Lee Hopper is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 29 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, The O.N. Equity Sales Company, and Financial Independence Planning Group, Inc. Hopper is also the owner and vice president of operations at Hopper Financial Group, Inc., a family corporation involved in accounting and expense management for him and a relative. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through both adviser and promoter arrangements.

Christopher Murphy is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Cary, NC, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and bringing 39 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. and Paine-Webber Group. He is also owner and president of CMLZ, LLC, an entity created to operate a branch office. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of nearly 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm offers a broad support platform including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Mark Courtemanche is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC in Cary, NC, holding the ChFC® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 20 years of industry experience, including roles at Pinnacle Retirement Solutions, Capital Investment Group, and Outer Banks Financial. He is involved in facilitating estate planning document services alongside his advisory work. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and ERISA plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes model portfolio and direct asset management, operating at scale with standardized platform services.

Carrie Pedersen is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with 10 years of industry experience. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 designations and previously worked at The Fidelity Bank and LPL Financial. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the finance committee of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, NC. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a client-centered process using fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across multiple asset classes.

Stephen Engelson is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2016, also affiliated with Truist Investment Services since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in purchasing homes for flipping in Durham, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a mix of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by advanced research tools and inter-affiliate integration.

Alexander Brese is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Eagle Strategies LLC, NYLIFE Securities LLC, Legacy Private Client Services, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm works with individual investors and institutional clients, emphasizing tailored recommendations and non-discretionary asset management within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Thomas Pemberton is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 29 years of industry experience, including roles at Principal Mutual Life Insurance Co. and Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America. He also sells non-Guardian life long-term and short-term disability insurance products through an outside Guardian Insurance business. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, offering brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a variety of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and platforms to manage accounts across multiple asset classes.

John Corcoran is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining First Citizens in 2024, he worked at CrossCountry Mortgage and spent nine years in full-time education. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals—including high-net-worth clients—pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and employs a mix of fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to allocate investments across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Tara Hulse is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2019 and previously worked at Princor Financial Services Corporation and Principal Life Insurance Co. for two decades. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Gordon Grimes II is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 66 license. Mr. Grimes has worked at SunTrust Advisory Services since 2016 and SUNTRUST INVESTMENT SERVICES, Inc. since 2005. Outside of advising, he is involved in real estate renovation and sales as the owner of a second home rental property in Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with consulting services and employs AI-enabled equity research tools, serving clients through integrated inter-affiliate platforms.

Thomas Schaffer is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 18 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with New York Life Insurance Co. since 2007 and has operated Transitions Financial Strategies, LLC since 2014. Schaffer serves as a board member of the Financial Planning Association of the Triangle and the XPX of the Triangle, local professional organizations related to financial planning and business succession. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individual investors, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes tailored advice and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Michael Taylor is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 credential with seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Bank of America, Merrill, Edward Jones, and Murphy Family Ventures. He serves on the Board of Directors for the University of North Carolina Wilmington Seahawk Club, assisting in organizational decision making for their athletic student aid initiatives. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm’s investment process integrates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, offering a range of portfolio management solutions and financial planning tailored to varied client needs.

Michael Uhland is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott and its affiliated entities since 2019, following over a decade at Investors Title Insurance Company. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and municipal clients, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory services.

Crystal Woodberry is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Merrill and First Citizens Securities Corporation. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and multiple advisory programs.

Austin Houser is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. His prior work includes roles at Appalachian State University, University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities through both investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types via its Passageway Managed Account platform, combining third-party portfolio management with various investment strategies.

Neal Brincefield is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors and Guardian Life Insurance Company since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a special consultant for Alternate Strategy Consulting LLC, leading efforts related to the Living Balance Sheet. Primerica Advisors operates as part of Park Avenue Securities LLC, serving a broad retail client base with both brokerage and advisory services, including financial planning and retirement-plan consulting. The firm offers proprietary and third-party investment programs and supports a range of account services such as lending solutions and donor-advised funds.

Stanley Godwin is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 19 years of industry experience. His career includes tenures at Merrill and Bank of America, N.A. prior to joining First Citizens in 2016. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a client-centered process led by Investment Adviser Representatives that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across a range of investment products and offers services such as portfolio management, tax-aware strategies, and financial planning.

Jocelyn Mc Bride is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and eight years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services and its predecessor firms, dating back to 2017. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools, to deliver its investment solutions.

Martin Green Jr. is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Raleigh, NC. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 35 years of industry experience. His career includes long-term roles at New York Life Insurance Company and Nylife Securities LLC. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and charitable and corporate clients. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, emphasizing tailored recommendations and a predominantly non-discretionary asset management approach.

David Castro is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC. He has previously worked at Kovitz Investment Group Partners, LLC and Kovitz Securities, LLC. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC provides wealth advisory and investment management services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, retirement plans, institutions, and businesses. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach within an enhanced open architecture framework that integrates active and passive strategies, separate account managers, private funds, mutual funds, and ETFs.