Courtney Wood is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mag Cap. Prior to joining Mag Cap, Wood worked at Bank of America and Merrill for eight years. Mag Cap is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.69 billion and serving individuals, employer retirement plans, corporations, estates, and other business entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, qualified-plan consulting, and business advisory services, employing a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and sector-rotation analyses across a broad range of investment instruments.

Earl Laird III is a financial advisor at BankPlus Wealth Advisors in Jackson, MS, holding a Series 66 designation with 11 years of industry experience. He has been with BankPlus Wealth Advisors since 2020 and previously worked at LPL Financial from 2015 to 2020. Laird has also maintained a role at BankPlus since 2015. BankPlus Wealth Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management to individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and endowments, managing approximately $263.8 million across about 633 client relationships. The firm employs a thematic, bottom-up investment approach based on in-house fundamental research and offers both model portfolios and customized solutions aligned with client objectives and risk tolerance.

Jason Branning has spent more than two decades asking a question that most financial advisors skip past: not just whether a client has enough to retire, but whether their retirement income is truly built to last — predictable, tax-efficient, and independent of whatever the market decides to do tomorrow. That question became a framework. That framework became a published theory. And that theory is now shaping how retirement income planning is taught and practiced across the country. Jason co-developed Modern Retirement Theory (MRT) with M. Ray Grubbs, Ph.D. — a retirement planning framework built on the principle that retirement is an absolute goal, not a relative one. You don't just want to retire. You want to stay retired. That distinction changes everything about how an income plan should be built. MRT has been published in The Journal of Financial Planning's Retirement Income Special Report — twice. Content from those works now appears in the Retirement Management Analyst textbook and is embedded in the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) curriculum, meaning the framework Jason built is now part of the national standard for how retirement income specialists are trained. A Practitioner, Not Just a Theorist Jason's work has been cited in Forbes, MarketWatch, CNBC, Morningstar, and Advisor Perspectives. He served on The Journal of Financial Planning's Advisory Board from 2010 to 2014 and has been a peer reviewer for the Retirement Management Journal. He has served as an expert witness in FINRA arbitration proceedings and was appointed by the Governor of Mississippi to serve on the College Savings Mississippi Board in 2014. How He Works Every client relationship at Branning Wealth Management begins with the same belief: you shouldn't have to ask the market for permission to retire. A retirement income plan built on that principle starts with your income needs — not your portfolio — and builds a foundation of predictable income designed to cover essential expenses regardless of market conditions. Tax efficiency is built in from the start, not added as an afterthought. Jason is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and Retirement Income Certified Professional®. He is an honors graduate of Mississippi College with a B.A. in English and holds a Certificate in Financial Planning from Florida State University.

Nathan Lucas is a financial advisor at BankPlus Wealth Advisors with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and previously worked at LPL Financial before joining BankPlus Wealth Advisors in 2020. Nathan has been associated with BankPlus since 2012. BankPlus Wealth Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management to individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and endowments. The firm employs a thematic, bottom-up investment approach focused on fundamental research and manages customized portfolios emphasizing long-term holdings.

Andrew Gay is a financial advisor with Element Wealth, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at CGC PLLC since 2018 and previously spent 26 years at Gay & Co. CPA Firm, PA. In addition to his advisory role, he is a staff CPA at CGC PLLC, dedicating part of his time to accounting work. Element Wealth, LLC manages approximately $642 million and serves individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, non-profits, and endowments. The firm employs a blend of model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, using relative strength analysis alongside fundamental and technical methods, with ongoing portfolio monitoring and ERISA 3(38) investment-manager services for retirement plans.

Ryan Barnes is a financial advisor with Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors, LLC in Madison, MS, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Barnes Pettey since 2007 and previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services, Inc from 2003 to 2025. In addition to his advisory role, Barnes is a licensed independent life insurance agent. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, personalized financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a client-specific approach that incorporates fundamental and technical analysis and a broad range of investment vehicles, managing $1.31 billion in assets and serving over 3,000 clients.

Cristopher Dockery is a financial advisor at Argent Wealth, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Pinnacle Trust and Pinnacle Wealth. Outside of his advisory role, he is also an independent insurance agent. Argent Wealth primarily serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities, offering asset management and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $439 million in discretionary assets and employs a range of investment strategies tailored to client objectives, combining fundamental, quantitative, and qualitative analysis.

Darren Butler is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Lasting Mark Retirement Group LLC with over a decade of experience in financial services. He has been associated with Lasting Mark Retirement Group since 2014 and Butler Financial since 2018, and has worked with Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company since 2013. Lasting Mark Retirement Group LLC provides ongoing portfolio management and integrated financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients nearing retirement. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory and long-term trading, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management while emphasizing documented client goals and regular portfolio reviews.

Hugh Arant III is a financial advisor with Mag Cap, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license, with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at Magnolia Capital Advisers, LLC since 2026 and previously with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. from 2014 to 2025. Outside of advising, he is a licensed independent insurance agent and operates HMA III Investments, LLC, a company established to manage his personal assets. Mag Cap is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.69 billion and serving individuals, employer retirement plans, corporations, estates, and other entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, qualified-plan consulting, and business advisory services, utilizing a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and sector-rotation analysis across a diverse range of investment instruments.

James Hurt is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Ballew Advisors Inc. and affiliated firms since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, Hurt is a radio talk show host focusing on Social Security topics and has served as a FINRA arbitrator since 2007. Ballew Advisors is a SEC-registered investment advisory firm managing over $1 billion for individuals, pension plans, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs a client-driven investment approach using asset allocation, fundamental and technical analysis, and offers retirement plan advisory services alongside financial planning and Social Security consulting.

Jason Witcher is a financial advisor with WMG Financial Advisors, LLC in Brandon, MS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 15 years of industry experience. He has prior experience with Strategic Wealth Management Group, LLC and Concourse Financial Group Securities Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a ruling elder and finance chairman at Lakeland Presbyterian Church and manages Witcher CPA, PLLC, a certified public accounting practice. WMG Financial Advisors is a team-based registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement and profit-sharing plans, and certain brokerage customers. The firm utilizes individualized Investment Policy Statements and a long-term trading approach based on modern portfolio theory across diverse asset classes, including mutual funds, ETFs, and real estate funds, while also engaging in financial institution consulting and third-party adviser referrals.

Tony Edwards is a financial advisor at BankPlus Wealth Advisors in Jackson, MS, holding the CFA® and PFS™ designations with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with BankPlus since 2002 and joined the wealth advisory team in 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Edwards serves as treasurer for the Chaine De Rotisseurs, a fraternal organization. BankPlus Wealth Advisors manages discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios for individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and endowments, focusing on customized equity, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies through a thematic, bottom-up investment approach. The firm emphasizes long-term holdings, internal portfolio management, and regular client reviews.

Sarah Pehler is a financial advisor with Element Wealth, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her industry experience in 2023. Prior to joining Element Wealth, she worked at Trustmark National Bank and Northwestern Mutual. Element Wealth, LLC manages approximately $642 million and serves individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, non-profits, and endowments. The firm combines model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities using a strategy that incorporates relative strength with fundamental and technical analysis, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning services.

Erik Olson is a financial advisor at Argent Wealth, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Pinnacle Wealth, LLC, Regions, Republic Finance, and Cups. Argent Wealth primarily serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities, offering asset management, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a range of investment strategies tailored to client objectives and utilizes Schwab’s managed account platforms, while its corporate structure includes affiliated trust, custody, and insurance services.

John Everett is a financial advisor at Argent Wealth, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. and Citizens National Bank. Argent Wealth serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities by providing asset management, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a range of investment strategies tailored to client objectives and leverages affiliations with related financial and insurance entities to offer additional services.

Juli Ann Marquette is a financial advisor at Element Wealth, LLC with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked for BankPlus for ten years. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Pine Properties, LLC, where she manages rental property operations. Element Wealth provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a range of strategies including mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, incorporating technical analysis and relative strength approaches in portfolio construction.

Martin Palomo IV is a financial advisor at Argent Wealth, LLC with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Argent Wealth since 2013, with a brief tenure at Voya Financial Advisors in 2016. Outside of finance, he owns Palomo Futbol Consulting, providing youth and high school soccer refereeing and tournament services. Argent Wealth, LLC serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, offering tailored portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs fundamental, quantitative, and qualitative analysis and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management services.

Robert Rives is a financial advisor at Ballew Advisors Inc with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been associated with several related entities, including Ballew Wealth Management, LLC and Bia, Inc. Outside of advisory services, he is involved as an insurance agent selling and servicing fixed insurance products. Ballew Advisors is a SEC-registered investment advisory firm that manages approximately $1.1 billion for about 832 clients through a six-advisor team. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and retirement plan advisory services for individuals, trusts, and institutional clients, employing a client-driven investment approach based on documented objectives, risk tolerance, and tax considerations.

Joanna Greene is a financial advisor at Mag Cap with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. She previously worked at Edward Jones for six years and has a diverse background including roles in healthcare and the food service industry. Mag Cap is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.69 billion and serving individuals, employer retirement plans, corporations, estates, and other business entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, qualified-plan consulting, and business advisory services using a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and sector-rotation analysis across a wide range of investment instruments.

James Bailey is a financial advisor with Element Wealth, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC, Trustmark National Bank, Sysco Foods, Desai Hotel Group, and Butler Snow Business Advisory. Element Wealth, LLC manages approximately $642 million and serves individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, nonprofits, and endowments. The firm employs a combination of model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, using intermediate relative strength along with fundamental and technical analysis to guide investment decisions.