Elizabeth Watkins is a financial advisor with OSAIC in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities and Ameriprise Financial Services and has been involved with ESPN / Ming Ling Entertainment for over two decades. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as a notary and acts as a registered agent for several LLCs. OSAIC serves a wide range of clients, including individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and charitable organizations, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services with various portfolio management tools and third-party solutions.

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.

Sean Gyger is a Senior Financial Advisor with The Crane Gyger Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since 2011, he has served clients by creating customized wealth management strategies that align with their individual priorities. Sean focuses on providing a concierge-style experience across the full wealth management spectrum, helping clients create, grow, and preserve their wealth. Sean attended Appalachian State University and Methodist University, where he also played baseball as a pitcher for the Monarchs team. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. His expertise includes corporate executive services, equity compensation, family wealth management, legacy planning, portfolio management, special needs planning, and tax minimization. Outside of his professional role, Sean resides in Wake Forest with his wife and four children. He is involved in his community through various activities, including serving as a docent at the North Carolina Museum of Art and coaching youth baseball and basketball. He has also served as Chairman of the Autism Speaks Triangle Committee.

Bryan Richardson is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Wake Forest, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its related entities since 2005, accumulating 18 years at the firm. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing tax-aware retirement planning advice, focusing on dependable income strategies for clients approaching or in retirement.

Brian McNiff is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience, currently with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC. His prior experience includes positions at Bank of America, N.A., and Merrill. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo 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, and wealth-transfer planning, using proprietary research and tools to develop tailored recommendations.

Benjamin Graff is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2007. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeted at individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax analysis in a structured approach delivered by a centralized consulting team, with a focus on assets held in Ameriprise Managed Accounts.

Samuel Harris is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wachovia Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as power of attorney for family members, managing investment-related matters. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory process incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a range of investment options such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweeps.

Eric Cohen is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his career in 2012 and joined The Liberatore Group as a Financial Advisor in 2015. In his role, Eric focuses on practice management, cash flow planning, and portfolio construction to support clients' financial objectives. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Eric is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certificant, awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., and also holds designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Eric has been named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list for consecutive years from 2022 through 2026. He has served on the board of Urban Ministries of Wake County. Outside of his professional work, Eric enjoys travelling, watching sports, and spending time with his family and friends.

William Miller is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and over seven years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at First Bank, Evolve Bank & Trust, Prime Mortgage Lending, and Bank of Clarke County. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branches.

Jeffrey Lane is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in assisting high net worth clients in managing their comprehensive financial affairs. With over 31 years at Merrill, he utilizes the firm's investment tools, resources, and networks to simplify wealth management planning, focusing on retirement and estate planning, tax minimization, portfolio management, and philanthropic planning among other areas. Jeff began his career with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1990 after graduating from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor's degree in Corporate Finance. He has earned several professional designations, including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Jeff emphasizes forming meaningful client relationships to prepare for both expected and unexpected life events through tailored financial strategies and consistent reviews. Beyond his professional work, Jeff has served on the Board of Directors at Wake Enterprises, supporting independence for people with disabilities, and has received a leadership award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He is also involved with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Jeff and his wife, Illyse, live in Raleigh with their two sons and a rescue dog. He enjoys golfing, ice hockey, music, running, and spending time with his family.

Amanda Penrose is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Zebulon, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. She has worked at Equitable Advisors and Oakbridge Financial Group and is also the owner and photographer of Amanda Michele Photography, a part-time business she has operated since 2012. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and a variety of third-party asset managers. The firm employs a hybrid referral and implementation model that combines advisory and brokerage channels, tailoring services through a structured client intake process and offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management.

Newman Townsend III is a financial advisor at LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 37 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at FSC Securities Corporation and OSAIC. He also manages Steward Wealth Strategies, a wealth management practice. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network. The firm provides a variety of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management with access to model portfolios and research from multiple sources.

David White is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities Corp for 17 years. He is also a partner at The Capital Planning Group LLC, where he offers disability insurance, fixed annuities, long-term care insurance, premium financing, and traditional life insurance products. OSAIC serves a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, utilizing asset-allocation tools, risk-tolerance assessments, and a variety of investment options for discretionary or non-discretionary account management.

James Gillespie III is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at SunTrust Advisory Services and Suntrust Investment Services, Inc. He also serves as a trustee for a family trust. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services grounded in modern portfolio theory and tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances.

Ryan Jacobs is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 designation and less than one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he held positions at Equitable Advisors and worked outside the financial sector, including as a bartender at La Terrazza in Raleigh, NC. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.