Michael Ruffing is a financial advisor with Integrated WealthCare, LLC in Durham, NC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 28 years of industry experience, including nine years at Capital Wealth Management, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. He hosts a financial podcast and serves on the industry advisory council for the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Integrated WealthCare is an SEC-registered wealth management firm that primarily serves physicians and medical professionals, as well as high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, utilizing documented risk assessments and globally diversified model portfolios with a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Malachy Joyce is a financial advisor at Based Capital Wealth LLC in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with two years of industry experience. She is also the CEO of iBC Holdings LLC, a data analytics company operating as Stocklabs, which provides financial and technical data on companies. Additionally, Joyce creates monetized financial commentary on X (formerly Twitter), earning a small portion of her income from this activity. Based Capital Wealth LLC provides portfolio management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management. The firm focuses on equities, fixed-income securities, and ETFs, employing a range of analytical methods and strategies including charting, fundamental analysis, and options trading.

Jacob Doser is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Rosewood Wealth Management. Prior to joining Rosewood, he worked at JN Financial LLC and JB Capital, LLC for five years, and has held roles at KeyBank, Key Investment Services LLC, and Citizens Bank. He is also an insurance agent involved in the sale of life insurance and fixed annuities through an affiliated insurance company. Rosewood Wealth Management serves individual clients and families with a focus on retirement planning and income needs. The firm combines financial planning with portfolio implementation through third-party managers, insurance product sales, and tax and bookkeeping services.

Brenton Smith is a financial advisor with Gibert Wealth Management in Chapel Hill, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Kestra Investment Services, Umergence LLC, Amazon Services, BB&T Securities, and Merrill. Gibert Wealth Management provides discretionary wealth management and retirement plan advisory services for retirement plan sponsors, business entities, and fiduciary clients such as trusts, estates, and non-profits. The firm manages approximately $316 million in discretionary assets and employs a diversified investment approach that integrates quantitative and qualitative analysis along with modern portfolio theory.

Adam Boor is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Pursuit Wealth Strategies, LLC and has held prior positions at Raymond James Financial Services and RBC Capital Markets. His background also includes earlier roles in banking and finance. Pursuit Wealth Strategies serves individuals, high net worth clients, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations by providing investment advisory, portfolio management, and financial planning services. The firm emphasizes customized portfolios and formal investment policy statements, with regular portfolio monitoring and a structured approach to managing underperforming assets.

Samson Benen is a financial advisor at SJBenen Advisory, LLC in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with 10 years of industry experience. He has been with SJBenen Advisory since 2016. SJBenen Advisory serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, small businesses, pension and profit-sharing plans, and nonprofit organizations with portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA plan advisory services. The firm employs a tiered management approach incorporating passive, long-only active, and long-short active strategies, using fundamental, technical, cyclical, and quantitative analysis, and offers a regular client newsletter called “The Benen Report.”

Amy Jo Mc Elfresh is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising. She has been with Amphora Wealth Management, LLC since 2018 and previously worked at Guardian Pointe Private Wealth Management. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in management activities with Gratitude, Inc. and serves as president of AJM Consulting, Inc., a consulting and insurance-related business. Amphora Wealth Management serves individuals, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing investment management, financial planning, and specialized consulting services such as divorce and estate-plan analysis. The firm employs an evidence- and risk-based investment approach, using diversified portfolios guided by Modern Portfolio Theory and conducts ongoing account monitoring and reviews.

William Sloan is a CFP® professional with 33 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has worked at Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. for 25 years and has been with Sound Financial Management, Inc. since 1997. Sloan holds the Series 63 license and is based in Raleigh, NC. Sound Financial Management, Inc. provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $110.7 million in discretionary assets, employing both fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolio strategies, with regular reviews for suitability, rebalancing, and tax-loss harvesting.

Samuel Mcchesney is a financial advisor with Incline Investment Advisors, LLC in Durham, NC. He holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Incline Investment Advisors, he worked at Hyatt Lake Tahoe and Sierra Nevada University. Incline Investment Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, employing a blend of systematic quantitative models, technical trend signals, and value-oriented stock selection to construct risk-managed portfolios. The firm is notable for its affiliation with a Commodity Trading Advisor/Commodity Pool Operator, offering a range of commodity and futures strategies alongside equity and fixed-income programs.

Meghan Childs is a financial advisor at Boundary Street Partners LP with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Morgan Stanley for seven years before joining Boundary Street Partners in 2017. Boundary Street Partners LP provides discretionary investment management and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high net worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, and a private fund. The firm employs an active global value-investing approach based on fundamental research and offers a range of strategies including stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and derivatives, serving approximately $18 million in discretionary assets as of December 2025.

Wheeler Chapman III is a financial advisor at Kokua Capital Management with 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Kokua Capital Management since 2016 and concurrently at Chapman Financial Group since 2013. Chapman Financial Group, doing business as Kokua Capital Management, provides discretionary wealth management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as fixed-income sub-advisory services to other investment adviser firms. The firm employs an actively managed, long-term investment approach that incorporates both fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios to clients’ objectives and risk tolerance.

Jeffery Campbell II is a financial advisor at Fryar Financial in Durham, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fryar Financial, he worked at Fidelity Investments and Vietri Inc. in various roles. Outside of advising, he operates a freelance marketing consulting business as an independent contractor. Fryar Financial provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and retirement plan sponsors, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary asset management tailored to client goals and risk tolerance. The firm manages approximately $19.4 million across about 56 client relationships and coordinates investment strategies with affiliated tax and accounting services.

Kurt Underhill is a financial advisor with First Financial Group in Raleigh, NC, holding the Series 66 designation and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with First Financial Group since 2012 and has also been involved with Mood Food Records, a record label, since 1994. First Financial Group serves individual investors, trusts, estates, and business entities, offering portfolio management and financial planning tailored to both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a client-driven investment process that includes fundamental and cyclical analysis, customized portfolios, and may utilize non-core strategies such as option writing and margin transactions.

Brooks Nichols is a CFP® with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LifePlan Group. His prior experience includes roles at Fidelity Investments and Strategic Advisers LLC. LifePlan Group provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, focusing on retirement planning as well as coordinating tax, insurance, and estate considerations. The firm employs a diversified investment approach using institutional platforms, ETFs, and individual securities, and serves approximately $326 million in discretionary client assets.

Michele Nettesheim is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Phoenix Wealth Advisors Inc. in Chapel Hill, NC. She has been with Phoenix Wealth Advisors since 2018 and has prior experience at Raymond James Financial Services dating back to 2005. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in a rental real estate business. Phoenix Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and asset management, combining fundamental and technical analysis with both long- and short-term strategies, and administers a wrap-fee program that integrates third-party manager models with in-house overlays.

Christopher Thomas is a financial advisor at Atlantic Private Wealth, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining Atlantic Private Wealth in 2021, he worked at Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management and Cetera Advisor Networks. He has also been involved with the YMCA and William Peace University. Atlantic Private Wealth manages approximately $894 million in client assets, serving individuals, trusts, estates, nonprofits, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm employs a quantitative and technical investment approach within an asset-allocation framework and offers discretionary investment management alongside financial planning and retirement plan services.

Chase Wietfeld is a financial advisor at Atlantic Private Wealth, LLC with three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at D.A. Davidson and Mutual of Omaha. Atlantic Private Wealth, LLC manages approximately $894 million in client assets for individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm employs a combination of quantitative and technical analysis within an asset-allocation framework, offering discretionary investment management alongside financial planning and corporate retirement plan services.

Russell Eriksen is a financial advisor with Hilltop Wealth Advisors, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC. He holds the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations and has 22 years of industry experience. Eriksen has been with Hilltop Wealth Advisors since 2016. Hilltop Wealth Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities across a range of wealth levels, providing financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment management. The firm combines fundamental analysis with a tactical asset-allocation framework based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a variety of model portfolios while actively monitoring client accounts.

Mark Rhoades is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience. He is a financial advisor and branch manager at Phoenix Wealth Advisors Inc., where he has worked since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Raymond James Financial Services, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup Global Markets. Rhoades serves on the advisory board and finance/investment committee of the KDVS Foundation, a nonprofit organization. Phoenix Wealth Advisors provides financial planning, wealth management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis with both long- and short-term investment strategies and manages a high account load through a team-based approach.

Brittany is a financial advisor at Hilltop Wealth Advisors, a fee-only financial planning firm located in Chapel Hill, NC. Brittany has been with the Hilltop team since 2014, when she started as a financial planning intern while earning her BA in Mathematics at UNC-Chapel Hill. She quickly discovered financial planning to be a perfect combination of problem solving and relationship building, which made it her ideal career path. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™(CFP®) professional and Certified Student Loan Professional (CSLP®), and is passionate about working with Gen X & Gen Y clients. Brittany lives in Raleigh with her husband and dog. When she’s not working, she loves cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes, exploring the local food scene, and traveling to the mountains.