Taylor Flanagan is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Thrivent Financial and Charles Beatty, in addition to prior experience outside the financial sector. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of advisors, offering comprehensive goal-based planning across various financial topics without discretionary portfolio management.

Eric Williford is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 credentials and over 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Cetera and its affiliate Cetera Wealth Services, LLC since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president and treasurer of Williford Financial Services, a financial advisory business that also offers fixed insurance products including life, long-term care, and annuities. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered firm that supports a nationwide network of independent advisors serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and planning services through multiple program structures and third-party manager options, with over $256 billion in assets under management.

Jonathan Rhodes is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2017 and previously spent six years at SunTrust Bank. Jonathan holds the Series 66 designation. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a variety of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Gregory Cherry Jr. is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Belmont, NC, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations with 12 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company and Hornor, Townsend & Kent, Inc. He has served as president of the Rotary Club of Gastonia and holds board positions with the United Way of Gaston County, Living Hope Church, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Gaston. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base with financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm offers tailored investment solutions through a network of independent professionals, utilizing both proprietary models and third-party strategies across multiple custody platforms.

Joshua Peters is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2021 and previously held positions at Flexential and Time Warner Cable. He is based in Gastonia, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

James Sherrill IV is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Dallas, NC, with six years at the firm and a total of four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Edward Jones, Sherrill worked in the consumer service industry, including a role at Pressure Washing Plus. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and investment solutions, supported by a large network of advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Michael Abbott is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Gastonia, North Carolina, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

Michelle Lacount is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 24 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill. 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 deliver model portfolios and discretionary management, with a focus on systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation.

Michele McDuffie is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Waddell & Reed, various insurance carriers, IDS Life Insurance Company, and American Express Financial Advisors. Outside of her advisory work, she is associated with Alfred and Charlie's BBQ House, a business she has operated since 2003. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, and institutions, through a national network of representatives. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and advisory programs, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by in-house and third-party research.

Tiffany Sims is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 10 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Morgan Stanley from 2015 to 2017 before joining Wells Fargo Bank NA and Wells Fargo Clearing Services in 2017. Outside of finance, she maintains a cosmetology license in North Carolina and operates an independent travel agency where she consults new travel agents and travelers. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven, incorporating modern portfolio theory, and includes a broader range of financial products such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Nikhil Alkari is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Randstad Consulting, MIHIN/Interoperability Institute, TenAgile LLC, Ally Bank, and Bank of America. Outside of his advisor role, he is involved in a separate real estate business in Fort Mill, SC. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through independent financial professionals, utilizing various portfolio management approaches and platform arrangements tailored to client objectives.

Dennis Mumford is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2014. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved as a managing member in multiple financial services entities. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, and estates. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent professionals, employing a variety of portfolio management approaches across multiple platform arrangements.

Amy Longfellow is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 63 and Series 65 designations. She has been with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. since 2017 and joined Wells Fargo Clearing in 2025. Prior to that, she was involved with Outlaw Enterprise from 2009 to 2017. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, including investment policy statement preparation, investment recommendations, performance reporting, and participant education. The firm uses an IPS-driven approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary services tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances.

Samuel Zobel is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Charles Schwab, and his own consulting and financial coaching firms. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios and manages multiple registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

Mercedes Dockery is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 65 credential and currently in her first year in the industry. Prior to her advisory role, she gained six years of experience with EXP Realty and worked with Wilkinson ERA and Citywide Realty in real estate. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory through a network of independent Financial Professionals using a variety of portfolio management and model-based solutions.

Justin Coton is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with nine years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2017 and previously worked at Dorman Financial Management from 2016 to 2017. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

James Sherrill III is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Dallas, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2000. Outside of his advisory role, he is an owner of a rental property in Lewisburg, WV. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors.

Nathan Bragg is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James, he worked at Ameriprise Financial and has been involved with Bluestone Financial Advisors in a supporting role focused on client service and business efficiencies. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as an assistant treasurer for the Rotary Club of Gastonia and officiates youth soccer leagues in South Carolina and North Carolina. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary planning and consulting using risk profiling and modeling tools and supports advisory programs and institutional consulting through a large advisor network.

Elizabeth Goins is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 18 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at TIAA and TIAA-CREF for over a decade. She is part of Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction in its investment approach.

Douglas Smith is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at North Carolina Bank and Trust, SC Bank and Trust, and LPL Financial since 2008. 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. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with model portfolios and research from various sources.