James Norris is a CFP® certificant with 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Oppenheimer & Co since 2011 and previously spent time at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Global Markets. He is based in Asheville, NC. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles, and IRAs. The firm offers a range of programs and advisory services including strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and retirement consulting, operating both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts while maintaining custody of client assets.

Karen Clerici is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation and Transamerica Retirement Solutions since 2016, as well as previous experience with Prospera Financial Services and Raymond James Financial. Outside of her advisory work, she leads weekend hikes for Asheville Adventures, a local hiking company. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through various managed advice programs that provide asset allocation and retirement planning guidance. The firm uses proprietary software and model portfolios developed with Morningstar Investment Management to deliver personalized retirement-focused advice and operates at scale with a large client base and advisor team.

Robert Jones Jr. is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Commonwealth since 2015 and has been president and co-owner of Edwin Yeates Financial, Inc., an investment-related firm, since 2005. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm provides a broad platform including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Jonathan Robinson is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021. His prior experience includes roles at Bb&T Securities, LLC and Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and a multi-affiliate operational structure.

Austin Grier is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Asheville, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 65 licenses. He has one year of industry experience with prior roles at Bank of America, Merrill, Deloitte, and Generation Teach. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm offers point-in-time planning services alongside ongoing portfolio management with a fiduciary standard applied to its RIA services.

Kathryn Beach is a CFP®-certified financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Asheville, NC, with five years of industry experience. She previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors and On Track WNC before joining Mercer Global Advisors. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and related planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and tax management, and offers a range of implementation options and affiliated service lines.

Austin Bell is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, based in Asheville, NC, with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2015 and is currently also affiliated with Agia. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a middle school golf coach at Asheville Christian Academy, teaching and supervising golf practice and matches. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet UMA models and a range of investment options.

Charles Smith is a financial advisor with OSAIC Institutions, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at First Bancorp, Fifth Third Securities, SunTrust Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and Merrill. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. serves individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm combines advisory and broker‑dealer registrations, providing customized financial planning, consulting, alternative investments, and lending solutions while allowing clients discretion over transactions.

Jonathan Gossens is a CFA® charterholder currently with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. He has 15 years of prior experience at Northern Trust. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach featuring globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and offers a range of portfolio management and planning services.

Joseph Kiely is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. holding a Series 65 designation with 28 years of industry experience prior to joining Mercer in 2024. He previously led Kiely Wealth Advisory Group, Inc. There are no additional notable outside activities reported. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Jeffrey Howden is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Beacon Pointe since 2022, following seven years at Altavista Wealth Management. He serves as a trustee for a non-client family trust. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a manager-focused investment approach, utilizing a proprietary “Focus List” and combining active and passive strategies, while sponsoring proprietary investment vehicles and serving as an operating general partner for multiple private funds.

Nathan Garnett is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 66 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Brookstone Capital Management since 2019 and previously held positions at Amerilife, Black Harbor Wealth Management, Doll and Associates, and Edward Jones. Garnett is also active in insurance sales, focusing on health insurance products for the senior market through Amerilife. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee programs.

Robert Hooks Jr. is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked within various Truist entities since 2013, including roles at Bb&T and Truist Investment Services. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the North Asheville Little League. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, supported by inter-affiliate integration and technology-enabled research, to deliver asset allocation, fiduciary support, and manager selection programs.

Byron Dechellis is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Asheville, NC, holding Series 66, Series 65, and Series 63 designations and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Mortgage and Ameriprise. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and uses a mix of fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Kyle Boyd is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Altavista Wealth Management, Inc. for 19 years before joining Beacon Pointe in 2022. Based in Asheville, NC, Boyd holds professional credentials pertinent to his advisory role. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to individual and institutional clients, including charitable organizations and retirement plans. The firm employs a manager-driven investment approach using proprietary due diligence and a mix of active and passive strategies, and it sponsors proprietary investment vehicles and serves as an operating general partner for multiple private funds.

Paul Collins III is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 10 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Triad Advisors, Peachtree Wealth Advisors, and Waddell & Reed. Collins has worked at Truist Investment Services since 2019. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform and manager arrangements, to deliver its investment solutions.

Suzanne Bell is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Asheville, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 designations and 15 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Independent Investment Bankers Corp, Ba Securities, LLC, UpCountry Advisors, LLC, and Stillpoint Capital, LLC. She is also involved with SJH Synergy, LLC, a business she has been part of for 10 years. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain retail brokerage clients, using an integrated model aligned with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and managed account solutions.

Jeffrey White is a financial advisor at OSAIC Institutions, Inc. with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including First Bancorp, Infinex Investments, Inc., and First Citizens Investor Services. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan support, and access to alternative investments, operating a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer model with both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Kathleen King is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Oppenheimer since 2012. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm offers a range of investment and consulting services using both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, managing equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios alongside tailored retirement solutions.

Hannah Kennicott is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Thrivent Financial, LPL Enterprise, and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Outside of finance, she has experience working at Culver's Garden Center & Greenhouse. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary manager strategies and integrates advanced tools and inter-affiliate resources to support its investment offerings.