Joseph Gay Jr. is a financial advisor at Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at several firms including Cetera Investment Services and Securities America Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is co-owner of Ferrell Farms, LLC, a family farm where he oversees rentals and leases. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, supported by ongoing monitoring and a blend of analytical methods.

Matthew Stephens is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Strategic Blueprint, LLC since 2025. He previously worked at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC for 11 years. Outside of his advisory role, Stephens is involved as an owner and sole proprietor of AdvicePoint, LLC, which handles management and bookkeeping services, and he holds officer and partner roles in several local business entities and community organizations. Strategic Blueprint, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers customized, goal-based investment strategies through a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, family office services, and a subscription advisory program, with an emphasis on client education and a curated alternative investments platform.

Jerome Pinckney III is an investment advisor with Calton & Associates, Inc. in Wilmington, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 10 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Calton & Associates in 2019, he worked at Triad Advisors, Inc. from 2016 to 2019. Outside of his financial advisory role, he is a commercial airline pilot and currently serves as a First Officer for American Airlines. Calton & Associates serves individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other retail clients by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm offers a range of investment program structures and analytic approaches, including both fee-based and commissionable products through its dual registration as a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer.

Joe Pearce is a financial advisor with The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. in Wilmington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with The Strategic Financial Alliance since 2005. The Strategic Financial Alliance serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities by offering portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and access to third-party managers through various portfolio programs. The firm uses a combination of in-house management and co-advisory arrangements, with a significant portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Shannon Cooper is a financial advisor at Capitol Securities Management, Inc. with three years of industry experience and a Series 66 designation. Cooper has been with Capitol Securities Management for ten years in various capacities. Capitol Securities Management serves individual investors, institutional and corporate clients, retirement plans, trusts, and small businesses with portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and wrap fee programs. The firm operates as both a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, offering advisory relationships through multiple managed programs and separately managed accounts.

Josiah Whitten is a financial advisor with CG Advisory Services in Wilmington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Whitten Wealth Management, Capital Asset Advisory Services, MML Investors Services, and Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company. He is also a licensed insurance agent. CG Advisory Services is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management using proprietary and customized model programs, along with financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and fiduciary advice, combining human judgment with AI tools and various investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Martin Shapiro is a financial advisor at Brookwood Investment Group with 40 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 63 designations. His prior experience includes roles at Woodbury Financial Services, Arbor Point Advisors, and Securities America, among others, and he has been involved in insurance sales through his own business since 1985. Shapiro also serves as managing director of Redwood Tax Specialists and works as an independent mortgage loan originator. Brookwood Investment Group is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser managing over $1 billion for more than 3,000 clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services, using a variety of passive, active, tactical, and blended investment strategies.

Dale Pope is a financial advisor at IP Financial Advisory Services LLC with 40 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at firms including Innovation Partners LLC and MerCap Advisors, Inc. Outside of his advisory roles, he has served on the Sleighton School Board and was involved with the Himalayan Hope Charitable Foundation. IP Financial Advisory Services primarily serves individual retail clients, focusing on portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm constructs customized portfolios and also refers clients to unaffiliated third-party investment advisors while providing a range of investment and insurance-related services.

Jerome Pinckney Jr. is a financial advisor at Calton & Associates, Inc. with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Calton & Associates since 2019. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Triad Advisors, Inc. and has been a partner at Providence Investment Advisors, LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory roles, he is a member of the Scott Hill Wesleyan Chapel Men's Club and serves as an independent sales agent for Medicare Supplement Insurance. Calton & Associates serves individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other retail clients by offering portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm provides tailored investment recommendations with multiple program structures, combining discretionary and non-discretionary management options alongside brokerage and insurance products.

Barry Bieler is a financial advisor with Kovack Advisors, Inc. in Wilmington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at Invest Financial Corporation, PNC Wealth Management, and J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in youth soccer as a grassroots referee. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, institutional clients, and government entities with over $6 billion in assets under management. The firm utilizes a risk-tolerance based approach with both internally developed and third-party managed models, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management across multiple custodians.

Brett Tushingham is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently with Savvy and previously led his own firm, Tushingham Wealth Strategies, LLC, for ten years. He is also licensed to sell life and health insurance through his business, Tushingham Insurance Strategies. Savvy provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts and estates, businesses, ERISA plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a primarily index-based, long-term approach while incorporating active equity portfolios and tax-aware direct indexing, using third-party sub-advisers and technology platforms to support customized client strategies.

William Vestal is a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Truist Advisory Services, Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and Scott & Stringfellow. D.A. Davidson & Co. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides a range of services from ERISA retirement plan advisory to comprehensive financial planning and a private wealth program for clients with over $20 million in net worth.

Jenna Yingling is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 17 years of industry experience. She has held positions at Truist Advisory Services and its affiliates since 2018, and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Yingling serves on the board of The Carousel Center, a nonprofit child advocacy organization in Wilmington, NC. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting with technology-enabled research and supervises manager selection through an integrated affiliate structure.

Maria Crayton is a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. with 29 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at firms including Merrill, BB&T Securities, Suntrust Advisory Services, and Truist Investment Services. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a broad client base, including employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm operates under the Advisers Act fiduciary standard and offers specialized services such as ERISA retirement plan advisory and a Private Wealth program for high-net-worth clients.

Meredith Woods is a financial advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors with a Series 65 credential and two years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Refusing to Settle, LLC, Gordon Management, LLC, and Meredith Rawlings Professional Coaching. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers to create customized portfolios and provides integrated tax and accounting services alongside its portfolio management.

Donis Smith is a CFP® with 31 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Rockefeller Financial LLC and Rockefeller Capital Management, having previously worked at UBS Financial Services for ten years. Smith serves on the board of the University of North Carolina Wilmington Foundation, where he leads meetings and represents the foundation and university at community events. He is also Treasurer of the Landfall Foundation, which awards grants to local charities. 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 offers a broad range of portfolio management and financial planning services and operates as a registered broker-dealer, providing integrated investment, insurance, and banking services through a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform.

Conner Carvell is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at The Vanguard Group, PNC, and Kish Bank. 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, leveraging inter-affiliate resources and AI-enabled research tools to support its investment programs.

Richard Schrum is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC since 2014 and has also maintained an affiliation with LPL Financial since 2011. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm utilizes discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management strategies and leverages technology platforms for asset aggregation and estate planning, operating through a network model with strong connections to LPL Financial.

Leigh Voli is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 credential and has previously worked at RBC Capital Markets and V & V Financial. Her background also includes roles outside finance, such as involvement with Satellite Bar and Lounge and Hotel Ballast. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a range of managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services, supporting advisors with trading, reporting, and portfolio implementation options.

Daniel Cubbison is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and five years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at W&S Brokerage Services and Western & Southern Life. He was also involved with the Boy Scouts of America for one year. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel outside the United States. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.