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.

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. based in Asheville, NC. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has 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—including high-net-worth clients—pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm’s investment process involves IAR-led assessments and employs fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various asset classes.

Noelle Smith is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. She worked at Legend Equities Corporation for 23 years before joining Lincoln Investment in 2017. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as the Treasurer for the Broadway Asheville Homeowner's Association. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that constructs strategic model portfolios and employs third-party managers.

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 63 and Series 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Independent Investment Bankers Corp, Ba Securities, LLC, and UpCountry Advisors, LLC. She has been involved with SJH Synergy, LLC since 2016. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as retail brokerage clients. The firm’s services integrate proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and are closely tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

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.

James Shand is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Asheville, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been in the industry since 2026. His prior work experience includes roles at IngeniousIO, Callminer Inc, and various positions in the restaurant and catering industries. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm offers integrated services connected to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates.

Barbara Ristow is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and has previously worked at Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC, Focus Wealth Management, Ltd., Pinnacle Advisory Group, Inc., Securian Financial Services, Inc., First Horizon Advisors, Inc., and Capitol Securities Management, Inc. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, financial and tax planning, family office and business management, and employee benefit consulting. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Jose Velarde Gainza is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower, he held roles at First Horizon Bank and Northwestern Mutual, among other positions. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering proprietary and third-party planning methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates.

Joshua Dillard is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with Series 66 credentials and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Oppenheimer, he was involved with Bhramari Brewing Company for eight years and briefly worked at Black Mountain Pizza & Ale House. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of programs and advisory services, including asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, with both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Lewis Akers Jr. is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC since 2022. His prior roles include nearly two decades at Altavista Wealth Management, Inc. and six years at Merrill. In addition to his advisory work, he owns a small tax preparation business focused on limited income tax returns. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm combines asset-allocation modeling with third-party managers across active and passive strategies and offers proprietary private funds alongside comprehensive reporting and participant education.

Douglas Bridges Jr. is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2006. He also holds an agent position with Agia, focusing on non-securities insurance products. VALIC Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, and offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services through its broker-dealer operations.

Casey Allison is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and previously worked at Truist Bank for ten years. Outside of his advisory role, Allison serves as a deacon at First Baptist Church Hendersonville, where he participates in monthly meetings addressing church business and stewardship activities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, supported by third-party platform and manager arrangements, and integrates services across its affiliated entities.

Mary Kiser is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. Her prior experience includes five years at Altavista Wealth Management and roles at Cumberland Trust & Investment Co and Page and Windrow. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a manager-of-managers approach using a proprietary Focus List and offers discretionary wealth management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and outsourced CIO solutions.