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 a financial advisor at Calton & Associates, Inc. in Wilmington, NC, with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Calton & Associates since 2019, following three years at Triad Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a First Officer pilot for American Airlines. Calton & Associates serves individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other retail clients by providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm offers multiple investment program structures and employs both fundamental and technical analysis in its recommendations.

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 CFP® and ChFC® with 41 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Brookwood Investment Group and has previously worked with firms including Redwood Private Wealth LLC and Woodbury Financial Services INC. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates an insurance business focusing on life, health, disability, and other insurance products, and serves as managing director of Redwood Tax Specialists. Brookwood Investment Group serves individual investors, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement advisory services. The firm customizes portfolios using a mix of passive, active, and tactical strategies, and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary management while leveraging third-party managers and specialized platforms.

Jerome Pinckney Jr. is a financial advisor with Calton & Associates, Inc. in Wilmington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Triad Advisors, Inc., Providence Investment Advisors, LLC, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Wachovia Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a partner and manager at Providence Investment Advisors, LLC, and participates in community activities such as cooking for the Scott Hill Wesleyan Chapel Men's Club. Calton & Associates serves individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other retail clients by providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary management options across multiple program structures and incorporates various analytic approaches tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Barry Bieler is a financial advisor with Kovack Advisors, Inc. in Wilmington, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 32 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Kovack Advisors in 2016, he worked at Invest Financial Corporation, PNC Wealth Management, and J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC. Outside of financial advising, he is active as a grassroots youth and middle school soccer referee. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is a multi-team registered investment adviser with approximately 260 advisors and over $6 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, banks, and government entities, using a model-based and advisor-managed approach supported by Envestnet technology.

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 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including Truist Advisory Services, BB&T Securities, and Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. He is based in Wilmington, NC. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers fiduciary-standard advisory services using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, along with specialized programs for high-net-worth clients and unique municipal advisory capabilities.

Jenna Yingling is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 17 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has held prior roles at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and La Belle Shell. Yingling serves on the board of directors for The Carousel Center, a nonprofit child advocacy organization in Wilmington, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program delivered through a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting.

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.

Chad Slate is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. His prior roles include positions at Pathfinder Wealth Consulting and Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. He is based in Wilmington, NC. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing over $212 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform with managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Scott Meyerson is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Wilmington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Commonwealth since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he owns My Time Holdings, LLC, an entity involved in managing real estate in Cullowhee, NC. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients, providing a range of advisory programs, wealth management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm supports affiliated advisors with operations, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice-management services.

Thomas Green III is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2024, following roles at Truist Investment Services, Inc., Ascenus, and BB&T. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.