is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a broader set of financial product offerings that include insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Caleb Hudson is a financial advisor with Merrill in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and E*TRADE Securities. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through its Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors. The firm integrates investment management with additional services such as lending and custody within Bank of America’s broader platform.

Price French is a financial advisor with Osaic, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at The Potter Financial Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, Kestra Financial Services, Inc., and has operated The French Financial Firm, LLC since 2003. French is also a registered representative of Capital Financial Solutions, focusing on securities, insurance, and fixed annuities. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. serves a broad range of retail and institutional clients, offering brokerage and investment advisory services, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm employs asset-allocation tools and automated rebalancing to construct diversified portfolios and supports multiple advisory platforms and legacy program transitions.

Elizabeth Watkins is a financial advisor with OSAIC based in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 13 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities, Inc. and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of advising, she has served as a notary and acts as registered agent for multiple legal entities in North Carolina. OSAIC serves a broad mix of retail and institutional clients through a large network of affiliated advisers, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers and wrap programs. The firm employs asset-allocation tools and risk-tolerance assessments to build diversified portfolios managed on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

Nicholas Ellingsworth Perez is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company since 2016, with prior experience at Metlife Securities from 2013 to 2017. Outside of advisory work, he is an independent insurance agent specializing in dental, group disability income, and life/accident/health insurance, and he owns an LLC managing operational expenses. MassMutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm emphasizes ongoing collaborative planning relationships and offers a range of event-driven planning programs, including recent additions such as divorce planning.

Jolene Miles is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 32 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has been with Robert W. Baird since 2010. She is part of The DDK Group, a team within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice that serves individuals, families, pensions, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The group offers customized financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and manager options tailored to client goals and risk tolerances.

Mary Norton is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and 65 licenses. Her prior roles include positions at Vesta Wealth Advisors, Principal Securities Inc., and Waddell & Reed, Inc. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a wide range of clients including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent Financial Professionals, utilizing various portfolio management and model-based solutions tailored to client objectives.

Robert Villareal is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab based in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank since 2005. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base, primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment options, combining comprehensive advisory, brokerage, custody, and cash-sweep services within an integrated operational structure.

Walker Grove is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. He began his career at Merrill Lynch in 2023 and is part of the GOLD Group team. Walker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a minor in Psychology from North Carolina State University. He has completed the SIE, Series 7, and Series 66 FINRA registrations and holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Walker’s advisory approach focuses on personalized financial strategies that align with clients’ life goals, risk tolerance, time horizons, and liquidity needs. His expertise includes family wealth management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, and individual and corporate investment strategy. He aims to simplify and clarify investing complexities to help clients pursue objectives such as education funding, retirement income sustainability, healthcare cost planning, and wealth transfer management, always prioritizing clients’ unique perspectives and priorities. Outside of his professional role, Walker is involved with the Continuous Blessings Foundation, a community organization founded in honor of his uncle, Chris Bunn, where he volunteers annually to support the foundation’s tournament. In his free time, Walker enjoys basketball, cooking, fishing, football, golfing, ice hockey, spending time with family, and watching movies.

Brendan Farrell is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Capitol Financial Solutions and Avalara. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including fee-based financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and utilizes proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor advice for clients.