Ethan Carr is a financial advisor at Independent Wealth Advisors, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including Equitable Advisors and Axa Advisors. Independent Wealth Advisors, LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, using a blend of analytical methods and offering discretionary portfolio management through its Strategic Wealth Management platform. The firm also sponsors a wrap fee program that bundles management and transaction costs for clients.

Carlton Davis Jr. is a CFP® and CFA® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Realm Investment Consulting LLC in Cary, NC. He has been an adjunct professor of finance at North Carolina State University since 2006 and also teaches at High Point University. Realm Investment Consulting serves individual and high-net-worth clients with portfolio management, financial planning, and pension/401(k) consulting, primarily using ETFs. The firm employs a long-term, theory-driven investment approach and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary services tailored by written Investment Policy Statements.

David Fruchter is a financial advisor at Great Plans Capital Management, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. In addition to his advisory role, he operates a tax preparation and consulting business. Great Plans Capital Management provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, pension, and business clients. The firm focuses on passive asset allocation using ETFs, no-load mutual funds, equities, and bonds, managing most assets on a non-discretionary basis with client approval for security selection.

James Baudreau is a financial advisor with Great Plans Capital Management, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Great Plans Capital Management in 2023, he worked at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC and First Advisors National, LLC. He is also involved in vending machine operations through Myriad Vending NC LLC. Great Plans Capital Management provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, pension, and business clients. The firm employs a passive asset allocation strategy using ETFs, no-load mutual funds, individual equities, and bonds, and manages most assets on a non-discretionary basis with client approval for security selections.

Deborah Frazier is a financial advisor at Frazier Financial Consultants, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, with 9 years of industry experience. She has been with Frazier Financial Consultants since 1986. Frazier Financial Consultants provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation with a core-and-satellite approach, combining passive index funds and ETFs with selective active funds, and integrates tax and estate planning into its asset management services.

Trinity Critelli is a financial advisor at Investors Mosaic with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Royal Alliance / Osaic and Advanced Group Financial Services, as well as positions in education and retail. She has also been involved with a snowplowing and lawncare business. Investors Mosaic is a small, two-advisor firm providing fee-based wealth management and financial planning to individuals and families, primarily in the mass-affluent to high-net-worth range. The firm employs a blend of passive, low-cost asset-allocation strategies alongside an active Growth equity model for legacy clients and emphasizes a documented planning process with a focus on actionable steps.

Marcus Fryar is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Fryar Financial in Durham, NC. His prior roles include positions at Cetera Investment Advisers LLC and HD Vest Advisory Services. Outside of advising, he owns Fryar Management Group LLC, which provides accounting, tax, and payroll services to individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Fryar Financial offers financial planning and asset management to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes tailored financial planning and non-discretionary portfolio management, with a focus on ERISA plan services including investment policy creation, monitoring, fee oversight, and participant education.

August Pye is a financial advisor with Integrated WealthCare, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has been with Integrated WealthCare since 2024 and has prior experience with Home Tax Solutions LLC and involvement with the YMCA of the Triangle at Camp Sea Gull. Outside of his advisory role, he is a licensed insurance agent. Integrated WealthCare is an SEC-registered wealth management firm that primarily serves physicians and medical professionals, as well as high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory, using documented risk assessments and client-specific Investment Policy Statements to implement globally diversified portfolios.

Russell Kroeger is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Upstart Wealth Management, LLC and Paradigm Wealth, Inc. (Trayecto), where he is the Founder and CEO, focusing on designing and building technology products for financial advisors and consumers. His prior experience includes roles at Michael Powsner CPA, Paradigm Wealth Architects, LLC, and Yeske Buie Inc. Upstart Wealth Management provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs discretionary, asset-allocation strategies using model portfolios and a range of implementation vehicles, including derivatives and margin, which are uncommon among peer team firms.

James Brown is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 15 years of industry experience. He currently works at Minerva Planning Group, where he has been since 2024, following 13 years at Vaughan-Brown Wealth Management. Minerva Planning Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, and other investment advisors, offering discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term asset allocation approach using low-cost, diversified mutual funds and ETFs, particularly Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) funds, combined with fundamental analysis and selective use of individual securities.

Lisa Gabriel is a CFP® and ChFC® with 21 years of industry experience. She has been with Pinafore Wealth Counsel Inc. since 2014. Gabriel serves as a board member and occasional instructor at Duke University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where she teaches classes on financial, retirement, and legacy planning. Pinafore Wealth Counsel provides investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and financial transition planning to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $174 million for about 100 clients, constructing tailored portfolios using a variety of securities and employing fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis, while also offering insurance products and Financial Transition Planning services.

Austin Brown is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors LLC, where he has worked since 2023. Prior to this, he spent ten years at Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc. Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors is a fee-only firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates through comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach, focusing on diversified, low-cost funds and personalized allocation strategies developed through client risk assessment.

Joshua Stilley is a financial advisor at TrustStone Wealth Partners, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Gordon Asset Management, LLC for six years and has experience at Coastal Carolina University. Stilley is the owner of JVS Financial L.L.C., a holding company, and is a licensed insurance agent. TrustStone Wealth Partners provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm emphasizes tailored investment portfolios primarily using ETFs and incorporates multiple analysis methods and both long- and short-term strategies.

Michael Honea is a CFP® professional with 11 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Cary Financial Planning, LLC since 2023 and previously spent seven years with Members Trust Company as well as eight years with Credit Union Investment Services, Secu Brokerage Services, and Secu Life Insurance Company. Cary Financial Planning, LLC serves individuals, families, business owners, and high-net-worth clients by providing investment advisory and financial planning services. The firm employs a long-term, evidence-based investment approach focused on broad diversification, cost control, and tax-aware decisions, using primarily mutual funds and ETFs alongside newer systematic or factor-based funds, supported by technology including AI-assisted tools.

Anessa Custovic is a financial advisor at Cardinal Retirement Planning, Inc. in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. She has held various roles within Cardinal Retirement Planning since 2020 and was self-employed as a dog trainer starting in 2018. Prior to her advisory career, she worked at Tower Street Associates and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Cardinal Retirement Planning primarily serves pre-retirees and retirees, high-net-worth individuals, businesses, and non-profits, offering a range of financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services. The firm employs a top-down investment approach integrating quantitative models with fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and features unique capabilities such as in-house econometric research and the use of borrowing within separately managed accounts.

Evan Mccormick is a financial advisor at Investors Mosaic with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Investors Mosaic since 2013. The firm provides fee-based wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services to individuals and families, primarily in the mass-affluent to high-net-worth spectrum. Investors Mosaic uses a blend of passive, low-cost asset-allocation strategies alongside an active Growth equity model for legacy clients, serving a small client base with approximately $148.4 million in assets under management.

Erin Tackett is a financial advisor at Tackett Wealth Management, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with the firm since 2009. Tackett Wealth Management serves primarily retirees and small business owners, managing approximately $62 million in client assets across about 50 relationships. The firm provides investment supervisory services, wealth management, and financial planning using an investment approach grounded in academic research, emphasizing small-cap and value equity exposures, broad diversification, low-cost funds, and tax efficiency.

Joseph Marques is a financial advisor at Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, holding the CFP® and Series 66 designations with 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc. for eight years before joining his current firm in 2023. Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors is a fee-only firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates with comprehensive financial planning, discretionary investment management, and consulting services. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing diversified, low-cost mutual funds and ETFs with periodic rebalancing and personalized allocation targets.

Michael Ruffing is a financial advisor with Integrated WealthCare, LLC in Durham, NC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 28 years of industry experience, including nine years at Capital Wealth Management, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. He hosts a financial podcast and serves on the industry advisory council for the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Integrated WealthCare is an SEC-registered wealth management firm that primarily serves physicians and medical professionals, as well as high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, utilizing documented risk assessments and globally diversified model portfolios with a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Cristy Head is a financial advisor with Independent Wealth Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. She has been associated with Independent Wealth Advisors since 2024 and has prior experience with LPL Financial. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Said and Done LLC, a business she has maintained since 2007. Independent Wealth Advisors, LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients through its Strategic Wealth Management platform. The firm uses a combination of analytical methods and a dedicated Investment Committee to develop and monitor model portfolios, offering both discretionary management and comprehensive financial planning.