Mahalia Kennon is a financial advisor at Merrill with 17 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated since 2000. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal and third-party managers, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Matthew Steffes is the Vice President and Branch Leader at Fidelity Investments in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In this role, he leads a team of Financial Consultants, assisting clients with financial decisions across various stages of their lives. He has been with Fidelity Investments since 2007, progressing through roles including Financial Representative, Investment Consultant, Financial Consultant, and Vice President, Branch Leader. His experience encompasses client financial advising and team leadership within the firm. Outside of his professional role, Matthew has personal interests in cars, cooking and baking, fitness, music, running, and scuba diving.

Dustin Koufman is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at MML Investor Service Inc. for 12 years and FTB Advisors for 9 years. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing model portfolios, research, and technology to support diversified investment strategies.

Beau Burns is a financial advisor at Robert Baird & Co. with 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Robert Baird & Co. since 2014 and holds the Series 66 designation. Outside of his advisory role, he is a passive investor in a separate business venture, Dog Academy Clay Road LLC. Robert Baird & Co. serves individuals, corporate clients, pensions, and charitable organizations through its Private Wealth Management department. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, portfolio management, separately managed account programs, and brokerage services, utilizing a mix of manager-traded and model-traded strategies along with tax-management tools and ongoing manager selection.

Kimberly Gordon is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Greensboro, NC. She has 18 years of experience with Edward Jones and two years in the financial industry more broadly. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved as a lead server at a local restaurant and bakery. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of investment advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Benjamin Sydnor is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with UBS since 2013. Sydnor serves on the board of trustees for Canterbury School, a private school in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is also a partner in Sydnor Capital Partners, LLC, an investment entity focused on commercial real estate. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with brokerage and investment advisory services, utilizing model-based asset allocations and proprietary research to tailor plans to clients’ goals and risk tolerances. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services, offering a broad range of financial products and capital markets solutions.

Camron Watlington is a financial advisor with Merrill in Winston Salem, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill and Bank of America since 2018 and previously was involved in a political campaign in 2016. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to a broad range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth investors, and institutional entities.

Joseph Nelson is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with various Fidelity affiliates since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is planning to start a real estate LLC focused on property development and renovation. He is part of Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental research and quantitative analysis, including algorithmic portfolio construction, to manage a wide range of investment products and model portfolios.

Brian Pomante is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Truist Investment Services, BB&T, and SunTrust Advisory Services. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering comprehensive written recommendations across various financial topics. The firm emphasizes goal-based analyses and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services through a consolidated billing option while maintaining separate planning and management functions.

Brett Berrier is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 25 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and Citigroup Global Markets. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Johnnie Council is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Equitable Advisors, Alamance-Burlington Schools, Amway, Guilford County Schools, and North Carolina A&T. He serves on the board of the Christine Council Foundation, a nonprofit organization. LPL Enterprise serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional clients through advisory and brokerage channels. The firm offers financial planning, access to model wealth portfolios, third-party asset management, and a range of brokerage and insurance products.

Jennifer Hobbs is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 23 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC since 2009. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad planning menu that includes specialized services such as business-owner transition planning and special-needs analysis, using Wells Fargo research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations.

Timothy Anzulewicz is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at RPM Plastics, Zen Business, and ownership interests in Moon Brew LLC and Full Moon Oyster Bar. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, using a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios and manage funds.

Lisa Cranford is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Raymond James for 10 years. Outside of her advisory work, she maintains an independent Avon representative account for personal and family product orders. 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 high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and municipalities, and offers financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and specialized municipal advisory services.

Regina Edwards is a financial advisor at Merrill with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Merrill since 2009. Edwards also has a concurrent role at Bank of America, N.A., where she has worked since 2005. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional investors.

Vernon Horne is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 48 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. Prior to joining OSAIC in 2025, he worked for 17 years at Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance services through two entities where he offers various insurance products including accident/health and life insurance. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a range of financial services such as brokerage and investment advisory, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money managers, utilizing advanced portfolio construction tools and multiple advisory platforms.

Samuel Starling III is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Greensboro, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 27 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services supported by research and technology-driven portfolio management.

Amir Ghalyoun is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Greensboro, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Thrivent since 2025. Prior to his current role, he spent ten years working with Poblanos/Amigos/Sams. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. The firm offers goal-based financial planning covering a range of topics but does not include implementation or discretionary portfolio management within these services.

Rusty Russell is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with LPL Financial, bringing 31 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Kestra Financial Services from 2016 to 2019 before joining LPL Financial in 2019. Russell is also the author of "Unleashing the Gift of Giving: A Ministry's Guide to Building and Leaving a Legacy." LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, retirement consulting, and brokerage services, employing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by internal and third-party research.

Joel Lacsina is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. His work history includes positions at Brightway Insurance, BCA Financial Services, Inc., and Publix. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also offers discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery, with notable activities including registration as a commodity pool operator and advisory roles for multiple registered investment companies.