George Estes Jr. is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Fort Mill, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 25 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Harrisdirect LLC and TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC. Outside of financial advising, he is a co-owner and vice president of a company in Columbia, SC. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments with investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate accounts, and private funds across various platforms.

Nicholas Cerullo is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. His work history includes roles at RBMuha, Morgan Stanley, and E*Trade Securities LLC. Prior to his advisory career, he held positions in the hospitality industry and various educational institutions. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and employee education, serving large institutional investors and managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

Katharine Osborne is a CFP® and ChFC® credentialed advisor at Corient with 21 years of industry experience. She previously worked at RBC Capital Markets for 16 years before joining Corient in 2025. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and utilizes risk management tools to align portfolios with client objectives.

Lisa Hund is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds the ChFC®, Series 63, and Series 65 designations. She has 16 years of industry experience, with a career spanning multiple roles at both Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities. Outside of her advisory work, she serves on the Winthrop University Executive Alumni Board and the board of the Carolina Wind Orchestra, and she actively participates in community service through the Rock Hill Elks Lodge. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary programs and third-party platforms, tailoring client relationships to individual needs.

Robert Schwartz is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 license and previously worked at Federated Investment Counseling and First Commonwealth Advisors. Schwartz serves as a board member and MBA partner at 99 Tartans, a role involving investment-related duties. Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides manager research, global investment strategy, securities research, asset allocation analysis, and model-portfolio services primarily to Wells Fargo affiliates and other financial institutions. The firm acts as a research and model-provider without discretionary management or individualized financial planning.

Ernest Ross III is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He is currently with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and LPL Financial, having previously worked at Fifth Third Securities, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch. His experience spans various roles within financial services in the Charlotte, NC area. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, utilizes multiple investment strategies, and integrates technology platforms to support client asset aggregation and estate planning.

Kenneth Poe Jr. is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Corient. He has held positions at several firms, including McGill Advisors, Ci Brightworth, and CIPW Service Company, LLC, before joining Corient. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and uses comprehensive risk management tools to align portfolios with client objectives.

Kathryn Hughes is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with seven years of industry experience and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. She has worked at Park Avenue Securities and Pruco Securities, and also serves as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, consulting on divorce-related financial matters. Outside her advisory role, she is an independent contractor with Quest Relocation Group and consults through Smart Divorce Decisions, LLC. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities, 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 and offers a range of financial planning, consulting, and proprietary investment solutions.

Gavin Shuck is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Truist Advisory Services, Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, Scott & Stringfellow, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as board chair for the nonprofit A Better World, Charlotte, and is an executive committee member of the Radford University Davis School of Business Advisory Board. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and investment banking services through a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform that includes equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

Kermit Bolick is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 14 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Princor Financial Services Corporation since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, Bolick is involved with HUGGINS & COMPANY, CPA and sells health insurance through various carriers. Principal Financial Services provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under multiple advisory and promoter arrangements.

Matthew Dellinger is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has experience working with Bankers Life entities since 2025. Prior to his financial services career, he served with the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire Department and worked at Prime Coatings. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm emphasizes customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to guide investment decisions.

Alexander Smith is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. (ESI Financial Advisors) in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Equity Services since 1994 and has additional tenure at National Life dating back to 1990. Outside of his advisory role, Smith serves as Vice President of the North Carolina Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and is involved in several business ventures, including real estate ownership and insurance sales. Equity Services, Inc. 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, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and model portfolios, combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and discretionary or non-discretionary management.

William Baylog is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. since 2016 and has been involved with Bankers Life & Casualty since 1996, where he manages agents, managers, and administrators in addition to providing insurance sales and services. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management according to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Patrick Golden is a financial advisor with \u0026PARTNERS in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for nine years. Outside of his advisory work, he holds a 50% ownership interest in an investment-related LLC with his spouse. \u0026PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management and financial planning services using both proprietary and third-party strategies, operating as a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer.

John Moore is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Charlotte, NC, with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been affiliated with New York Life companies and Eagle Strategies since 2023. Outside of his advisory role, Moore is a freelance musician and serves as a board member for a local business referral group. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional investors, and plan sponsors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages a substantial portion of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Neal Patel is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds the Series 66 designation. He has experience with both Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities, where he has been since 2020 and 2026 respectively. Prior to his financial career, he worked in roles with Egenberg Trial Lawyers, the New Orleans Pelicans, and the New Orleans Saints. Park Avenue Securities, 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 services including financial planning, ongoing consulting, and access to proprietary and third-party investment programs.

Christopher Sotardi is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked with Bankers Life since 2007 and Bankers Life Securities, Inc. since 2016. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as a Unit Field Trainer at Bankers Life & Casualty, recruiting and training insurance agents. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and manages portfolios with a focus on clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Robert Hoyla is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at BB&T Securities, SunTrust Advisory Services, SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., and SunTrust Bank. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI-enabled tools and provides ongoing client reviews and reporting, operating as part of the broader Truist Financial network with extensive affiliated financial and operational relationships.

Roberta Dawson is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 19 years of industry experience. She has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2009. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a client-centered process involving financial needs and risk tolerance assessments, applying various analytical approaches to manage portfolios through multiple channels and offers optional tax-aware services.

Eric Cannon is a CFP® professional affiliated with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, Cannon serves as a track and field coach for Enka High School's boys and girls teams in Buncombe County. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes IAR-led assessments and combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.