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 at Primerica Advisors with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Guardian Life Insurance Company, Park Avenue Securities, and other firms throughout his career. Outside of his advisory role, Armstrong serves as president of a local BNI chapter and participates in peer-to-peer car rental through Turo. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a diverse retail client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering brokerage and advisory services alongside financial planning and retirement consulting. The firm utilizes a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies delivered through various platforms and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Tonya McMahon is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, and Wachovia Bank, N.A. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering a range of brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs.

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, Lehigh Valley Health Network, and the University of South Carolina. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers services such as asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by advanced research tools and inter-affiliate integration.

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 six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at BB&T in various roles from 2014 to 2021 before joining Truist in 2021. Becker serves as a board member of the Cultivating Success Fund at the Columbus Foundation, a donor-advised charitable fund. 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, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, implementing advice through a blend of discretionary and non-discretionary strategies supported by integrated inter-affiliate resources.

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.

Joshua Bartholomew is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Matthews, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fortune Financial Services, Quasar Distributors, LLC, and two decades with Horizon Investments. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers a range of services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and employee education, and supports complex investment solutions while managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

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 43 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Citigroup Global Markets. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, operating also as a registered broker-dealer with capabilities in securities transactions, variable insurance products, placement, and investment banking services.

Cara Lindner is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has 19 years of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and several other firms. She was also involved with the Charlotte YMCA from 2016 to 2020. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base, offering both brokerage and advisory services along with financial planning and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a range of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party portfolios and supports various account-level services including lending solutions and donor-advised funds.

Benjamin Cheaney is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at Ernst & Young and Morningstar. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting through a variety of proprietary and third-party investment programs.

Michael Harris is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc., based in Charlotte, NC. He has three years of industry experience and has worked at Wells Fargo Investment Institute since 2021, following five years at Wells Fargo Bank and a brief tenure at BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings. Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides institutional research, manager due diligence, model portfolio construction, and asset allocation guidance primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses, as well as select external clients. The firm’s work is organized into specialized divisions that produce research and model portfolios for affiliated and some non-affiliated advisers.

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.

Sean Bruce is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 10 years of industry experience. Sean has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2015 and has worked at Fifth Third Bank since 2009. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, combining its municipal-advisor registration with a corporate affiliation to a large bank.

Daniel Valverde is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Wells Fargo RELS. Outside of finance, he owns and operates Green Valley Photography, specializing in event and family photography. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches and integrates third-party manager relationships and AI‑enabled research tools in its investment process.

Grace Pelino is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Rockefeller Financial LLC. She has worked at Rockefeller Financial and Rockefeller Capital Management since 2022 and spent one year at Morgan Stanley. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, operating uniquely as a registered broker-dealer with capabilities in securities transactions, variable insurance products, and investment banking.

Stuart Gardner Jr. is a CFP® with 43 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC. He has held roles at Charlotte Wealth Management, LLC and LPL Financial. Gardner also serves as an agent of record for 1st Atlantic Brokerage, engaging in non-variable insurance activities. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing services such as asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes a network model combining independent advisory representatives with access to third-party managers, technology platforms, and brokerage services through LPL Financial.

Daniel Barry Jr. is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at BrightHouse Securities, MetLife, Guardian Life Insurance, and Park Avenue Securities. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering both brokerage and fee-based advisory services. The firm employs a range of investment strategies through proprietary model portfolios, third-party managers, and digital advice solutions, managing approximately $15 billion in regulatory assets under management.