Douglas Merrigan is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently works at Schwab Wealth Advisory and previously held positions at The Vanguard Group, LPL Financial, and Uvest Financial Services Group. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a rental property in Ocean Isle Beach. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients by providing non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations. The firm’s approach includes asset allocation guidance based on proprietary Schwab models and research, with trade execution requiring client authorization.

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 LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Clearing, Bb&T Securities, Scott & Stringfellow, and Banc of America Investment Services. 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, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage services, financial planning, consulting, and multiple advisory programs.

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 10 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 advises a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable institutions, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and combines proprietary quantitative screening and direct security selection with access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

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 Guardian Life, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo and Consolidated Planning. He also engages in independent insurance sales outside of Guardian Life. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue Securities, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, businesses, and organizations, combining advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and a range of financial planning and consulting solutions.

George Lin is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. Prior to joining Creative Planning in 2022, he worked at The Vanguard Group from 2005 to 2022. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets.

Melissa Mitchell is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and totaling 32 years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes six years at Wells Fargo Clearing before joining Janney Montgomery Scott in 2016. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base and offers a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services through both in-house and third-party portfolio management.

John Riley is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently working at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2022. Prior to joining Janney, he held roles at Truist Advisory Services and BB&T Securities. He serves on the local board of Ducks Unlimited in Memphis, TN, a nonprofit focused on land conservation. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large 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, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory and brokerage services supported by in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Kim Richards is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 19 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with TIAA-CREF and related entities since 2012, with prior experience at Signature Consultants. Outside of her advisory role, Richards is the studio director of a Pilates studio, where she manages business operations and client relationships. 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 connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers tailored investment solutions including model and customized portfolios and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Stuart Thomas is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Park Avenue Securities LLC, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Equity Services Inc. He served six years on active duty in the United States Army. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing portfolio management, using model and customized investment strategies within a vertically integrated structure.

Michael Kreimer is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 40 years of industry experience. He currently serves as an investment advisor representative at NewEdge Advisors, having previously worked with firms including Compass Securities Corporation and Raymond James Financial Services. Kreimer is also president of Ballantyne Financial Group LLC and conducts commission-based fixed insurance business through various general agents. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a network of independent advisors, utilizing multiple program structures and centralized due diligence supported by technology tools.

Samuel Barden is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley and UBS Financial Services. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, and institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm operates as a registered broker-dealer and provides a consolidated investment platform delivering discretionary and non-discretionary solutions across multiple asset classes.

Jonathan Liles is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks, and Carroll Financial Associates. He is based in Charlotte, NC. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized consulting, employing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Gary Preslar is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He is the president of Preslar Financial Group, LLC, and has been involved in new home construction and real estate sales through Homes by Gary Preslar, LLC, since 2001. His prior roles include positions at Aspire Private Capital and Global Financial Private Capital, LLC. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides a platform-centered approach combining model portfolios managed by internal and third-party strategists, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and plan services.

Ernest Glass Jr. is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Guardian Life since 1997 and has additional experience selling life and health insurance. Glass also serves as Secretary and Treasurer for the Orient Point Homeowners Association. Guardian Life, through its wholly owned subsidiary Park Avenue Securities LLC, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies, offering proprietary and third-party advisory solutions alongside access to insurance products and alternative investments.