Jacob Hedrick is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations with 16 years of industry experience. Before joining First Citizens, he worked at Truist Investment Services for one year. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in Nellie T Properties LLC, where he is involved in managing rental properties and property flipping. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm utilizes a range of investment strategies including portfolio management and automated guided investing, with a client process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Chad Pannell is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with LPL Financial and Independent Advisor Alliance since 2016. 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 utilizes a network model of independent advisory representatives and combines discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with technology platforms for account aggregation and estate planning.

Brett Oconnor is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fifth Third Securities since 2025, with prior roles at Fifth Third Bank, Woodforest National Bank, and Banfield Animal Hospital. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and business entities. The firm offers investment advisory and brokerage services through various program types on the Passageway Managed Account platform, combining multiple portfolio management strategies and third-party offerings.

Karl Mount III is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has worked in various roles within the Bankers Life organization since 2018 and previously operated a bar and grill. In addition to his advisory duties, he recruits and trains insurance agents as a unit field trainer for Bankers Life & Casualty. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and manages portfolios across multiple securities, with support from affiliated broker-dealer and insurance entities.

David Curry is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes six years at Second Half Strategies and three years at HoneyBaked Ham. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes a network model with over 300 advisors and employs various portfolio management strategies supported by technology platforms and third-party managers.

Lauren Grames is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and five years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at LPL Financial, Mutual of Omaha, and National Life Group. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base, including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a network model of advisory representatives and combines discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party platforms and services.

Robert Armstrong is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently with Guardian Life and associated with Park Avenue Securities, where he has worked since 2021. Armstrong has held prior roles at Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC, Advisory Services Network, LLC, Regulus Advisors, LLC, Greater Media, and Avantax Advisory Services. Outside of advising, he serves as president of a local BNI chapter and participates in peer-to-peer car rental activities. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and digital advisory solutions tailored to client needs, with access to insurance products, alternative investments, and integrated lending options.

Eugene Musselwhite III is a financial advisor at Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked with Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation since 2017, as well as Transamerica Retirement Solutions since 2016. Prior to that, he was with Lincoln Financial Advisors and has operated a self-employed advisory practice since 2009. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed advice programs that include implemented portfolios and non-discretionary recommendations. The firm leverages Morningstar Investment Management’s proprietary software and model portfolios to guide asset allocation, contribution rates, and retirement age decisions for a large client base.

Benjamin Russo is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Truist, his background includes roles at Arizona State University and Lehigh Valley Health Network. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI tools and offers a range of fiduciary and advisory services through platforms like Envestnet.

Lisa Hensarling is a financial advisor at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC with nine years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Cetera Advisor Networks and LPL Financial. In addition to her advisory role, she is a commissioned Notary Public in North Carolina. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement plan consulting, employing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Samantha Becker is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Truist Advisory Services and related entities since 2019, including BB&T prior to its merger. Becker serves as a board member for the Cultivating Success Fund at The Columbus Foundation, a donor-advised charitable giving vehicle. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates traditional research with AI tools and provides ongoing reviews and client consultations through its affiliation with Truist Financial and its related entities.

William Thompson is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. He has held roles at several firms including Merrill, E*Trade Securities, and Valor Wealth Partners. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios and offers a range of implementation options along with financial planning, retirement consulting, tax support, and estate-planning coordination.

Scott Mc Curry is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with over 15 years of experience, including 14 years at Wells Fargo. He joined Empower Advisory Group in 2026 and is based in Charlotte, NC. 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 account holders. The firm delivers services through an integrated platform that emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Joshua Bartholomew is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including Horizon Investments, Quasar Distributors, and Fortune Financial Services. Bartholomew is based in Matthews, NC. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors as well as institutional and individual clients. The firm offers a range of services including fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Jazmin Williams is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Equitable Advisors and Axa Advisors. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions through an integrated model linked to Empower’s administrative platforms.

James Freeman is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 43 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Rockefeller Financial in 2024, he held positions at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, as well as at Citigroup Global Markets. Rockefeller Financial serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm operates both as a registered broker-dealer and an investment advisor, offering a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and investment banking services through a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform.

Cara Lindner is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience. She is currently with Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of Guardian Life, and has previously worked at firms including Worth Financial Advisory Group, Cambridge Investment Research, and Raymond James Financial Services. Outside of her advisory roles, Lindner was involved with the Charlotte YMCA for four years. Park Avenue Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and offers a range of consulting and planning services tailored to client needs.

Benjamin Cheaney is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Ernst & Young and Morningstar. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue Securities LLC, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and a digital advisory solution, with access to insurance products and alternative investments.

Michael Harris is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 65 credential and has four years of industry experience, including five years at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. prior to joining Wells Fargo Investment Institute in 2021. Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides research, global investment strategy, and model-portfolio services to Wells Fargo affiliates and unaffiliated financial institutions. The firm offers non-discretionary, non-customized portfolio models developed through specialized divisions focused on manager research, securities research, investment strategy, and asset allocation.

Phillip Price is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has two years of industry experience, including roles at PNC Investments LLC and PNC Bank. Prior to his financial services career, he also worked at Charlotte National Golf Club and other firms. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio strategy that uses algorithmic risk assessment and discretionary management via mutual funds and ETFs.