James Matthews is a CFP® professional with 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Primerica Advisors and has previously worked at Aon Hewitt Financial Advisors LLC and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Matthews is involved in writing for his firm and serves on the Peer Review Board for the Journal of Financial Planning. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, offering brokerage and advisory services along with financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and business consulting. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party models and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Kelly Ryan is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 30 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth in 2024, Ryan worked at FSC Securities Corporation for 22 years and at OSAIC for one year. Outside of advisory work, Ryan is involved in fixed insurance sales. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of advisory programs and operational support, allowing affiliated advisors discretion to construct client portfolios from various securities and insurance products while offering model portfolios managed by its Investment Management and Research team.

Thomas Cline is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and bringing 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing. He serves as a board member for the United Way of Roanoke Valley. First Citizens Investor Services provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm employs a client-centered approach combining risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation, discretionary or non-discretionary management, and third-party managers, supported by integrated banking resources through its affiliation with a bank holding company.

Dylan Coe is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Mass Mutual Insurance Company. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, utilizing model portfolios or customized portfolios managed under client-approved investment policies.

Tiffany Ku is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc., holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and two years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at The Leaders Group Inc, IPGH Private Client Insurance Services, CTBC Bank USA, and JP Morgan. Outside of advisory work, she is involved in life insurance brokerage and client services management through IPGH Private Client Insurance Services. TLG Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, pension and retirement plans, and other institutional investors. The firm focuses on manager selection and ongoing monitoring using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, offering both traditional portfolio management and digital investment programs.

John Hall is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, and Carroll Financial Associates Inc. He operates out of Charlotte, NC. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a strategic investment process combining passive and active management, supported by an internal Investment Committee and multiple program offerings.

William Harris is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and over 21 years of industry experience. He has worked extensively with Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance, and he also operates Consolidated Planning Inc., where he sells life and long-term care insurance products. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering a range of brokerage and advisory services supported by proprietary and third-party investment platforms.

Hannah Smith is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing four years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, Inc. and Beneficial Investments, as well as teaching positions at the University of South Carolina and New Bern High School. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering asset allocation, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program. The firm integrates discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, supported by AI-enabled research tools and significant inter-affiliate arrangements.

Michael Thompson is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors based in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities since 2012 and has been affiliated with Guardian Life Insurance Co. since 2001. Outside of his work with Guardian, he operates Thompson Planning Group Insurance, focusing on the sale of traditional insurance products. Park Avenue Securities serves a diverse retail client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory services, employing a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supporting various account-level features such as lending solutions and tax-harvesting.

Joshua Griffin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services who holds a Series 66 designation and has 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and its affiliated entities since 2016. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program implemented through a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

William Bayles is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including Fidelity Investments and UBS Financial Services. Bayles has also been involved with TEAM Charlotte Swimming. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, using a combination of model and customized portfolios.

William Magill is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC and holds a Series 66 credential. He has eight years of industry experience, including prior roles at Edward Jones and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, Magill is involved with a local brewery in Huntersville, NC, where he contributes significant time each month. Private Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, business entities, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting through a network of investment adviser representatives, leveraging a variety of custodians, model strategists, and third-party asset managers.

Kawii Jayjay is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at The Vanguard Group, First Citizens Bank, Merrill Lynch, LPL Financial, and Wells Fargo. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and focus on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates.

Emanuel Thomason is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Life Group, Edward Jones, Thrivent Financial, and LPL Financial. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms and combines long-term investment strategies with options for shorter-term trading, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets through a network of investment adviser representatives.

Jason Woloszyn is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial and Fisher Investments. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and services, including discretionary model portfolios and customized investment solutions, while offering operational and compliance support to affiliated advisors.

Jaylen Gentry is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company, and has additional experience with Correlation One, Mothers & Sons LLC, and Carmax. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with connections to TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm differentiates between one-time planning services and ongoing management through model-based and customized portfolios, and it also serves as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund.

Shawn Thompson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Alight, and Retirement Clearinghouse. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm’s approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed accounts.

Jacob Schmidt is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. His prior roles include positions at The Vanguard Group and Facet, and he has spent four years as a self-employed professional. Outside of finance, Jacob is also a musician and performs as a singer. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice as part of the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering clients annual financial reviews and investment recommendations using Schwab’s research tools and asset allocation models, while final trading decisions remain with the clients.

Natalie Nesbit is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. She previously worked at The Motley Fool, LLC from 2021 to 2025 and has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2012. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning services and ongoing discretionary portfolio management within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds and donor-advised fund services.

Matthew Stork is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at First Citizens Bank, Wells Fargo, and Principal Securities. Before entering finance, he worked for American Airlines for six years. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management using model or customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.