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 at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2009 to 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the United Way of Roanoke Valley. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm’s client process involves IAR-led assessments to tailor investment allocations using fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various asset classes.

Dylan Coe is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms including Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Mass Mutual. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model separates one-time financial planning from ongoing discretionary management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Tiffany Ku is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TLG Advisors, she worked at The Leaders Group Inc. and CTBC Bank USA. Ku also serves as a Client Services Manager and Writing Agent for a life insurance brokerage business. TLG Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm focuses on investment supervisory services and portfolio management through a manager selection process informed by fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, and offers a direct-to-consumer digital program called Starlight Portfolios.

Michael Porter is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. since 2017. He has a long-standing career with Bankers Life and its affiliates dating back to 2004, where he also supervises a team of insurance agents. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser that primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

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.

Michael Bellavia is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Truist Advisory Services, Bb&T Securities, and Bb&T Investment Services. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients, offering investment advisory and brokerage services through multiple program types and third-party portfolio managers on the Passageway Managed Account platform.

Hannah Smith is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with five years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Beneficial Investments and Robinson & Stith Insurance. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

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.

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.

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.

Christopher Prevette is a CFA® charterholder with five years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, having previously worked at Principal Financial Group and Wells Fargo Bank. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of the Charlotte Carolinas Rugby Club, a nonprofit focused on youth and community outreach, where he holds the position of treasurer. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm combines a network model of independent advisory representatives with access to brokerage services and third-party platforms for estate planning and portfolio management.

Robert Keith is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF continuously since 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model differentiates between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, offering both model-based and customized portfolios.

Natasha Allen is a financial advisor with CWM, LLC based in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Series 66 designation and has three years of industry experience, including prior roles at Edward Jones and LPL Financial LLC. Outside of her advisory work, Allen leads coaching programs focused on emotional eating and weight loss through her consulting business and serves as a Skills Development Coach at the Life Purpose Institute. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, foundations, and institutions, with over 600 advisors nationwide. The firm manages portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis using model portfolios and blends fundamental and technical analysis alongside third-party sub-advisors and customized tools.