Michael Willard is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 license and 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, Alloy Wealth Holdings, Alloy Wealth Management, and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory work, he is listed as owner and president of Forged Financial LLC. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms that combine long-term investment strategies with options for shorter-term trading and specialized instruments, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

William Semans is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked with Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021, following six years at BB&T Securities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration across its services.

Cathie Clontz is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist Advisory Services and affiliated firms since 2018, including BB&T Securities and PNC Investments. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration with Truist Investment Services and Truist Bank.

Andrew Gradus II is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials with 23 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Adhesion Wealth and Nuveen Securities, as well as a long tenure at TIAA dating back to 2004. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and managed account programs primarily to individuals with existing retirement plan relationships, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management through model and customized portfolios, operating within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds.

Samantha Allen is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience in the financial services industry. She currently works at VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc., having joined in 2025. Her previous experience includes six years at The Vanguard Group, Inc. and roles at The Reddoor and Wingate University. VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. offers investment advisory, brokerage, financial planning, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm utilizes a combination of model portfolios and manager-driven sleeves, delivering mostly non-discretionary investment guidance alongside discretionary offerings.

Gregory Morris is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and TIAA since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing discretionary management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group that uses affiliated funds.

Mickey Howell is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC. Prior to joining Rockefeller Financial, Howell worked at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm combines portfolio management, financial planning, brokerage services, and investment banking within a Private Advisor model supported by its Rockefeller Global Investment Management platform.

Jamie Smothers is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. since 2006. Based in Charlotte, NC, Jamie holds a Series 66 license and is involved as a member and manager of Peak Property Management LLC, which focuses on purchasing, repairing, and managing rental properties. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory, brokerage, and licensed insurance services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation through fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management solutions.

Kymona Thomas is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Clearing, LPL Financial, and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. She is currently based in Huntersville, NC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies for long-term goals, supplemented by direct indexing, tax-loss harvesting, and selective private market investments.

Harold Lockwood Jr. is a CFP® and ChFC® with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. and has previously worked at BB&T and Truist Advisory Services. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm offers portfolio management through wrap programs, an automated Guided Investing platform, tax-aware services, and financial planning, leveraging its affiliation with a bank holding company to integrate banking resources with investment solutions.

Nicole Jackson is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. She has nine years of industry experience, having worked previously at Vanguard and Metlife. Nicole has also worked outside the financial sector, including a role at DoorDash. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers model portfolio and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard within a vertically integrated structure.

Edward Hurley is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2002. Outside of his advisory work, Hurley operates a portrait and event photography business. TIAA-CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management, using model portfolios and customized strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Rhea Foster is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and bringing 19 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Merrill, Bank of America N.A., and PNC Investments before returning to TIAA-CREF in 2023. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management through model and customized portfolios, and it acts as investment adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Noel Simons is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors. 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 broad client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering a variety of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services.

Scott Gershon is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 15 years of industry experience. He has held his current role since 2014 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with pre-existing ties through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both one-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management, including customized and model-based investment options.

Ingrid Clay is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 credential and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Amazon. Outside of her advisory role, she owns an online e-commerce business and volunteers as a notary public for her church. TIAA-CREF provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and institutional clients, often serving those connected to TIAA-administered retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management through model and customized portfolios.

Dylan Power is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC, and The Ayco Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporations, charitable institutions, and other institutional investors. The firm offers a range of services such as investment management, financial planning, tax and insurance support, retirement plan services, and access to alternative and private-market investments, with a focus on diversified asset allocation and customized portfolios.

Kevin Antol is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA since 2007 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He is based in Charlotte, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm operates within a vertically integrated structure and serves clients often connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans.

Colton Mendenhall is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, Consolidated Planning, and Wells Fargo. He is also engaged in independent insurance sales outside of Guardian Life. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base with both brokerage and advisory services, offering proprietary advisory programs and access to third-party investment platforms. The firm supports a range of investment strategies and account-level services for individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients.

Richard Pucciarelli is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Brookstone since 2010 and Carolina Retirement Resources since 2003. In addition to his advisory role, he is also an insurance agent. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser that provides fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee program. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other registered investment advisers, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering discretionary investment management via various account types and model portfolios.