Woneita Burdno is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Principal Life Insurance and Principal Securities, among other positions outside the financial sector. She has also worked as a contractor for Instacart, providing grocery shopping and delivery services. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers portfolio management, wrap programs, model portfolios, guided investing platforms, and financial planning, focusing on advisor-led assessments and employing fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis in its investment approach.

Xavier Powe is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has held roles at TIAA-CREF, Michigan State University, Plante Moran, Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Boynton Fire Safety Services, and DeWitt School District. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals and entities, often serving clients with existing relationships through employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management, operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds and donor-advised fund advisory services.

Christian Potts is a financial advisor with FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has one year of experience in the industry. Prior to joining FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, he worked at Fifth Third Bank, Allied Universal, and All American Roofing. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services, offering a variety of investment programs on the Passageway Managed Account platform. The firm operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank and provides access to mutual fund, ETF, SMA strategies, and direct indexing options.

Christine Boyette is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services in Huntersville, NC. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has prior experience at Booz Allen Hamilton and The Center for Organizational Excellence. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs, managing portfolios through a centralized Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers.

Robert Miles is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Truist in 2022, he worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services from 2007 to 2022. Outside of advising, he provides individual coaching focused on communication and behavioral skills and serves as a faculty member for the American Bankers Association. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation and manager selection through the Envestnet platform, providing ongoing reviews and client consultations.

Emma Brandt is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Guardian Life since 2024, including a prior role at Equitable Advisors. Outside of finance, she has experience working in academic and event settings, including roles at Furman University and The Rutherford Event Venue. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue Wealth Management, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charities, and businesses. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and offers a range of financial planning, consulting, and investment solutions tailored to client needs.

Derrick Longo is a financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors, LLC, Burns Wealth Management, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory work, he is a rental property owner involved in property maintenance activities. Savant Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management, financial planning, and family office services to individuals, families, institutions, and high-net-worth clients. The firm combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and maintains significant scale with approximately $55.6 billion in assets under management.

John Tierney is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and The Vanguard Group, Inc., as well as non-financial experience in the catering and hospitality sectors. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs a client-centered process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across a range of asset classes.

Autumn Williams is a Series 65-registered advisor with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, bringing four years of industry experience. She has been associated with Wells Fargo Investment Institute since 2000. Wells Fargo Investment Institute delivers manager research, global investment strategy, securities research, asset allocation analysis, and model-portfolio services to Wells Fargo affiliates and unaffiliated financial institutions. The firm provides non-discretionary, impersonal model portfolios developed through specialized divisions focusing on research and portfolio management.

John Clement is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of two homeowners associations in the Charlotte area. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm separates stand-alone planning services from ongoing portfolio management and offers customized investment options managed under a fiduciary standard.

Zachary Brock is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Cypress Benefit Solutions, Parks Insurance Group, Employee Benefit Advisors, and LPL Financial. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm focuses on direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Troy Rozich is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at HarrisDirect LLC and E*TRADE Capital Management LLC. He is based in Charlotte, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm combines point-in-time planning services with ongoing portfolio management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Jason Sykes is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving with Truist Advisory Services. He has worked in various roles at Suntrust Advisory Services, Suntrust Bank, and Suntrust Investment Services since 2011, and briefly with BB&T Investment Services in 2004. Outside of his advisory work, he manages AG Unlimited LLC, an investment vehicle focused on international agricultural projects, and serves on the boards of multiple nonprofit organizations including the Campbell University Trust Education Foundation and the Temassee Foundation. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse clientele including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates traditional research with AI-enabled tools and offers a range of advisory and fiduciary services, leveraging its affiliation with Truist Financial and related entities.

David Degroot is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 31 years of industry experience. He has worked with PNC Investments since 2014 and briefly with PNC Bank. PNC Wealth Management provides retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an employee-only digital portfolio solution that uses algorithmic risk assessments and implements investments via approved model strategies managed by PNC or third parties.

Thomas Simonson is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2021. Prior to joining Creative Planning, he worked for nine years at Lockton Investment Advisors, LLC, Lockton Financial Advisors, LLC, and Lockton Companies, LLC. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in client assets. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process with an emphasis on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, alongside supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Khalif Croom is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Vanguard Advisers and Melaleuca. Outside of advising, he is a licensed real estate agent in Charlotte, offering services to clients interested in buying or selling homes. TIAA‑CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with existing relationships through employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers model-based and customized portfolio management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund, operating within a vertically integrated group.

Michael Barboza is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with six years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Fifth Third Securities since 2019 and Merrill from 2015 to 2021, alongside a tenure at Bank of America starting in 2015. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors such as corporations and trusts. The firm offers advisory and brokerage services across multiple programs and third-party portfolio managers via the Passageway Managed Account Platform.

Gavin Reber is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2023. His prior work includes roles at Enviro-Master, East Carolina University, QuikTrip, Tuition Landscape LLC, and Lincoln Charter School. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals with pre-existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model that distinguishes planning services from ongoing discretionary management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund within a vertically integrated group.

Donald Stouffer is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2018. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a business manufacturing and selling bass fishing baits and also buys and sells collectible cards on eBay. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, with a range of model and customized portfolio options.

Paige Weddle is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc., bringing four years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Charles Schwab Bank, SSB, Wag, Kohl's Department Stores, Inc., and The World Egg Bank. She is based in Charlotte, NC. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and select Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s guidance focuses on asset allocation and investment selection using Schwab’s internal research tools, with trades executed only upon client authorization.