Adrian Smigiel is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Belmont, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2018 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Bank, NA from 2015 to 2018. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Ryan Welsh is a financial advisor at Merrill with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill since 2022, previously holding roles at Bank of America and several other organizations. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a power of attorney for his parents in cases where they are unable to make decisions for themselves. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Walter Greenwald is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 38 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at IC Advisory Services Inc. and The Investment Center Inc. for 15 years, as well as at Next Financial Group, Inc. and FFP Advisory Services Inc. Greenwald's other business activities include roles related to non-variable insurance products. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Kristine Pennington is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 17 years of industry experience. She has held prior roles at Triad Advisors, Inc., Questar Asset Management, Questar Capital Corporation, and GCG Wealth Management. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. LPL Financial is a national broker‑dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services with diverse investment options and utilizes technology tools for operational and research support.

Joshua Shelton is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Kings Mountain, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2018, he worked for Broad River Retail dba Ashley HomeStore from 2016 to 2018. Outside of his advisory role, he is vice president of C J Farms Inc in Shelby, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the country.

Calvin Lougassy is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his financial services career, he was involved with Study Hall LLC from 2019 to 2021. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers both model-based and discretionary investment strategies and serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

James Shoemaker is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2011. Ameriprise provides a retirement-income planning service designed for clients with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary recommendations. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Leah Flores is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Belmont, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and totaling 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Clearing in various roles since 2000. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Veronica Lommel is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan affiliates throughout her career. Outside of finance, she works as a part-time delivery driver for DoorDash. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s investment approach is IPS-driven and uses modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Michael Fayed is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Summit Financial Group, Capital Guardian Wealth Management, and Raymond James Financial Services. He serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Gaston County, the Heart Society of Gaston County, and the Gaston Community Foundation. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a wide range of individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm manages a multi-billion dollar asset base through thousands of financial professionals and provides access to multiple platforms, third-party advisers, and proprietary model strategies.

Cassia Reed is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with Series 66 credentials and two years of industry experience. She has worked at Edward Jones since 2017 in various roles and has prior experience with Upward Sports. Outside of advising, she is involved in a woodworking and fencing business where she assists in planning and execution. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs and investment solutions. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets through a large network of financial advisors and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, including tax-efficient services and proprietary investment options.

Michael Holdenrid is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 14 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Nationwide Securities LLC, Nationwide Insurance, Vision Capital & Management, and FSC Securities Corporation. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of Caden Wealth Management, LLC, an independent insurance agent, and serves as an advisory representative of a registered investment advisor. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, by providing financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm supports both discretionary and non-discretionary management across multiple platforms and offers proprietary and third-party model strategies.

Jamie Richard is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 24 years of industry experience. He has held Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Edward Jones since 2001. Richard serves on the board of Care Solutions in Shelby, NC, where he advises on elder health care issues. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm that serves individual and institutional clients across a wide range of account types. The firm offers various investment strategies, including wrap fee programs and separately managed accounts, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Jay Collins is a financial advisor with Fidelity Investments based in Bessemer City, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has four years of industry experience, including prior roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Digital Intelligence Systems. Outside of finance, he has worked in the hospitality sector, including time with Banner Elk Winery. He is affiliated with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm uses a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage model portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Noah Horn is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Belmont, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with approximately four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2026, he worked at Olly Olly and has held various roles connected to education and community organizations. He has been involved with Freedom School Partners and Mecklenburg Community Church. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth households. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and provides a range of investment strategies and affiliated services through a large network of advisors and branch offices nationwide.

William Gary is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2019. Prior to joining Cambridge, he spent over four decades with Nationwide Insurance and its affiliates. He is also the owner of William K Gary & Associates Inc. and operates as an independent insurance agent with Holdenrid Insurance Group. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individual, pension, and charitable organization clients. The firm manages a multi-billion dollar asset base and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary management through multiple platforms and proprietary model strategies.

Katherine Coton is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, all of which she has spent at Edward Jones since 2017. Prior to her financial advisory career, she worked in full-time education for 18 years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including a wide range of households, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets through a large nationwide network of financial advisors and offers a variety of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies alongside affiliated mutual funds and other specialized services.

William Youngblood Jr. is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with nine years of industry experience. Before joining Edward Jones in 2017, he worked for Clover Community Bank for one year. He holds the Series 66 designation. Edward Jones serves more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering full-service wealth management through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, access to separately managed accounts and affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Garrett Sharp is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® and Series 66 designations. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, he worked at Edward Jones for 12 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is the president of TJRH Capital Group LLC, a commercial rental property business in Shelby, NC. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages roughly $671 billion in assets through a network of over 14,000 advisors and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Christopher Knox is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has four years of industry experience. He has worked with firms including Securities America Advisors and Advisor Group, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a senior advisor consultant for Highland Capital Brokerage, where he wholesales fixed annuity insurance and recruits financial and insurance professionals. OSAIC serves a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional and corporate clients, offering brokerage and advisory services across multiple financial programs. The firm’s investment approach includes model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization, supported by various tools and strategies, with a platform notable for its scale and affiliate network.