Kwame Richards is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, Richards worked at First Citizens Bank for 18 years. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a client-focused process utilizing fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Kimberly Loftin is a financial advisor at OSAIC Institutions, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with seven years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Thrivent Financial, First Citizens Bank, Principal Life Insurance Company, Edward Jones, and First Federal Bank. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments, operating through a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer structure and providing clients with discretionary and non-discretionary account management options.

Kennedy Taylor is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with five years of industry experience. He currently works at Empower Advisory Group and previously was employed by Fidelity Investments and First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, delivering services through an integrated model connected to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and savings rates in its financial planning, serving a large participant base with a higher client-to-advisor ratio than many peers.

James Simone is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 30 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2013. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and corporate entities, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm also advises donor-advised funds and combines point-in-time planning with ongoing portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Jacquelyn Wiggs is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and BB&T Securities. Outside of her advisory work, she is a group fitness instructor specializing in Les Mills programs. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements supported by third-party platforms.

Elias Dau is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked previously at Ameriprise, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, Principal Securities Inc., and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory role, he is an author based in Raleigh, NC. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed through centralized teams that select portfolios from mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers.

Andrew Kutner is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Truist, he worked at Pruco Securities and Axa Advisors. 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, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Robert Mouro is a CFP® with 22 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2019 and previously held roles at Bank of America and Merrill. He serves on the advisory board of the Northwest Cary YMCA, acting as an ambassador for the organization in the community. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large enterprise firm managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm offers a wide range of services to individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and municipal clients, utilizing in-house and third-party portfolio management across multiple advisory programs.

Michael York is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 25 years of industry experience and has been with Independent Advisor Alliance since 2015, concurrently serving with LPL Financial since 2012. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm provides both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and utilizes a network model that integrates technology platforms and access to third-party managers.

Lori York is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and BB&T from 2013 onward. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program delivered through a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

Alan Segal is a CFP® professional with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving at Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC since 2024. His prior experience includes 19 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. and Ameriprise. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale, SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets and serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations through a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Robert Hill is a CFP® affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and has one year of industry experience. He is co-owner of Cardinal Hill Wealth Management, LLC, a private entity engaged in securities, advisory, and insurance business. Prior to his current roles, he worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Premier Inc. 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 advisory programs, technology, and compliance support, offering a range of portfolio management options including discretionary model portfolios and personalized indexing strategies.

Todd Davis is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. Prior to joining First Citizens in 2025, he worked at Ascensus, LLC for 13 years. 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’s investment approach combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to allocate across multiple asset classes, supported by various portfolio management options and financial planning services.

Sandra Russ is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. She has a background that includes ownership and operation of The Russ Agency, Inc., an insurance business based in Granite Falls, NC, where she focused on fixed insurance sales. Her career also includes roles at Lifetime Asset Management, LLC and Allstate Insurance Co. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform with managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement and plan consulting, and custody/clearing services.

Paul Liebman is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Truist Investment Services, Fidelity Investments, and several other organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation of Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, where he assists with donor relations related to planned giving. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates inter-affiliate resources and employs both discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by AI-enabled research tools.

Vernon Maples is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 45 years of industry experience, including over 25 years with Principal Life Insurance Company and a decade with Principal Securities Inc. His background includes work with fixed insurance, fixed life, annuities, disability insurance, and long-term care. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs through various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Jonathan Wakin is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at several firms, including First Citizens Investor Services, Park Avenue Securities, and Edward Jones. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under multiple advisory and promoter arrangements.

Halah Little is a financial advisor at Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Fidelity Investments and Barings. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed advice programs and investment education services, utilizing proprietary software and third-party model portfolios to provide both discretionary and non-discretionary investment recommendations.

Devon Blair is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Principal, Blair held positions at Thrivent Financial, S&P Global, and Equitable Advisors. Outside of advisory roles, Blair has business experience with Restaurant Applications, LLC and Hamptons Delivery Service, Inc. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions.

David Elliott is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Clearstead Advisory Solutions. He has also held portfolio management and advisory roles at Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas Asset Management since 2001 and serves as Assistant Vice President at Lafayette Advisor, LLC. Clearstead serves affluent private clients and institutional clients, providing investment management, financial planning, tax planning, family office administration, and institutional consulting services. The firm employs an institutional investment process using mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, alternative investments, and a proprietary Direct Indexing strategy, and manages approximately $33.9 billion in assets across 59 advisors.