Michael Bellavia is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Matthews, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Truist Advisory Services, Truist Investment Services, and Bb&T Securities. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options combining third-party portfolio managers and advisor-managed strategies, and is notable for its municipal-advisor registration and affiliation with a large bank.

Hannah Smith is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing four years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, Inc. and Beneficial Investments, as well as teaching positions at the University of South Carolina and New Bern High School. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering asset allocation, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program. The firm integrates discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, supported by AI-enabled research tools and significant inter-affiliate arrangements.

Michael Thompson is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors based in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities since 2012 and has been affiliated with Guardian Life Insurance Co. since 2001. Outside of his work with Guardian, he operates Thompson Planning Group Insurance, focusing on the sale of traditional insurance products. Park Avenue Securities serves a diverse retail client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory services, employing a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supporting various account-level features such as lending solutions and tax-harvesting.

Joshua Griffin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services who holds a Series 66 designation and has 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and its affiliated entities since 2016. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program implemented through a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

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 with Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Alight, and Retirement Clearinghouse. 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’s approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed accounts.

Jacob Schmidt is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. His prior roles include positions at The Vanguard Group and Facet, and he has spent four years as a self-employed professional. Outside of finance, Jacob is also a musician and performs as a singer. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice as part of the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering clients annual financial reviews and investment recommendations using Schwab’s research tools and asset allocation models, while final trading decisions remain with the clients.

Christopher Prevette is a CFA® charterholder with four years of industry experience. He is currently with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, where he has worked for five years. Prior to that, he spent eighteen years at Wells Fargo Bank and one year at Principal Financial Group. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as the treasurer on the board of the Charlotte Carolinas Rugby Club, a nonprofit focused on youth and community outreach. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting through discretionary and non-discretionary management, utilizing various portfolio strategies and technology platforms.

Thomas Pfaff is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bb&T Securities, LLC and BB&T Investments. He has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2021. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools, to deliver and oversee its investment strategies.

Natasha Allen is a financial advisor with CWM, LLC based in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Series 66 designation and has three years of industry experience. Prior to joining CWM, she worked at Edward Jones for three years and has founded Natasha N. Allen, LLC, a consulting business focused on coaching women who struggle with emotional eating and weight loss. She is also a skills development coach at the Life Purpose Institute. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth families, foundations, endowments, corporations, and institutional clients through a network of over 600 advisors. The firm employs discretionary account management using model portfolios supported by fundamental and technical analysis, third-party sub-advisors, and customization tools, with a particular emphasis on retirement plan services and fiduciary processes.

Brett Schmidt is a CFP® with 14 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently works at Truist Advisory Services and has held roles within related Truist entities and BB&T since 2012. Schmidt serves as the Charlotte Chapter President for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, where he organizes events and leads community efforts to raise awareness and funds for inherited retinal diseases. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, implementing advice through discretionary and non-discretionary manager relationships supported by third-party platforms and enhanced by AI-enabled research tools.

Gary Spencer is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2023 and previously was associated with Baldwin Risk Partners. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, and a manager‑selection program through third‑party managers, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non‑discretionary approaches supported by AI-enabled research tools.

Vincenzo Atkinson is a CFA® charterholder based in Charlotte, NC, with nine years of industry experience. He has been with SunTrust Advisory Services LLC and SunTrust Bank since 2016. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services including asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program that combines discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

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.

Matthew Kalajian is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2006. He is based in Charlotte, NC, and holds a Series 63 license. Outside of his advisory role, Kalajian is involved in community organizations, serving on the boards of the Charlotte Economics Club and Camp Rockmont. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs through a combination of in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Eduardo Gelpi is a financial advisor with T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Edelman Financial Engines, LPL Financial LLC, Ameriprise Financial Services, and Wells Fargo Advisors. T. Rowe Price Advisory Services offers a retirement-focused advisory program combining nondiscretionary financial planning and discretionary investment management, primarily using proprietary mutual funds and ETFs for individual investors and households with retirement goals.

Lara Ferguson is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Citizens Securities, Inc. since 2022. Her prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, LLC and DaVinci Financial Designs. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors and individual retirement plans, offering both investment advisory programs and brokerage and insurance services. The firm provides a digital advisory program and managed account services while operating as a broker-dealer and insurance agency.

Abel Rizzo is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower Advisory Group, he worked at various hospitality firms including Wurst Haus and Union Kitchen. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm delivers services through an integrated model connected to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing.

Bradford Brinkley is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 credential and 18 years with the firm. He has experience as an insurance agent selling life and health insurance, including Medicare Supplement and annuity products. Bankers Life Advisory Services provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals, focusing on customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to guide investment decisions.