Gary Whitehurst is a financial advisor with Brighter Investing, PB LLC in Atlanta, GA, holding a Series 63 designation and 29 years of industry experience. His work history includes nearly two decades at GV Financial Advisors, Inc. and related firms, along with senior roles at Brighter GP, LLC and Brighter Private Credit GP, LLC. He is also a licensed insurance agent assisting clients with insurance gap assessments. Brighter Investing, PB LLC offers fee-only investment management, financial planning, tax-preparation coordination, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts. The firm emphasizes diversified exposure across public and private securities within a sustainable and impact investing framework and provides affiliated private fund interests primarily to accredited investors.

Troy Harmon is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 66 license, with three years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at Due West Wealth Advisors LLC and serves as an adjunct professor at Kennesaw State University. Harmon is also the treasurer of the ASFIP Foundation, a nonprofit focused on financial education, and is CEO of A&E Investment Properties, Inc. Due West Wealth Advisors provides discretionary wealth management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs fundamental analysis and a primarily long-term investment approach, managing portfolios that often include ETFs, equities, mutual funds, and options contracts.

Thomas Cloud is a CFP® and ChFC® with 21 years of experience in financial advisory services. He has worked at Eleven Two Fund Management for 12 years before founding Third Act Retirement Planning, Inc. in 2017, where he remains the sole advisor. Third Act Retirement Planning provides individualized financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, estate-planning consulting, and insurance guidance to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other entities. The firm manages approximately $30.4 million on a discretionary basis and offers modular and holistic planning services, utilizing a variety of investment strategies and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Jay Thurlow is a financial advisor at Kinetic Pathways Company in Dunwoody, GA, with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Alphastar Capital Management, LLC, and operated his own business before joining Kinetic Pathways. Thurlow is also co-owner of The Insurance Shop LLC, where he is involved in life and health insurance sales and client service. Kinetic Pathways provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm custom-manages income-oriented portfolios using structured notes and market-linked certificates of deposit, and is notable for its integration of insurance activities alongside its investment advisory services.

Alexander Kutyukhin is a financial advisor at VCM Capital with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at VCM Capital since 2018, following prior roles at Sistema Capital / Redline Capital and as a self-employed market researcher. Outside of finance, he serves as the director of VCM Technologies, a software development company based in London. VCM Capital provides portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporations using a blended investment approach that incorporates global macro, fundamental, and technical analysis across a broad range of asset classes. The firm manages accounts on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases and may allocate assets to third-party managers.

Johnny Masters Sr. is the principal of John Masters, CPA, PC in Atlanta, GA, with 22 years of industry experience and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has been associated with his firm and its predecessor since 1974. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a law practice specializing in tax and estate planning. John Masters, CPA, PC serves individual clients including business owners, professionals, retirees, and family members by providing integrated investment advisory, accounting, tax, estate, and probate planning services. The firm employs a combined fundamental and technical investment approach with a focus on dividend-paying and out-of-favor opportunities, managing discretionary portfolios with daily oversight.

Kenneth Brown is a financial advisor at Core Capital Markets, LLC in Atlanta, GA, with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC. Brown is also the president of Core Capital Markets, LLC. Core Capital Markets provides model-based investment strategies primarily to registered platform providers and their advisers, with limited direct retail clients. The firm focuses on market efficiency and strategic asset allocation, using mutual funds and ETFs exclusively from Dimensional Fund Advisors to build diversified portfolios tailored to various investment goals.

Portia Ryan Gerton is the sole advisor at Transformation Wealth Management, LLC in Atlanta, GA, with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has held prior roles at Ameritas Investment Company, Blue Clover Financial, Mass Mutual Investors Services, and Edward Jones. Outside of financial advisory work, she owns and operates Eye Design Interiors, LLC, an interior design business. Transformation Wealth Management is an independent, single-advisor firm providing investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm combines discretionary SEI-sponsored programs with a significant share of non-discretionary assets and offers ongoing portfolio monitoring and planning, including held-away account management and referrals to third-party managers.

Ashley Roth is a financial advisor with Arrowhead Investment Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Arrowhead since 2011. Arrowhead Investment Advisors is a fee-only registered investment adviser managing approximately $43.1 million for individuals, families, trusts, non-profit organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm focuses on long-term growth through equities and bonds using a fundamentally driven research process and provides tailored portfolio management with discretionary authority.

Jamar Bates is a financial advisor with Bates Financial Group, LLC in Smyrna, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has led Bates Financial Group since 2014. Outside of advisory services, he is involved with Bates Realty Group, Inc., which engages in residential and commercial real estate brokerage. Bates Financial Group provides financial planning, consulting, and educational seminars to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm integrates advisory services with brokerage, insurance, and mortgage offerings, relying on third-party managers for investment guidance and emphasizing strategic and tactical asset allocation approaches.

Samuel Deane is a financial advisor at Rora Wealth, Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Prior to founding Rora Wealth in 2018, he worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors and Transamerica Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a media entity for which he is compensated for writing and public speaking. Rora Wealth, Inc. advises individual clients and families primarily in the technology sector, focusing on employees, executives, and startup founders. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, employing diversified portfolios with ETFs, separate accounts, direct indexing, and option strategies, alongside access to an affiliated early-stage technology private fund.

Gary Hyde is a CFP® professional with 10 years of experience in financial services. He is the principal of Shepherd Financial LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2020. Prior to founding Shepherd Financial, he worked at Northwestern Mutual in various roles from 2015 to 2020. Outside of his advisory work, Hyde provides baseball instruction to children. Shepherd Financial LLC offers wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, and financial planning primarily to individuals, high-net-worth households, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach is long-term and ETF-oriented, with additional use of individual securities and occasional shorter-term trades, and it combines individual wealth management with retirement plan consulting services.

Matthew Checkon is a financial advisor at MJ Wealth Management LLC in Roswell, GA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to founding MJ Wealth Management, he worked at Ernst & Young for ten years. MJ Wealth Management LLC provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses, with offerings that range from foundational planning for lower- and middle-net-worth households to comprehensive wealth management. The firm’s investment process focuses on asset allocation guided by an Investment Policy Statement and includes discretionary management, educational workshops, and flexible billing arrangements.

Caroline McInerney is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience currently serving as the principal of HWM Wealth Management LLC in Atlanta, GA. She previously worked with Nicholas Hoffman & Company, Raymond James & Associates, Clements Financial Services, and HD Vest Investment Services. In addition to her advisory role, she operates Owner's Dividend LLC, a separate business that publishes educational content on financial and business planning. HWM Wealth Management LLC provides fee-only investment management and financial planning services to individuals, families, businesses, and foundations. The firm employs a long-term, principles-based investment approach focused on asset allocation, diversification, and tax-aware strategies, managing portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis.

Jonathan White is a financial advisor at Pearson Investment Management, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at both Pearson Investment Management and AonHewitt since 2015. Pearson Investment Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporations, with a particular focus on corporate benefit plans and retirement arrangements. The firm’s investment approach integrates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis across various asset classes and may include frequent trading and short sales, while also utilizing third-party managers and digital custody platforms.

James Durden Jr. is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Edward Wealth Partners in Lithia Springs, GA. He has been with Edward Wealth Partners since 2025 and has over a decade of experience with Edward Financial Group, where he is also an owner and insurance agent. Edward Wealth Partners is an investment manager offering discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and consulting services, with a focus on retirement-plan work. The firm combines direct portfolio management with third-party manager recommendations and provides plan-sponsor fiduciary services as well as participant education.

Joseph Stacy is a financial advisor with Meranti Capital Partners, INC. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and possessing 15 years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Kaplan Professional, Primerica Advisors, and Nokia. Outside of advising, he is a licensed real estate instructor and a commercial real estate agent. Meranti Capital Partners offers portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm uses a variety of analytical methods and investment strategies, including alternative and private investments, with services tailored through an Investment Policy Statement and may manage accounts on a discretionary basis when authorized by clients.

I’ve spent two decades in an industry that doesn’t always make it easy to know who to trust. Hidden fees, half-answers, and vague promises aren’t good enough. That’s why everything we do is transparent—how we charge, how we plan, how we execute. You should never wonder what’s happening with your money. Our flat fee structure is based on a commitment to placing client interests first, reducing conflicts of interest, providing transparent & predictable pricing, and making financial advisory services more accessible. Financial Review (aka “Try before you buy”) clients and full-service clients will receive a comprehensive financial review & retirement field guide to achieve their retirement field guide to achieve their desired goals. I started Sonas FP to help individuals and families like you understand how a healthy relationship with your money can lead to a lifetime of financial peace, wellness, and freedom. Sonas Financial Planning is owned and operated by Bradley Hilton, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, MBA, and Tax Planning Certified Professional® with over 18 years of experience as the sole financial advisor to more than 110 clients throughout the U.S., including dentists, small business owners, millionaires next door, and top executives at Fortune 500 companies. We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can do more and make a greater impact – and that is part of the reason Sonas Financial Planning was launched. Every good idea starts with a problem. Here was ours: Quality retirement planning and investment management can be expensive for clients under the traditional asset under management (AUM) fee structure. Also, many people fear working with a financial advisor because of either the high fees or the reputation that advisors earn commissions and will sell you products you don’t need. And finally, many wealth management firms do not emphasize financial planning or deliver data-driven financial roadmaps to guide clients. We take a people-centered approach. Our process begins with a free Zoom call so we can get to know one another and learn about your needs. There is no cost and no pressure to move forward. If we are not a good fit for each other, we will let you know upfront and try to recommend an alternative. Schedule a free consultation by calling 404-545-5368 or email [email protected].

Jeffrey Barnard is the principal of Barnard Financial Group, LLC in Roswell, GA, holding a Series 65 credential with 17 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at AE Wealth Management, LLC and Global Financial Private Capital, LLC, as well as leadership of his own firms since 1998. He also owns an insurance business in Roswell, GA, where he is active in insurance sales and service. Barnard Financial Group, LLC provides discretionary asset management and retirement plan advisory services to plan sponsors, institutional clients, and individuals. The firm offers portfolio management with the ability to engage sub-advisors and specializes in pension consulting for retirement plans, including ERISA-related services.

Cass Chappell III is a CFP® professional with 30 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Chappell Financial Group, an independent firm he has led since 2012. Prior to founding his firm, he worked with LPL Financial, LLC for 21 years and PRUCO Securities, LLC for two years. He is also a licensed insurance agent offering various insurance products. Chappell Financial Group serves individuals, families, business owners, and employer plan sponsors through wealth management, financial consulting, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm utilizes a diverse range of securities and incorporates quantitative and qualitative analysis, modern portfolio theory, and charting in its investment process.