John Buechel Jr. is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 34 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Bankmark. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the finance committee of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church and is a board trustee for the Knights of Columbus Council 6139. 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 IPS-driven approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Taylor Clement is a CFP® professional with 11 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Cetera and has previously worked at Commonwealth Financial Network and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory career, he serves as mayor of the Town of Southern Pines and is involved in entrepreneurial ventures including a yoga studio and a business called Casino Guitars. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with access to various program structures and third-party managers.

Judson Bullard is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding the Series 66 designation and based in Pinehurst, NC. He has experience at multiple financial institutions, including Uwharrie Bank and First Citizens Bank, and has also worked in educational roles from middle school through university levels. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary investment advice grounded in modern portfolio theory. The firm includes a broad range of financial product offerings, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options, and acts as an ERISA fiduciary in its advisory services.

Troy Spence is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Pinehurst, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he officiates high school football games in Iowa and serves as a trustee for Calvary Baptist Church. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of investment programs. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Steven Menendez is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016, following seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Menendez serves on the finance and investment committee of FirstHealth of the Carolinas and participates in the finance and planning committee of the Mid South Club POA. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Tia Chick is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2026, she worked at Edward Jones for six years and has a background in real estate sales with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. Outside of her advisory role, she provides notary public services at no charge and owns a horse boarding business. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse clientele that includes individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary planning supported by analytical tools and maintains specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and employer SIMPLE IRA consulting.

William Wick is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 43 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2008 to 2020 before joining Wells Fargo in 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he has a 25% ownership interest in a real estate development company, Trout River Properties, LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory options. The firm’s IPS-driven approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broader range of financial products, such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Michael Kostich Jr. is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His prior affiliations include Parker Lane LLC and H.D. Vest Advisory Services, where he worked for nearly three decades. Outside of advising, he is involved in tax preparation and accounting through a CPA practice in Pinehurst, NC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a variety of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Katherine King is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. She previously worked at Jordan Price Wall Gray Jones & Carlton, PLLC for five years before joining Wells Fargo in 2018. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary options. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Kevin Gustafson is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He worked at Sagepoint Financial, Inc. for 14 years before joining OSAIC in 2023. Gustafson is involved in his local community through a homeowners association board position overseeing lake and dam maintenance. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services along with access to managed portfolios and third-party investment solutions. The firm employs systematic asset-allocation tools and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary management to tailor portfolios across a range of investment types.

Richard Palmer is a financial advisor at Stifel with 33 years of industry experience. He has held his current position at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2009. Palmer holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group that informs asset allocation and financial planning analyses.

Chemerin Gregg is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LPL Financial since 2020. Prior to joining LPL, Gregg worked at Parker Lane LLC and Wealth Planning Advisors Inc, among other firms. Outside of advisory work, Gregg is involved in a tax preparation and accounting business and holds an outside employment position at Bonefish Grill. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory services including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by technology tools and oversight of substantial discretionary assets.

Samanthia Smith is a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates with 28 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® and Series 66 designations. Her prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial, Fidelity Bank of NC, Truist Advisory Services, and BB&T. Outside of her advisory work, she serves as treasurer for a nonprofit organization supporting low-income people with dementia. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipalities, offering financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting supported by a broad range of portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Kenneth Heaney is a financial advisor with Osaic Wealth, Inc. based in Southern Pines, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 23 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Securities America Advisors, Inc., SSN Advisory, Inc., and National Planning Corporation. Heaney also operates K2 Financial, a DBA focused on term life insurance policies. Osaic Wealth serves a broad range of clients including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm offers integrated brokerage and advisory services, utilizing asset-allocation tools and third-party platforms to manage diverse portfolios across multiple investment vehicles.

Trevor Patterson is a financial advisor at Osaic with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and is based in West End, NC. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner and CEO of Rise Payments, a company that sells credit card terminals to business owners. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a broad mix of retail and institutional clients through a large network of affiliated financial advisers and offers integrated brokerage and investment advisory services along with access to third-party money managers and various managed-account solutions.

Patrick Bria is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera Investment Advisers LLC and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC since 2026, and previously spent 13 years with Commonwealth Financial Network. Bria is also co-owner of Tucker Bria Wealth Strategies, a private entity facilitating securities, advisory, and insurance business. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a wide range of portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services.

Nicole Casp is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in West End, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has worked at Raymond James since 2020 and previously spent seven years with U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a wide range of clients including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and institutional fiduciary services, utilizing a variety of portfolio management styles supported by affiliated research and model manager options.

Merralee Thorpe is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Southern Pines, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2007. She serves as a member of a local board of directors outside of her advisory role. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets through a broad network of advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, SMAs, and affiliated mutual funds under a fiduciary standard.

Edward Hill is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2018, he worked at Edward Jones for seven years. Outside of his advisory role, Hill serves as the head swim coach for Pinecrest High School and operates a catering business called Pit Shop BBQ & Catering LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management access, and institutional platforms, supported by technology tools for operational and research purposes.

Betty King is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. King is a finance committee member at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Southern Pines, NC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advice grounded in modern portfolio theory. The firm includes insurance-related products and bank deposit sweep options as part of its investment menu.