Sarah Dergarabedian is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 66 license, with 20 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. She has worked at Modera Wealth Management, LLC since 2023 and previously spent 16 years at Parsec Financial. Modera Wealth Management provides wealth management, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm employs a diversified asset allocation strategy based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers integrated services including accounting, tax preparation, and business coaching.

Lonnie Kerbs is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. based in Asheville, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 19 years of industry experience. He has worked with Bankers Life Advisory Services since 2018 and has been associated with related entities in the Bankers Life group since 2000. Outside of advisory services, he also sells non-variable insurance products as an insurance agent. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management and non-discretionary consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

James Austin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Bb&T Securities, First Citizens Investor Services, and Wachovia Securities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, using a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Laurence Casper is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. He has worked at Oppenheimer since 2011 and previously at Edward Jones from 2007 to 2011. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles, and IRAs. The firm offers a broad range of programs and advisory services across equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios, utilizing strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and periodic portfolio reviews.

Neill Yelverton is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Earth Equity Advisors, LLC and Minerva Planning Group. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with a range of services including asset management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and family office offerings. The firm employs various investment strategies and provides integrated tax and financial administration services through affiliated entities.

Gregory Jones is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked for Altavista Wealth Management, Inc. for 19 years before joining Beacon Pointe in 2022. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a manager-of-managers approach using proprietary due diligence processes and sponsors multiple private funds as well as a registered interval fund.

William Saylor is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he performs as a guitarist and books shows in his spare time. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, wrap programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models with National Financial Services as custodian.

Michael Vines is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial in Asheville, NC with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Hornor, Townsend & Kent LLC, Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, and PNC Bank. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans through services such as asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan services, and family office offerings. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies and also operates an affiliated accounting subsidiary that provides tax planning and bill-pay services.

James Norris is a CFP® certificant with 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Oppenheimer & Co since 2011 and previously spent time at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Global Markets. He is based in Asheville, NC. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles, and IRAs. The firm offers a range of programs and advisory services including strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and retirement consulting, operating both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts while maintaining custody of client assets.

Karen Clerici is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation and Transamerica Retirement Solutions since 2016, as well as previous experience with Prospera Financial Services and Raymond James Financial. Outside of her advisory work, she leads weekend hikes for Asheville Adventures, a local hiking company. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through various managed advice programs that provide asset allocation and retirement planning guidance. The firm uses proprietary software and model portfolios developed with Morningstar Investment Management to deliver personalized retirement-focused advice and operates at scale with a large client base and advisor team.

Jonathan Robinson is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021. His prior experience includes roles at Bb&T Securities, LLC and Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and a multi-affiliate operational structure.

Austin Grier is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Asheville, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 65 licenses. He has one year of industry experience with prior roles at Bank of America, Merrill, Deloitte, and Generation Teach. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm offers point-in-time planning services alongside ongoing portfolio management with a fiduciary standard applied to its RIA services.

Kathryn Beach is a CFP®-certified financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Asheville, NC, with five years of industry experience. She previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors and On Track WNC before joining Mercer Global Advisors. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and related planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and tax management, and offers a range of implementation options and affiliated service lines.

John Mills is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Guardian Life since 2014 and previously at Stifel and Merrill. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a shared farm property in Kansas and serves as successor trustee and executor for a family estate. Park Avenue Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, alongside planning and consulting services tailored to client needs.

Austin Bell is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, based in Asheville, NC, with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2015 and is currently also affiliated with Agia. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a middle school golf coach at Asheville Christian Academy, teaching and supervising golf practice and matches. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet UMA models and a range of investment options.

Jonathan Gossens is a CFA® charterholder currently with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. He has 15 years of prior experience at Northern Trust. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach featuring globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and offers a range of portfolio management and planning services.

Joseph Kiely is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. holding a Series 65 designation with 28 years of industry experience prior to joining Mercer in 2024. He previously led Kiely Wealth Advisory Group, Inc. There are no additional notable outside activities reported. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Jeffrey Howden is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Beacon Pointe since 2022, following seven years at Altavista Wealth Management. He serves as a trustee for a non-client family trust. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a manager-focused investment approach, utilizing a proprietary “Focus List” and combining active and passive strategies, while sponsoring proprietary investment vehicles and serving as an operating general partner for multiple private funds.

Robert Hooks Jr. is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked within various Truist entities since 2013, including roles at Bb&T and Truist Investment Services. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the North Asheville Little League. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, supported by inter-affiliate integration and technology-enabled research, to deliver asset allocation, fiduciary support, and manager selection programs.

Byron Dechellis is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Asheville, NC, holding Series 66, Series 65, and Series 63 designations and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Mortgage and Ameriprise. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and uses a mix of fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.