Christopher Benitez is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously for The Vanguard Group and Angi. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm delivers an integrated service model tied to Empower’s administrative platforms and offers point-in-time financial plans alongside optional managed account solutions.

John Chidester is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 15 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Bankers Life Advisory Services since 2018 and Bankers Life Securities, Inc. since 2016. He is also an insurance agent with Bankers Life & Casualty, appointed to offer Medicare Supplement, annuity, life, health, and long-term care insurance products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan services. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to develop customized asset allocations and portfolio management strategies tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Chancey Zifko is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Fifth Third Bank, Wells Fargo, and BB&T. Outside of his advisory role, Zifko is involved in managing several rental properties in the Charlotte, NC area. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing both traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support client portfolios.

Tenley Desjardins is a financial advisor with Corient in Charlotte, NC, holding the CFP®, PFS™, and Series 66 designations. She has eight years of industry experience, including prior roles at Ernst & Young, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Mcgill Advisors (now Brightworth). Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, employing a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house management with third-party solutions and specialized offerings through affiliated entities.

William Robbins is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with seven years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services since 2019, as well as experience with the City of Rock Hill and Francis Marion University. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a client process focused on assessing financial needs and risk tolerance, utilizing fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Ashley Johnston is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Series 66 designation and has four years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company, as well as involvement with Silver Hearth Lodge, LLC from 2018 to 2025. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with the majority of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Patrick Long is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing and UBS Financial Services. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-trustee for family trusts on behalf of long-term clients. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional and AI-enabled research tools to support client asset allocation and manager selection, operating within a broad network of affiliated financial entities.

Bradley Cooke is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Truist Advisory Services, where he has worked since 2021. Prior to that, he spent 15 years at Wells Fargo Bank and one year at Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation and manager selection, offering ongoing client reviews and reporting.

Daniel Jones is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Brookstone Capital Management since 2019 and has been associated with APR Financial Group LLC since 2012. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through a turnkey asset management platform and a wrap-fee program.

Barry Lutfy is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with GWN Securities since 2004 and has also maintained roles as a self-employed financial professional and with F.R. Owen & Associates since 1989. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in non-equity insurance product brokerage through the Financial Independence Group and serves as a registered representative at US Retirement Partners. GWN Securities provides investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through a variety of managed account programs and financial planning options. The firm employs both discretionary portfolio management and model-based allocations, utilizing affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisers, and is noted for its use of market-timing and momentum-based trading strategies in certain legacy programs.

Katherine Jamil is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities LLC. Her work history includes roles at Mutual Securities, Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC, LPL Financial, Kestra Investment Services, and NRP Advisors. She is based in Charlotte, NC. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides a range of financial planning and consulting services, combining advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and access to insurance products and alternative investments.

Ramone Givens is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 12 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory work, Givens owns and operates a handyman services business providing basic maintenance and home project assistance. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional investors, and retirement plans, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm delivers tailored advice through multiple program types and maintains a primarily non-discretionary asset base, operating within the integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Benjamin Osborne is a CFP® practitioner based in Charlotte, NC, with five years of industry experience. He currently works at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., having previously worked at Linden Thomas Advisory Services and The Vanguard Group. His background also includes positions in consulting and academia. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab-referred clients. The firm uses standard asset-allocation models and internal research tools to offer tailored recommendations, while trades require client authorization.

Aaron Cantley is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Charlotte, NC, with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Brookstone Wealth Advisors since 2023. In addition to his advisory role, Cantley has operated Cantley Insurance & Financial Services since 2008, where he serves as a sales advisor in fixed insurance. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm offers a turnkey asset management platform with strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models, incorporating various investment strategies and serving as a sub-advisor to other advisory programs.

Andrew Kistler III is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 42 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2012. He serves as a board member of Mimosa Hills Golf Club in Morganton, NC. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory programs.

Michael Acosta is a CFP® and ChFC® with nine years of experience in financial advisory roles at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities. His career also includes four years at Diamonds Direct and Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions. He serves on the NexGen Board of the Charlotte chapter of the Financial Planning Association and is a member of the Wingate University Alumni Advisory Board as well as The American College of Financial Services NextGen Advisory Task Force. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and a digital advisory solution, combining proprietary programs with third-party platforms to tailor client relationships.

Adam Aldrich is a financial advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at The Huntington Investment Company and LPL Financial LLC. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional investors. The firm offers customized portfolio management across various strategies and incorporates financial planning and tax services into many client relationships.

Lisa Mc Connell is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 16 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Janney since 2010. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with McConnell Ventures, a retail clothing business focused on children's apparel, where she contributes part-time in bookkeeping and administrative functions. Janney Montgomery Scott is a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse clientele including individuals, families, trusts, estates, and institutional clients, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services with in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Tyler Odonnell is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, having previously worked at Consolidated Planning Inc. and Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Outside of finance, he has experience with the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers tailored client solutions through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and digital advisory platforms.

Esther Park is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. She has 28 years of industry experience and has worked at Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities, LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she has been involved as a support person for another securities representative. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms, with a broad range of financial planning and consulting solutions.