Brian Pomante is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Truist Investment Services, BB&T, and SunTrust Advisory Services. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering comprehensive written recommendations across various financial topics. The firm emphasizes goal-based analyses and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services through a consolidated billing option while maintaining separate planning and management functions.

Brett Berrier is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 credential and has worked with Morgan Stanley Private Bank since 2015 and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Prior to that, he was employed at Citigroup Global Markets from 2000 to 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, focusing on tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and structured discovery conversations. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers both direct and corporate financial planning services.

Johnnie Council is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise and holds a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience, previously working at Equitable Advisors and in education roles with Alamance-Burlington Schools, Guilford County Schools, and North Carolina A&T. Council also serves as a board member for the Christine Council Foundation, a nonprofit organization. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and institutional entities. The firm uses model-driven investment strategies developed by internal and third-party portfolio strategists and offers access to various financial planning and consulting services.

Sherri Brown is a financial advisor at Merrill with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65, Series 66, and Series 63 licenses. Her prior work includes roles at Oppenheimer, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, and Citigroup Global Markets. Outside of her advisory work, she has served as a poll worker during the 2020 general election. 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 both model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Jennifer Hobbs is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Winston Salem, NC, holding a Series 63 designation and 24 years of industry experience. She has worked with Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2023 before joining Wells Fargo Advisors, where she has been since 2023. 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 using proprietary research and tools, with clients able to implement recommendations through various brokerage or advisory programs.

Timothy Anzulewicz is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at RPM Plastics, Zen Business, and ownership interests in Moon Brew LLC and Full Moon Oyster Bar. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, using a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios and manage funds.

Lisa Cranford is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Raymond James for 10 years. Outside of her advisory work, she maintains an independent Avon representative account for personal and family product orders. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and municipalities, and offers financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and specialized municipal advisory services.

James Bowman is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Oak Ridge, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2001. Bowman serves on the finance committee of Central Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, where he is involved in preparing the annual budget and overseeing financial operations. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Regina Edwards is a financial advisor at Merrill with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Merrill since 2009. Prior to that, she worked at Bank of America, N.A., where she remains affiliated. 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 and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Vernon Horne is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 48 years of industry experience. He is currently with OSAIC, having joined in 2025 after 17 years at Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and 19 years at Osaic FS, Inc. He is also involved as an agent and owner in insurance-related businesses, including Signature Financial Services Group, LLC, and Horne Financial Services, offering various insurance products. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including retail and institutional investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporations. The firm provides both brokerage and advisory services with a model-based investment approach that includes portfolio optimization, discretionary and advisor-managed strategies, and access to alternative investments through third-party platforms.

Samuel Starling III is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Citigroup Global Markets. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a broad range of services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive advisory tools and oversight of substantial discretionary assets.

Amir Ghalyoun is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Greensboro, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Thrivent since 2025. Prior to his current role, he spent ten years working with Poblanos/Amigos/Sams. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. The firm offers goal-based financial planning covering a range of topics but does not include implementation or discretionary portfolio management within these services.

Rusty Russell is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with over 31 years of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial, where he has worked since 2019. His prior experience includes roles at Kestra Financial Services, First Allied Advisory Services, and Covenant Financial Solutions. Russell is the author of a published book titled *Unleashing the Gift of Giving: A Ministry's Guide to Building and Leaving a Legacy*. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a broad range of advisory services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive research and technology tools.

Joel Lacsina is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. His work history includes positions at Brightway Insurance, BCA Financial Services, Inc., and Publix. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also offers discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery, with notable activities including registration as a commodity pool operator and advisory roles for multiple registered investment companies.

James Kirkpatrick III is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and co-heads KM & Associates, a twelve-person professional wealth management team. He works with high net worth families, corporate executives, and business owners to develop in-depth wealth management strategies that address their complex financial lives. His team assists clients in identifying and prioritizing financial goals before implementing customized plans to pursue those goals. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business from Wake Forest University and has earned professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). James was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he remains active in community affairs. He serves on the Local Leadership Board of Search Ministries and has held leadership roles such as past chairman of the War Memorial Commission, past president of the board of trustees of the Greensboro Historical Museum, and past chairman of the Triad Chapter of Golfers Against Cancer. James and his wife, Katharine, have four children. In his personal time, he enjoys playing golf, following Wake Forest athletics, fitness training, and listening to a variety of music.

Stephen Edwards is a financial advisor at Robert Baird & Co. in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 66 credential with eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Baird in 2018, he worked at Wake Forest University for five years. He is the founder and president of the Twilight Golf Club. The DDK Group, a team within Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management department, serves individuals, corporate and business clients, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, separately managed account programs, and custody and brokerage services, utilizing a combination of manager-traded and model-traded strategies alongside tax management and direct indexing capabilities.

David Marcus is a financial advisor with Merrill in Greensboro, NC, holding the Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 2009 and has worked at Bank of America, N.A. since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an officer of 3 D Mgmt, a for-profit entity based in Greensboro. 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 for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Jason Overby is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is a freelance photographer and fine art print seller, with work that includes sports photography and contributions to local and regional publications. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide non-discretionary, written recommendation reports tailored to clients’ financial goals.

Keary Didier is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Wells Fargo Clearing, Merrill, and UBS Financial Services. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs, delivering tailored financial planning through its network of financial advisors and specialized estate planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and investment modeling techniques.

Brian Peters is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Greensboro, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 25 years of industry experience. His prior firms include Lincoln Financial Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing, and BB&T Investment Services. Peters is also involved with RD Marketing Group, a non-variable insurance business based in Greensboro. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.