Brian Barnes is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 18 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Financial Services, Principal Bank, Robinhood Markets, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both nondiscretionary recommendations and a discretionary wrap-fee investment management program. The firm integrates third-party methodologies with proprietary models and operates within the Principal Financial Group family, enabling access to a range of affiliated financial products and services.

Sean Bandazian is a financial advisor at Cornerstone Wealth Group with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including The Leaders Group, Alphastar Capital Management, and LPL Financial. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plans, other advisers, and corporations. The firm offers comprehensive portfolio management and financial planning, implementing model-based portfolios that use ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and third-party managed alternatives.

Edward Wood III is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 28 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC, where he has worked since 2018, and has held positions at several firms including Mutual Securities, Inc., Cornerstone Financial Partners, Inc., and LPL Financial. Wood is also involved in insurance-related activities through Cornerstone Risk Management Advisors, LLC. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, advisers, and corporations. The firm provides comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing model-based portfolios that include ETFs, mutual funds, equities, bonds, and alternative investments when appropriate.

Casey Hepburn is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Principal Financial Services, Principal Bank, and Truist Financial. Hepburn provides investment advice to retirement plan participants regarding their distribution options. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party tools like Morningstar with proprietary models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, providing access to affiliated mutual funds, bank products, and trading services through integrated operations.

Isaiah Smith II is a financial advisor with Integrity Advisory Solutions, holding Series 63 and 65 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Integrity Advisory Solutions in 2025, he worked at AlphaStar Capital Management, LLC for five years and Regal Investment Advisors LLC for four years. He also serves as Senior Vice President of Annuity Sales at The Assurance Group, where he is involved in training and mentoring agents. Integrity Advisory Solutions serves individual, trust, estate, corporate, and business clients through a network of approximately 100 independent advisors, managing about $1.1 billion in client assets. The firm offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and uses both fundamental and technical analysis supported by various asset allocation strategies and third-party platforms.

Michael Ames is a financial advisor at StoneX Advisors Inc. with 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at StoneX Advisors since 2020, following roles at Fifth Third Securities and Truist Investment Services. Ames is also involved in insurance sales as an agent with Synergy Insurance Group and Buckhead Brokerage Group. StoneX Advisors serves individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a combination of independent advisors and an in-house Private Client Group. The firm utilizes a variety of strategies and platforms to support customized investment solutions.

Andrea Pine is a financial advisor with Cornerstone Wealth, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mutual Securities, Inc. since 2017 and at Cornerstone Financial Partners since 2014, with prior experience at LPL Financial from 2013 to 2017. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, other advisers, and corporations. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related services, implementing model-based portfolios with a mix of ETFs, mutual funds, equities, bonds, and alternative investments when appropriate.

Matthew Sandberg is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cornerstone Wealth Group since 2017. His prior roles include positions at Mutual Securities, Inc., Cornerstone Financial Partners, and LPL Financial, LLC. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, other advisers, and corporations. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related services, employing model-based portfolios guided by an investment committee and providing both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions.

Orlando Ricci is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and six years of industry experience. He has worked at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Securities Inc., and New York Life, among others. Outside of finance, Ricci officiates high school wrestling in North Carolina and South Carolina and has published two novels, with a third in progress. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program. The firm integrates third-party tools and proprietary models, benefiting from its affiliation with the Principal Financial Group family.

Arron Price is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and serves as the COO of Financial Independence Group, where he oversees the strategic direction of operations and technology. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, and institutions. The firm offers both predefined model portfolios and customized strategies, employing a quantitative and tactical investment approach that incorporates third-party research and momentum evaluation.

William Smiley is a financial advisor at Coastal Bridge Advisors with eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at TrinityPoint Wealth, LLC, and Penland Legacy Advisors. He serves on the board of directors for the Winthrop University Foundation, providing volunteer leadership in community outreach and university engagement. Coastal Bridge Advisors offers financial planning, consulting, and wealth management services to individuals, family offices, trusts, estates, foundations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a goal-based, fundamental analysis approach to construct diversified portfolios and provides specialized advisory services including retirement plan consulting and HSA investment management.

Jeremy Grant is a CFP® professional with 22 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked with several firms, including Mutual Securities, Inc., Cornerstone Financial Partners, Inc., and Securities America Advisors, Inc., before joining Cornerstone Wealth Group in 2018. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, other advisers, and corporations. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related services, implementing model-based portfolios with a range of investment options and providing both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions.

Riley Wolfram is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services and holds a Series 66 designation. Based in Charlotte, NC, Wolfram has one year of industry experience, including roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Bank, and Wells Fargo. Prior to entering the financial sector, Wolfram worked in various positions including at Davidson College and Girls on the Run Greater Charlotte. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients. The firm offers both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest, leveraging proprietary and third-party models supported by affiliated entities within the Principal Financial Group.

Neill Nelson is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at various entities within the Principal Financial Group, including Principal Bank and Principal Life Insurance Company. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, leveraging proprietary models and affiliated resources to serve its clients.

Deborah Stamets is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Merit Financial Advisors in Davidson, NC, bringing seven years of industry experience. She has been with Merit Financial Group since 2015. Merit Financial Group is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, ESOPs, and other institutional clients. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and employee financial-wellness programs, using a long-term, diversified investment approach with centralized portfolio management and both in-house and third-party sub-advisers.

Austin Palmer is a financial advisor at Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. He is a founding partner and wealth advisor at Destination Wealth Advisors, where he holds an ownership stake and assists with firm growth through advisor and client acquisition. Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC provides investment advisory services through a network of independent advisors and multi-advisor teams, serving individual and institutional clients with access to a wide range of investment products and specialized offerings.

Kyle Sellers is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Financial Services, and Florida Financial Advisors, as well as experience in the hospitality sector as a cook. Outside of advisory work, he is employed as a cook at QC Pour House. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm integrates third-party and proprietary methodologies and benefits from operational ties to the Principal Financial Group family of companies.

Kara Kunz is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cornerstone Wealth Group. She previously worked at Bragg Financial and spent 16 years at the Community School of Davidson. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, other advisers, and corporations. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related services using model-based portfolios and access to affiliated investment vehicles and subadvisors.

William Grace is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Principal in 2026, he worked for five years at The Vanguard Group. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm combines third-party and proprietary models to tailor advice and benefits from its integration within the Principal Financial Group family.

Jeffrey Thompson is a financial advisor with Geneos Wealth Management, Inc. in Davidson, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 32 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Geneos Wealth Management since 2005 and leads Thompson Wealth Advisors, an investment services business. Geneos Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutions. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management, and access to third-party money managers through various traditional and wrap-fee programs.