Jacob Hackney is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, P.J. Robb Variable Corp., and Crump Life Insurance Services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm offers point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

James Schenck is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked within the Truist organization and its predecessors since 2000, including BB&T Investment Services and BB&T Securities. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to provide ongoing monitoring and reporting, working through platforms such as Envestnet and partnering with Envestnet Retirement Solutions for retirement plan services.

Ronald Carland is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC since 2022. He previously worked at Altavista Wealth Management, Inc. for 17 years and has been president of Carland & Andersen CPA, a non-investment related CPA firm, since 1980. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, financial planning, retirement-plan services, and outsourced CIO solutions to individual investors, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of asset-allocation modeling and third-party independent managers, employing both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Shawn Ford is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2007. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning services and ongoing management through various managed account programs, acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund and operating within a vertically integrated group using affiliated funds.

Ronald Lindquist Jr. is a financial advisor with VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with VOYA Financial Advisors since 2014. In addition to his advisory role, he is also an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products. VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. is a large advisory and broker-dealer affiliate of Voya Financial that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement advisory services through a comprehensive network using both affiliated and third-party investment products with a focus on client-approved, non-discretionary management.

Charles Campbell is a ChFC® with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving with Kestra Advisory. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and has been involved with Kestra Investment Services, LLC since 2014. Based in Charlotte, NC, his background includes providing investment advisory and employee benefits sales. Kestra Advisory Services offers investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including plan sponsors, institutional, and individual clients. The firm provides comprehensive services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and access to multiple management platforms, serving a wide range of investors including sovereign wealth funds.

Leland Harrelson is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including Northwestern Mutual and Marslender-West Asset Management Firm. 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 employs a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support ongoing client reviews and offers access to a range of third-party investment managers through the Envestnet platform.

Lucy Cain is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Truist Bank and Pure Barre Athens. Outside of finance, she has experience working at an exercise studio where she provided client support and member outreach. 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 partners with Envestnet to provide tailored asset allocation strategies and ongoing client support.

Elaine Bennett is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds a Series 66 designation. She has 25 years of industry experience, having worked with Park Avenue Securities and The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America since 2000. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of Guardian Life, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of financial planning, consulting, and discretionary management solutions, combining proprietary programs with third-party platforms and access to insurance and alternative investment products.

Jeffery Smith is a CFP® certificant with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities. His tenure at these firms spans multiple roles since 2016. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of the Rotary Club of Troutman. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary programs and third-party platforms.

Aaditya Jampani is a Series 65-licensed financial professional at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. with one year of industry experience. Before joining Wells Fargo Investment Institute in 2026, he held roles at Neurika.AI and Vivian Contracting LLC, and he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides manager research, global investment strategy, securities research, asset allocation analysis, and model-portfolio services to Wells Fargo affiliates and other financial institutions, offering non-customized, non-discretionary investment models rather than direct portfolio management or individualized financial planning.

Andersen Crowder is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Vanguard Marketing Corporation and The Vanguard Group, Inc. He has also been involved with Jia Asian Fusion over multiple periods. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through employer retirement plans. The firm offers a combination of point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management utilizing model and customized portfolio strategies.

Paul Brown is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC. His career includes roles at LPL Financial, Bank of America, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner of Streamline Productions, a business he has operated since 2008. 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 of advisory representatives and employs various portfolio management strategies supported by technology platforms and third-party managers.

Jeremy Robinson is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 14 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2012. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides distinct planning and management services and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund, operating within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds.

John Bogert is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with TIAA and its affiliated entities since 2007. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and corporate entities, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund and operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds.

David Srulevitch is a CFP® with five years of industry experience currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC. He has previously worked at The Colony Group, LLC, Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC, Carolina Capital Consulting, Inc., and Blair, Bohle & Whitsitt, PLLC. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, families, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional retirement plans by providing investment management, financial planning, tax and compliance support, family office and business management, and employee benefit retirement plan services. The firm uses a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach with a combination of active and passive strategies, third-party managers, private funds, and tactical overlays tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and financial circumstances.

Justin Cook is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, he worked at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company, and he has a background that includes senior roles at T-Mobile and experience with Dragonfly Visual Productions. Outside of his advisory work, Cook is involved in local education initiatives, serving as a board member of the Cuthbertson High School Parent Teacher Student Organization and volunteering with the NTES WatchDOGS program. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, institutional sponsors, and corporate clients. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives and is noted for managing a substantial portion of assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Luke Luciano is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to joining Truist, he worked at Alloy Investment Management and Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, and has experience with JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of Truist, he is involved as an insurance agent selling fixed annuities and life insurance. 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 tools, partners with Envestnet platforms, and offers a range of co-fiduciary and discretionary services.

William Kane is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 43 years of industry experience. His career includes long-term roles with NY Life Insurance Company, Eagle Strategies, and Nylife Securities Inc. Kane is also licensed with various insurance companies for the sale of group insurance and non-New York Life insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with the majority of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Matthew Haman is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union, Coastal Carolina University, and Lids-Hat World Inc. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides a range of advisory services, including model portfolio management and customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.