Kirk Messick is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has worked since 2012. He began his career in the financial services industry in 2006 with Wachovia Securities. Kirk holds professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He earned his high school diploma from West Iredell High School. With over sixteen years of experience, Kirk focuses on goal setting and retirement planning, specializing in consolidation and distribution of retirement and pension plans. He employs Goals Based Wealth Management, creating personalized strategies to help clients pursue their financial goals through a structured process of defining objectives and implementing solutions. His approach emphasizes putting the client's interests first and building trust through integrity and hard work. Outside of his professional role, Kirk participates in community activities such as coaching the All Pro Dads Odell Elementary Chapter and serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. His personal interests include hiking, spending time with his family, and watching movies.

Kristine Pennington is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 17 years of industry experience. She has held prior roles at Triad Advisors, Inc., Questar Asset Management, Questar Capital Corporation, and GCG Wealth Management. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. LPL Financial is a national broker‑dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services with diverse investment options and utilizes technology tools for operational and research support.

James Thomas Jr. is a financial advisor at Merrill with 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 2009 and holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party managers.

Jeremy Brown is a financial advisor at Merrill in Charlotte, NC, with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and Bank of America since 2018, following two years at Caci. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Briana Campion is a Wealth Management Advisor affiliated with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She is part of The Beanland Group, where she works with individuals, families, and business owners to assist with retirement planning, legacy creation, and managing complex financial situations. Briana focuses on creating customized investment plans tailored to each client's needs, emphasizing personalized service and ongoing attention. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification and has completed her master's degree in Trust and Wealth Management from Campbell University's Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, graduating summa cum laude. Briana also earned her bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her professional credentials include Series 7 & 66 FINRA registrations and an NC Life, Health & Accident insurance license. Outside of her professional duties, Briana enjoys activities such as boating, reading, skiing, tennis, traveling, writing, and spending time with her family. She is also involved in the Women's Giving Network of Wake County.

Jonathan Wise is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with three years of industry experience. He previously worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. from 2021 to 2024 and has a background that includes nearly a decade at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service designed for individuals near or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to generate tailored recommendations delivered through a centralized consulting team.

Daniel Willis is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Bankers Life Securities, Robert Half International, and DiSys. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of investment and financial planning services, including specialized planning such as business-owner transition and special-needs analysis, utilizing Wells Fargo research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations.

Brian Moldenhauer is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Based in Charlotte, NC, he has spent over 15 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. prior to his current role. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security claiming options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and advisory processes through a centralized consulting team to deliver tailored, non-discretionary recommendations.

Bailey Psuik is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Bailey held positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and First Bank. Outside of finance, Bailey has experience working with the Republican Party of Florida. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers a range of brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party databases.

Cheryl Scovell is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2013. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that focuses on retirement-income planning with written Recommendation Reports and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Richard Robinson is a CFA® charterholder and holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses. He has nine years of industry experience and is currently affiliated with Wells Fargo Clearing in Charlotte, NC. His prior roles include positions at Great Western Bank, Portia Capital Management, and Cetera Investment Advisors, among others. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm that serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and combines brokerage and advisory services supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party databases.

Evan Guest is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Merrill and Bank of America since 2022, with prior experience at Brighthouse Securities LLC and U.S. Metals, Inc. He is based in Charlotte, NC. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional investors.

Joseph Brown is a Series 66-credentialed advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with three years of industry experience. Prior to his financial advisory role, he spent 14 years at MR Motorcycle. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment services tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances.

Calvin Perry is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, Allstate Insurance, and involvement in the mortgage and real estate business. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, and corporate entities. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach and offers access to third-party asset managers, financial planning, and affiliated non-securities products and services.

Henry Winslett III is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Securities before joining J.P. Morgan in 2018. Winslett co-founded WARD'S Foundation, a nonprofit focused on support for families with rare diseases, where he serves as Treasurer. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services mainly to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework.

Ryan Culpepper is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds professional designations including Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Ryan Culpepper earned a Bachelor's Degree from Wingate University.

Justin Howard is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Fidelity Investments since 2022 and previously held positions at Northwestern Mutual and NC State Employees Credit Union. Outside of his advisory role, Howard is the sole proprietor of Howard & Co, a financial counseling and therapy practice based in Charlotte, NC. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm uses a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios, and it serves as an advisor to multiple registered investment companies.

Thomas Francomano is a financial advisor at Merrill with the Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill and Bank of America since 2018 and also works as a coach for True Lacrosse. Merrill provides managed account services through its Select Portfolio Solutions Program, serving individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional accounts using model-based and discretionary strategies developed by internal and third-party teams.

John Sontag is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Prior to this, he worked at WELLS FARGO Advisors, LLC for one year. His spouse owns and operates FIG LEAF PROPERTIES, LLC, a real estate investment business in Charlotte, NC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates a broad range of financial products, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Joshua Shelton is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Kings Mountain, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2018, he worked for Broad River Retail dba Ashley HomeStore from 2016 to 2018. Outside of his advisory role, he is vice president of C J Farms Inc in Shelby, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the country.