Luke Piccione is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Bankers Life, he worked in various roles including as a driver for a ride-sharing service and in educational and fitness organizations. He is also appointed as an insurance agent with Bankers Life and Casualty Company, focusing on retirement services such as Medicare, life insurance, and long-term care insurance. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management according to clients’ goals, risk tolerances, and time horizons.

Stuart Singer is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 47 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2003. Singer serves as a board member of Jewish Family Services of Greater Charlotte, a social work and counseling agency. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and multiple advisory programs.

James Matthews is a Certified Financial Planner® with 19 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Guardian Life since 2017 and previously held roles at Aon Hewitt Financial Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Matthews engages in public speaking outside his advisory role and serves on the Peer Review Board for the Journal of Financial Planning. He is affiliated with Park Avenue Wealth Management, a subsidiary of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, which provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, alongside access to insurance products and alternative investments.

Thomas Cline is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing. He serves as a board member for the United Way of Roanoke Valley. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm’s approach involves IAR-led assessments and combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Tiffany Ku is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TLG Advisors, she worked at The Leaders Group Inc. and CTBC Bank USA. Ku also serves as a Client Services Manager and Writing Agent for a life insurance brokerage business. TLG Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm focuses on investment supervisory services and portfolio management through a manager selection process informed by fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, and offers a direct-to-consumer digital program called Starlight Portfolios.

Michael Porter is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. since 2017. He has a long-standing career with Bankers Life and its affiliates dating back to 2004, where he also supervises a team of insurance agents. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser that primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

John Hall is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, and Carroll Financial Associates Inc. He operates out of Charlotte, NC. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a strategic investment process combining passive and active management, supported by an internal Investment Committee and multiple program offerings.

Michael Bellavia is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Truist Advisory Services, Bb&T Securities, and Bb&T Investment Services. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients, offering investment advisory and brokerage services through multiple program types and third-party portfolio managers on the Passageway Managed Account platform.

Hannah Smith is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with five years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at various Truist entities since 2021, as well as prior roles at Beneficial Investments and Robinson & Stith Insurance. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates traditional research with AI-enabled tools and offers a range of fiduciary and advisory services through its affiliation with Truist Financial and partnerships with Envestnet.

Michael Thompson is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities since 2012 and with Guardian Life Insurance Company since 2001. Outside of his advisory roles, he operates Thompson Planning Group Insurance, focusing on the sale of traditional insurance products. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, serves individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, providing clients access to proprietary programs, third-party advisory solutions, and integrated financial services including insurance and alternative investments.

Joshua Griffin is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Truist and its predecessor firms since 2016. Griffin is based in Charlotte, NC. 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 integrates traditional research with AI-enabled tools and offers a range of advisory services through its affiliation with Truist Financial and its network of banking and broker-dealer entities.

Emanuel Thomason is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Life Group, Edward Jones, Thrivent Financial, and LPL Financial. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms and combines long-term investment strategies with options for shorter-term trading, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets through a network of investment adviser representatives.

Shawn Thompson is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at LPL Financial and Retirement Clearinghouse. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management services primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates, with service delivery closely tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Jacob Schmidt is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory in Charlotte, NC. His prior experience includes roles at The Vanguard Group and Facet, as well as self-employment. Outside of finance, Schmidt performs as a singer. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s services emphasize client authorization for trades and rely on Charles Schwab’s asset-allocation models and internal research tools.

Thomas Pfaff is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and affiliated firms since 2015, including BB&T Investment Services and BB&T Securities. Based in Waxhaw, NC, Pfaff currently serves clients through Truist Advisory Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation and manager selection, offering ongoing reviews and client consultations through its affiliates and partnerships.

Natasha Allen is a financial advisor with Carson Wealth in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Edward Jones and LPL Financial, among others. Outside of advising, she owns Natasha N. Allen, LLC, a coaching business focused on helping women with emotional eating and weight loss, and serves as a skills development coach at the Life Purpose Institute. Carson Wealth is an SEC-registered investment adviser operating an enterprise platform with over 650 advisors managing approximately $50.6 billion. The firm serves corporate, institutional, and high-net-worth clients with discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a model portfolio approach overseen by an Investment Committee.

Brett Schmidt is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently advising at Rockefeller Financial LLC. He previously worked at Truist Advisory Services and BB&T, accumulating extensive experience in wealth management. He also serves as the Charlotte Chapter President for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, organizing community events and raising awareness for inherited retinal diseases. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, and operates as a registered broker-dealer with a comprehensive investment platform that includes equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

Vincenzo Atkinson is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked with SunTrust Advisory Services LLC and SunTrust Bank since 2016. He is based in Charlotte, NC, and currently serves as an advisor at Truist Advisory Services. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI-enabled tools and provides ongoing client reviews, partnering with Envestnet platforms to deliver customized asset allocation and manager selection.

Eric Robbins is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with six years of industry experience. His career includes roles within various PNC Investments entities since 2018 and prior experience at Marriott Vacation Club. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio offering that uses algorithm-driven risk assessments and delegated portfolio management.

William Crocker is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Lockton Investment Advisors, Lockton Companies, and Lockton Financial Advisors from 2014 to 2021. Crocker is based in Indian Land, South Carolina. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and employs a financial planning–led investment process that combines low-cost indexing with supplemental strategies, supported by a large advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.