Damon Bremer is a financial advisor at Sherman Financial in Chapel Hill, NC, holding a Series 65 credential. He has recent experience working both in financial services and in educational roles, including at UNC Chapel Hill. Bremer is also involved part-time with Sherman Business Services, an affiliated accounting and tax-preparation business. Sherman Financial is a fee-only independent advisory firm serving individuals, families, trusts, nonprofits, and businesses. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation and predominantly passive investment strategies, with services including comprehensive financial planning and investment analysis.

Samuel Miesmer is a financial advisor at Trillium Square Advisors LLC with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Trillium Square Advisors, he worked at Fidelity Investments for three years. His background also includes roles in the restaurant industry and financial education. Trillium Square Advisors serves individuals, small businesses, retirement plans, and institutional clients by providing financial planning, portfolio management, retirement-plan advisory, and corporate cash-management services. The firm combines active management with quantitative techniques and offers ongoing supervision alongside educational seminars and workshops.

Eric Schrum is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently serving at Schrum Private Wealth Management, LLC in Raleigh, NC. He has worked at Founders Wealth Management and Planning since 2017 and had a prior role at Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Schrum Private Wealth Management offers investment and wealth management services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing a blend of Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance to construct diversified, low-cost portfolios. The firm emphasizes long-term investing with periodic tactical adjustments and incorporates tax-aware strategies such as tax-loss harvesting.

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 with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Gordon Asset Management, LLC for six years. He is also the owner of JVS Financial L.L.C., a holding company that owns TrustStone Wealth Partners. TrustStone Wealth Partners provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs tailored investment strategies primarily using ETFs, third-party managers, and model portfolios, applying various analysis methods and trading strategies to meet client objectives.

Michael Honea is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience. He currently works at Cary Financial Planning, LLC and previously held roles at Members Trust Company, Credit Union Investment Services, and related firms. Cary Financial Planning serves individuals, families, business owners, and high-net-worth clients with investment advisory and financial planning services. The firm employs a long-term, evidence-based investment approach focusing on diversification, cost control, tax awareness, and disciplined rebalancing, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and factor-based funds.

Michael Palmer is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ark Royal Wealth Management LLC since 2015 and previously spent one year at Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc. Palmer is based in Raleigh, NC. Ark Royal Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm follows a long-term investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing primarily passive mutual funds from DFA and Vanguard, and provides tailored portfolio management with performance reporting and occasional financial education seminars.

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.

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.

Caleb Griffith is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving at Townsend Asset Management Corp. in Raleigh, NC. He has been with Townsend since 2006, contributing to a firm that manages a range of clients including individuals, trusts, corporations, and non-profits. Townsend Asset Management Corp. provides investment management, financial planning, consulting, and tax preparation services, offering a bundled wealth management approach that integrates these under a single engagement. The firm employs a disciplined, goal-oriented process utilizing both fundamental and technical analysis to manage primarily long-term portfolios, with additional strategies including short-term positions and limited options.

Malachy Joyce is a financial advisor at Based Capital Wealth LLC in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with two years of industry experience. She is also the CEO of iBC Holdings LLC, a data analytics company operating as Stocklabs, which provides financial and technical data on companies. Additionally, Joyce creates monetized financial commentary on X (formerly Twitter), earning a small portion of her income from this activity. Based Capital Wealth LLC provides portfolio management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management. The firm focuses on equities, fixed-income securities, and ETFs, employing a range of analytical methods and strategies including charting, fundamental analysis, and options trading.

Brenton Smith is a financial advisor at Gibert Wealth Management with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has previously worked at Kestra Investment Services, Umergence LLC, Amazon Services, BB&T Securities, and Merrill. Gibert Wealth Management provides discretionary wealth management and retirement plan advisory services for retirement plan sponsors, business entities, and fiduciary clients including trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $316 million in discretionary assets, offering portfolio construction, monitoring, and participant education, with an investment process incorporating quantitative and qualitative analysis alongside modern portfolio theory.

Michael Whitman is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Millennium Planning Group, LLC. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities and Millennium Insurance, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Treasurer for the Pittsboro Elementary School PTA, where he develops financial procedures and manages PTA funds. Millennium Planning Group provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and modern portfolio theory analyses, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary basis and utilizing both in-house and third-party strategies.

Paul Yokabitus is a financial advisor at Cary Financial Planning, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and also serves as an owner and attorney at an estate planning law firm, which he has been involved with since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Mariner Platform Solutions, NC Planning, and Stephenson Law LLP. Cary Financial Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, families, business owners, and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a long-term, evidence-based investment approach focused on diversification, cost control, tax awareness, and disciplined rebalancing, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and factor-based funds, supported by technology including AI-assisted tools.

Matthew Scuderi is a financial advisor at Capital Financial Advisory Group, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Foundations Investment Advisors and Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is also active as an insurance producer, reviewing and proposing insurance and annuity solutions. Capital Financial Advisory Group serves individuals and families preparing for retirement, including high-net-worth households, small pension plans, and charitable entities. The firm provides customized financial planning and advisory services, referring clients to third-party asset managers for portfolio management while also distributing insurance and annuity products.

Dana Gower is a financial advisor at Millennium Planning Group, LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has worked in various capacities including self-employment and positions at Chariot Advisors/Olympia Advisors, Nationwide Securities, Osaic FA, Inc., and Equitable Advisors. In addition to his advisory role, Dana is an author and speaker who provides non-investment counsel and educational training on topics such as careers, ethics, digital assets, and AI. Millennium Planning Group, LLC offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, charitable organizations, and business entities, managing approximately $34 million in client assets. The firm employs a blend of analytical methods to construct and monitor portfolios and provides ongoing portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and third-party manager oversight.

James Tarkenton is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Townsend Asset Management Corp. since 2018 and previously spent nine years at Lateef Investment Management. Townsend Asset Management Corp. serves individuals, trusts, partnerships, corporations, non-profits, and retirement plans, offering investment management, financial planning, consulting, and tax preparation services. The firm employs a disciplined process combining fundamental and technical analysis to guide portfolio management and provides both standalone services and bundled wealth management engagements.

Katherine Alepa is a CFP® with 10 years of experience in financial planning. She is currently with Ithaka Financial Planning, LLC, where she has worked since 2017. Her prior experience includes six years at Financial Planning Group, Inc. Ithaka Financial Planning, LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, personal trusts, and estates with integrated financial planning and ongoing portfolio management. The firm uses Modern Portfolio Theory to design diversified portfolios, primarily favoring open-end index funds and ETFs, and offers occasional pro-bono educational seminars and workshops.

Troy Smith is a financial advisor with Wake Wealth Management Co. in Raleigh, NC, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 37 years of industry experience, including roles at LPL Financial, Grove Point Investments, and as an independent insurance agent. Outside of advising, Smith is active as an artist and musician. Wake Wealth Management Co. provides financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, foundations, endowments, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes written financial plans and primarily delivers advice on a non-discretionary basis, employing a variety of investment strategies tailored to client-specific plans.