Chris Gruin is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Lincolnton, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at First Citizen Investor Services, Wells Fargo Clearing, Suntrust Investment Services, and PNC Bank. 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, including advisor-directed models and access to third-party portfolio managers, with features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Neil Ramirez is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Hickory, NC, beginning his industry career in 2025. Prior to entering finance, he spent five years with Major League Baseball. Neil is involved with Elite Performance Wealth Management LLC as an owner. Equity Services, Inc., doing business 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, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and combines long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and specialized instruments.

Vincent Johnson is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His career includes over 20 years with BB&T Investment Services, Inc. and its affiliates before joining Truist in 2021. He serves as a board member for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, participating in regional housing program coordination and providing guidance to graduates of a family self-sufficiency program. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, combining discretionary and non-discretionary management with third-party platform support and AI-enabled research tools.

Ian Williams is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with a Series 65 credential. He has diverse work experience including positions at Mercury Tech Partners, Piper Aircraft, Textron Aviation, and service in the United States Army. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing a combination of in-house and third-party strategies supported by technology and centralized due diligence.

William Mode is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory work, he is a landlord of a rental property in Hickory. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory, brokerage, insurance, and M&A services, with investment solutions that include discretionary and non-discretionary managed portfolios using proprietary and third-party strategies.

Matthew Cook is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at NewEdge Advisors and has previously worked at Edward Jones, LPL Financial LLC, Greenstone Ventures LLC, and Blue Ridge Realty & Investments. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad suite of services and multiple program structures, combining in-house manager selection with third-party model portfolios and advisor discretion, supported by centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Alice Scarborough is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 27 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc, Broyhill Asset Management, Wells Fargo Clearing, and BB&T Asset Management. She also serves as a Notary Public in Hickory, NC. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through more than 500 advisors. The firm provides a range of services including wrap-fee advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, investment management consulting, brokerage services, insurance products, and certain M&A advisory services.

Charice Biggins is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Conover, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. She has previously worked with First Citizens Investor Services and currently advises through Advised Assets Group, LLC and GWFS Equities, Inc. 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 certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm uses an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and focuses on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning services.

Bailey Sigler is a financial advisor at TLG Advisors, Inc. with five years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked with The Leaders Group Inc. and Premier Planning NC Group. Outside of advisory services, he is also active as an independent insurance agent specializing in life insurance. TLG Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm focuses on manager selection and portfolio monitoring using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, and offers both traditional and digital investment programs.

Robert Eberhardt is a CFP® with over 31 years of industry experience, currently serving at Principal Financial Services since 2011. Based in Denver, NC, he holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and owner of Safe Self Storage, LLC, where he manages accounting and marketing for two self-storage locations. Principal Financial Services provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Patrick Hipkens is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Truist Advisory Services, where he has worked since 2021, and previously held roles at The Vanguard Group, Inc., Insights Global, and Cardinal Financial LLC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with non-discretionary consulting and uses third-party platforms and AI-enabled tools to support its manager selection and investment oversight processes.

Grant Rembert is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 credential and 11 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates Athletes Lab, LLC, a performance training facility, and serves as a director of Athletes Lab Foundation Inc., which provides scholarships for athletes. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is a full-service broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of investment management and financial planning services, combining proprietary strategies with third-party models across discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Keith Holtsclaw Jr. is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services. His career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, Truist Bank, TD Ameritrade, and Scottrade. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a trustee on the Lenoir Rhyne University Alumni Board and as an associate trustee for the Piedmont Education Fund, where he is involved in alumni engagement and scholarship fundraising. He is also a partner in a company specializing in disposable children’s cups and dinnerware. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary management and consulting supported by third-party platforms and research tools.

Andrew Breasure is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services. His prior roles include positions at North Carolina State University and Steward Wealth Strategies. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of Tau Properties, a nonprofit housing corporation affiliated with Pi Kappa Phi at NC State, where he oversees housing operations and alumni events. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a blend of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Stuart Moffitt is a financial advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked within various Bankers Life entities since 2020. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent for Bankers Life & Casualty, specializing in Medicare, long-term care, life insurance, and annuity products. 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 services. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to craft tailored asset allocations, offering both wrap and non-wrap programs through Pershing as custodian and Bankers Life Securities, Inc. as broker-dealer.

Josh Vanepps is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Troutman, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Empower Financial Services, Inc., Iredell Health System, Whole Foods, and Carolins Healthcare System. 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 certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated model combines proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and regular rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Tonya Guffey is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fifth Third Securities since 2022, as well as at Fifth Third Bank since 2018. Prior to that, she was employed at PNC Bank from 2015 to 2018. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors through its Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Patricia Godfrey is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and seven years of industry experience. She also serves as Senior Manager of Sales Operations at Veritas Technologies, LLC, a data information technology firm. Godfrey is a 50% owner of Blackbridge Financial, LLC, a DBA associated with her work at Independent Advisor Alliance. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing a network model of advisory representatives supported by sub-advisors and third-party platforms.

Cassandra Smith is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her industry career in 2026. Her prior work experience includes roles at Dean Financial, Planet Fitness, and Family Video. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad suite of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party managers, utilizing centralized due diligence and technology tools to support advisor and client needs.

John Setzler is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. based in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has held roles at The Leaders Group Inc, LifeBridge, Premier Planning Group NC, LLC, and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp and Ameritas Investment Corp. Setzler is also president of Premier Planning Group NC, LLC and Optimus Life Designs, both involved in insurance business and client consulting. TLG Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors, offering investment supervisory services, financial and estate planning, ERISA fiduciary services, and a direct-to-consumer program called Starlight Portfolios.