Philip Johnson is a Senior Financial Advisor with the Bono & Kline Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates with team members to pursue optimal asset allocations tailored to clients’ objectives, cash-flow needs, and timeframes. He applies his quantitative skills to evaluate external investment managers and research market themes. His client focus areas include Family Wealth Management Strategies, Services for Endowments, Foundations, and Non-profits, Liquidity Management, Sports & Entertainment, and Tax Minimization. Philip holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Mercyhurst University and an M.S. in Finance from The Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) certificant. He is an active member of the CFA Society of Washington, DC, and participates in the Northern Virginia Estate Planning Council. Philip resides in Raleigh, NC. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, camping, football, reading, and spending time outdoors with his dog.

Simran Dhaliwal is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. with nine years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including SunTrust Investment Services and Pinnacle Bank. In addition to her advisory role, she is an associate with Pinnacle Asset Management, where she assists in client services and business development. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers non-discretionary planning tailored to client goals, supported by advanced analytical tools, and maintains specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA employer consulting.

Emmanuel C Ezike II is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has previously worked at Wells Fargo and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in writing and publishing books and screenplays, managing a realty partnership, creating websites and promotional videos for local businesses, and contributing editorial work to a community newsletter. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, including retail and institutional investors. The firm employs a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs, and holds distinctive roles such as registered commodity pool operator and advisor to multiple registered investment companies.

Klair Conant is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 21 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Merrill. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and market simulation models.

Richard Black Jr. is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in aiding business owners, successful individuals, and families in managing, preserving, and growing their wealth through personalized and strategic financial guidance. His areas of expertise include college education planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, tax minimization, and retirement income. Richard holds several professional designations, including Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He earned his Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Outside of his professional work, Richard enjoys gardening, genealogy, hunting, skiing, surfing, tennis, and spending time with his family.

Ryan Towner is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Fidelity. He has worked in various capacities at Fidelity, including Fidelity Investments, Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund. The firm employs a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, with distinctive features such as CFTC registration and a formal advisory role to multiple registered investment companies.

Andrew Applequist is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Osaic and Steward Wealth Strategies, as well as experience outside the financial sector at FlyExclusive, Bass Pro Shops, and Liberty University. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves individual and institutional clients through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, retirement consulting, and brokerage services with discretionary and non-discretionary management options supported by research and model portfolios.

Thomas Whitehead is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously was with Wachovia Bank and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the finance committee of Mt Olive Baptist Church and coaches high school football at Hillside High School. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory solutions. The firm’s IPS-driven approach incorporates a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs, tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances.

Sharmishtha Prasad is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and with 14 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Coastal Federal Credit Union, PNC Bank, Bank of America, Merrill, and Wells Fargo Private Bank. She serves on the boards of the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Community Foundation of North Carolina East. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning services, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing model portfolios and research from multiple sources.

Robert Merdes is a financial advisor with Fidelity who holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at various Fidelity affiliates since 1993. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of a real estate investment company and serves as a trustee of a lending trust. Fidelity Strategic Advisers LLC offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to develop model portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

David Mc Dowell is a financial advisor at Osaic in Raleigh, NC, with two years of industry experience and a Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Osaic, he held roles at James River Insurance, First Citizens Bank, and Appalachian State University. His other business activities include serving as a financial advisor at Capitol Financial Solutions and working as an insurance broker with Carter McDowell. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional clients, offering integrated brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs various asset-allocation tools and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, with access to multiple third-party money managers and advisory platforms.

Mike Patti is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 20 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Patti holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools supported by its Global Investment Committee.

E Ostendorff is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has extensive experience in estate and investment planning, serving the financial needs of families, endowments, foundations, and non-profits. E Ostendorff began his career at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1995 as the Estate Planning specialist for multiple Merrill offices. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the College of Charleston and earned his Juris Doctorate from Nashville School of Law. His professional credentials include the Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. Outside of his professional work, E Ostendorff is a founder of the Continuous Blessings Foundation and has participated on the finance and membership committees for North Ridge Country Club. His personal interests include football, golfing, music, and reading.

Chen Anna Grundland is a financial advisor at Fidelity with four years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Her prior experience includes positions at Bank of America and Amazon WVCS LLC. She serves as the secretary of the Greenway Condominium Association board, where she participates in meeting documentation and approval of community projects. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients using a process that combines fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm manages portfolios composed of mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs and offers advisory services including fund management and model portfolio delivery.

Ward Marslender III is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he owns Marslender-West Asset Management, an investment-related business. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services, including retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, delivering tailored recommendations supported by proprietary research and planning tools.

Brian Ligett is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Encompass More, Appreciation Financial, Feedtrail, and Weatherby Healthcare. He is based in Durham, NC. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund. The firm combines fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction, delivering model portfolios that utilize mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Alex Butler is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where they support clients and their families in achieving financial clarity. In this role, Alex focuses on education, personalized goal setting, and holistic planning to address various aspects of clients' financial goals. Alex's expertise includes retirement lifestyle planning, tax-efficient investing, estate planning considerations, and charitable giving. Their professional experience at Fidelity Investments spans several positions, including Investment Solutions Representative I & II and Customer Relationship Advocate, demonstrating a progression in roles since 2023. Alex holds insurance licenses in Arkansas and California. Outside of work, Alex has interests in baseball, music, parenthood, running, and singing.

Chrisander Crisostomo is a financial advisor at Fidelity with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Prior to his current role at Fidelity, Crisostomo worked at Holly Springs Public Works and Infiniti of Apex. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage diversified model portfolios.

L James is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He leads a team that has over 30 years of experience assisting affluent families with thoughtful investment guidance and comprehensive financial planning. His approach focuses on helping clients simplify their financial lives to support their lifestyle, legacy goals, and retirement income needs. James holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA®). He earned his bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University. Throughout his career, he has been recognized in Barron's America's Top Financial Advisors and Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors. Outside of his professional responsibilities, James enjoys boating, hiking, music, singing, skiing, swimming, watching movies, and spending time with his family. He is committed to staying current on tax and estate planning issues and cutting-edge financial strategies to provide value to the families he serves.

Jeremy Potts is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with LPL Financial since 2019. Prior to joining LPL, he worked for Parata Systems LLC for 11 years. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research from LPL and third-party subadvisors.