Vachel Pennebaker is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having three years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and Florida Financial Advisors, along with several positions outside the financial industry. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, utilizing quantitative asset-allocation modeling and centralized due diligence. The firm integrates an ESG eligibility framework into its investment recommendations and operates within the broader J.P. Morgan broker-dealer and banking organization.

Erik Johnson is a CFP® professional with 27 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with LPL Financial, where he has worked since 2025, and previously spent 20 years at LPL Financial, LLC (formerly LINSCO/PRIVATE LEDGER CORP.), as well as six years at SCF Investment Advisors, Inc. and SCF Securities, Inc. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers various advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, research, and technologies such as machine learning.

Charles Ketner is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Salisbury, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 1999 and previously worked with AXA Advisors, LLC for 21 years. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and third-party asset managers. The firm uses a hybrid referral and implementation model, tailoring services through a client intake process and offering both advisory and brokerage/insurance channels to implement client recommendations.

Diana Decuir is a financial advisor at Merrill with four years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Bank of America and its affiliate Merrill Lynch since 2022, following a 16-year tenure at Bank of America. 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, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional investors.

Davis Whitley is a financial advisor with MML Investors Services, LLC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses, with 42 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Metlife Securities Inc. for 40 years before joining MassMutual Life Insurance Company and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Outside of advising, he serves as a North Carolina notary public and operates a health and group insurance sales business. MML Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser affiliated with MassMutual that provides comprehensive financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers collaborative, annual financial planning engagements using firm-approved tools and supports event-driven planning services such as estate settlement and divorce planning.

Andrew Yost is a financial advisor at Cetera with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including Regal Securities, LPL Financial, and NewBridge Financial Services Group. He is also a senior advisor at Rosso Financial Group, where he is involved in sales and account management. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management options and reported over $256 billion in assets under management across more than 10,000 advisors.

Damion Carufe is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Mooresville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and bringing 41 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2020, and prior experience at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities from 2008 to 2020. He also serves as a trustee in a trust-related role. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a broad range of advisory programs for individual and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and analysis from its Global Investment Committee.

Raymond Mones is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with LPL Financial since 2008. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by model portfolios and research.

Lauren Chandler is a financial advisor with LPL Financial and holds a Series 66 credential. She has four years of industry experience, including roles at F&M Investment Services and Stanly County Schools. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing model portfolios, research, and various management strategies.

Mark Arigo is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Ameriprise since 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a part-time coach and trainer at Lake Norman Athletic Club. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, providing detailed recommendation reports on income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research and modeling with algorithmic tools and delivers personalized advice through a centralized consulting team.

Lincoln Miller is a financial advisor with MassMutual Investors Services in Salisbury, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having 20 years of industry experience. His work history includes 11 years at MetLife Securities and over a decade at MassMutual Life Insurance Co before joining MassMutual Investors Services in 2017. He is also involved with Hickory Tree Holdings for tax reporting purposes. MassMutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars using firm-approved analytical tools, with services structured as annual collaborative engagements.

Michael Wright is a CFP® professional with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise since 2020. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2009 to 2020. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service designed for individuals with significant investable assets, providing detailed recommendation reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary retirement income recommendations.

Jolene Philpott is a CFP® professional with 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been with Edward Jones since 2008, serving clients from Salisbury, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm that serves individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm operates under a fiduciary standard and manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

Bill Izykowski is a Financial Consultant with experience in providing tailored financial planning services. Currently, he works with clients to develop customized financial plans aimed at achieving their unique short- and long-term financial goals. He served as Vice President and Financial Consultant at Charles Schwab from 2017 to 2024, where he gained experience in financial consulting and advising. Outside of his professional work, Bill has personal interests that include baseball, boating, fitness, football, golf, and outdoor adventures.

Tracee Schraeder is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Stifel, joining the firm in 2024, and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC for a combined 15 years. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and nonprofit organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to provide asset allocation and planning analyses, which clients can use to inform their financial decisions.

Dennis Lehman is a CFP® with 36 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with OSAIC since 1991 and previously worked for Financial Planners of Cleveland, Inc. He is also the owner of Heritage Financial Planners, a separate firm involved in security sales, and is licensed to sell life insurance. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services from financial planning and retirement consulting to access to third-party money managers and managed account solutions.

Aunika Allen is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with four years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2021, with prior experience at Loomis and various retail positions. Outside of her advisory role, she operates an Amazon online storefront focused on twin baby products and retail arbitrage. Equitable Advisors serves individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients by providing financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, utilizing a mix of program sponsors and endorsed third-party managers to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

John Mc Grail is a ChFC® and Series 66 holder with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2016. He is based in Salisbury, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory services including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Robert Weaver is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Mooresville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2009. Outside of his advisory work, he owns and operates a business that creates and licenses a college basketball pool for national distribution. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, banks, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of financial planning and advisory programs, employing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research and model portfolios.

John Henderlite Jr. is a financial advisor at Cetera with 44 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previously worked at VOYA Financial Advisors and Cetera Wealth Services. He serves as a board member of the Catawba Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization involved in fiduciary responsibilities and support for Catawba College. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management options, including discretionary and non-discretionary services, combining model portfolios, third-party managers, and bespoke strategies.