Trenton Whalen is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Merrill, Fifth Third Securities, and Fifth Third Bank. Outside of his advisory role, Whalen serves as Chief Judge of an election precinct and is Chair of the Cabarrus Community Foundation board. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, small businesses, and pension plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, employing both model and custom strategies that combine strategic asset allocation with quantitative and momentum analysis.

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.

Deborah Stamets is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Merit Financial Advisors in Davidson, NC. She has seven years of industry experience and has been with Merit Financial Group since 2015. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving approximately 20,040 clients across 66 offices and managing about $23.9 billion in client assets. The firm provides coordinated wealth-management services and uses a long-term, diversified investment approach supported by an internal Investment Management team and Investment Committee.

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.

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.

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.

Austin Portelance is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He is currently with Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC and Kestra Investment Services, LLC, having joined in 2024 following six years at Edward Jones. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with Destination Wealth Advisors, where he creates and executes financial plans and manages client assets. Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC provides investment advisory services through a network of independent advisors and multi-advisor teams, serving both individual and institutional clients with a broad range of investment products and specialized offerings. The firm oversees advisor recommendations while allowing flexibility within an approved product menu.

Jason Rindskopf is a financial advisor with Signal Advisors Wealth, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and six years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms, including AE Wealth Management, Advisory Alpha, and Financial Independence Group. Rindskopf is also the author of the book *Survive the Crash*. Signal Advisors Wealth provides investment management and financial planning services to retail clients and independent registered investment advisers through its Signal Platform TAMP. The firm employs a top-down, macro-environmental investment approach with tactical asset allocation and sector rotation, serving individual, high-net-worth, family, and business clients.

Andrew Ball is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at AlphaStar since 2021. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as Vice President of Sales for the Annuity Division at Financial Independence Group. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, small businesses, and other advisers. The firm employs both model and custom strategies, utilizing strategic asset allocation combined with quantitative and momentum analysis, and provides a range of portfolio management and consulting services.

Bryant Trombly is a financial advisor with Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC, holding the Series 66 designation and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Morgan Stanley spanning over a decade. Outside of his primary advisory role, he is a partner at Destination Wealth Advisors and serves as an adjunct instructor facilitating online graduate classes. Kestra Private Wealth Services provides investment advisory services through a network of independent advisors and multi-advisor teams, managing approximately $13.45 billion in client assets. The firm offers access to a broad range of investment products and specialized services, serving both individual and institutional clients.

Jon Yancey is a financial advisor with AlphaStar Capital Management in Cornelius, NC, holding a Series 65 credential and 11 years of industry experience. He has been associated with AlphaStar since 2014 and is president of Yancey Financial, LLC, where he also works as an insurance agent specializing in fixed annuities and life insurance. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, small businesses, and other advisers. The firm employs both model and customized strategies using strategic asset allocation and quantitative analysis, and provides a range of portfolio management and consulting services.

Rachel Posner is a financial advisor at Cornerstone Wealth with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with multiple firms, including Mutual Securities, Inc. and Signature Investment Advisors, LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she also engages in gig work related to food delivery. 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, utilizing model-based portfolios with a range of investment vehicles and an investment committee that oversees asset allocation and rebalancing.

William Averkamp is a financial advisor at Altitude Capital Management LLC with a Series 65 credential. He has professional experience including 14 years at Wells Fargo and more recently has been with Altitude Capital Management LLC and Harborlight Wealth since 2026. Altitude Capital Management LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and high net worth clients. The firm uses a variety of investment approaches tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, operating managed account programs with $103.6 million in discretionary assets under management.

Matthew Moyzis is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cornerstone Wealth and has previously worked at firms including Gratus Capital, The Vanguard Group, and Robert Baird & Co. His background includes roles spanning investment advisory and financial planning across multiple well-known financial institutions. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, other advisers, and corporations. The firm uses model-based portfolios with a range of investment vehicles and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions, supported by an investment committee and access to affiliated firms through its parent company, Focus Financial Partners.

Jeremy Bryant is a financial advisor with Brookwood Investment Group, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms, including Redwood Private Wealth LLC and Prosperity Capital Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, Bryant serves as president of Breese Financial Group LLC, an insurance sales and marketing business, and is a managing director at Redwood Tax Specialists, focusing on insurance sales. Brookwood Investment Group serves individual investors, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm customizes portfolios using a range of strategies and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management, operating a network of partner offices and affiliated businesses across insurance, compliance, legal, and CPA services.

Tanner Smith is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services and holds a Series 66 designation. He has been with Principal Advised Services, Principal Securities, Inc., and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2026 and has eight years of prior self-employed experience. He is based in Huntersville, North Carolina. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering a combination of non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family and integrates proprietary models and third-party methodologies with governance oversight to serve its clients.

Dee Buckminster is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC. Prior to joining Kestra in 2023, she held roles at Bank of America and Merrill from 2006 to 2023. She is a partner in Destination Wealth Advisors and the sole owner of Nichols-Coe LLC. Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC provides investment advisory services through a network of independent advisors and multi-advisor teams, serving individuals and institutional clients with a diverse range of investment products and specialized offerings.

Cynthia Cross is a financial advisor with Cornerstone Wealth Group, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. She has worked at Cornerstone Wealth Group since 2018 and previously held roles at Mutual Securities, Inc., LPL Financial, and Cornerstone Financial Partners. Outside of her advisory work, she serves as the treasurer for the Edgewater Park Homeowners Association. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, employer plan sponsors, other advisers, and corporations. The firm employs model-based portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, equities, bonds, and, when appropriate, alternative investments managed by third parties, and it offers both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions.