Dakota Murray is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having four years of industry experience. Prior to joining First Citizens Investor Services, he worked at First Citizens Bank and attended Western Carolina University. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers portfolio management, wrap programs, model portfolios, and tax-aware financial planning, focusing on client assessments led by Investment Advisor Representatives to inform asset allocation across various investment types.

Thomas Hicks II is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2021, following tenures at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a director of sponsorship for the Athletic Booster Club at Catawba Ridge High School and is a personnel committee member at Sharon Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. 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 plans, and offers a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services supported by in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Andrea Hargette is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with seven years of industry experience. She has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2018 and has worked at Fifth Third Bank since 2008. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs combining third-party portfolio managers, strategist portfolios, and advisor-managed sleeves, with features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service.

Joel Glasco is a financial advisor with &Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Glasco serves as a FINRA arbitrator, a role he has held since 2004. &Partners serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutions, and private businesses, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary management using multiple analytical strategies and third-party managers, supported by a dual registration as a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer.

Hanna Yesuf is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Kingfisher Capital and Bank of America Private Bank. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments by providing investment advisory services alongside financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm uses a globally diversified investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, employing low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and private funds, while also offering specialized services and client education programs.

Robin Griffin is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. (ESI Financial Advisors) based in Charlotte, NC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. He has 40 years of industry experience, having worked at Equity Services since 1985 and previously at National Life of Vermont since 1982. In addition to his advisory work, Griffin operates Robin M. Griffin and Associates LLC, an insurance business, and owns a farm in Marshville, NC. Equity Services, Inc. provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers various advisory platforms that combine long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and utilizes multiple third-party asset managers and model portfolios.

Craig Saurer is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked with PNC Investments since 2016 and joined First Citizens Investor Services in 2024. First Citizens Investor Services serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering portfolio management, wrap programs, model portfolios, and financial planning. The firm’s investment process involves IAR-led assessments and uses fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to allocate among various asset classes.

Michael Frendak is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses with nine years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at The Vanguard Group, SCOTTRADE, and AXA Advisors. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio solution that uses algorithm-driven risk assessments and implements investments via mutual funds and ETFs managed by PNC or third-party strategists.

Jeffrey Collins is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors based in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 license and 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, and LPL Financial, LLC. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base, offering both brokerage and advisory services, including financial planning and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a range of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party manager platforms and supports accounts with features such as securities-based lending and tax harvesting.

Dennis Myers III is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has 24 years of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company of America since 2004. Myers also engages in insurance activities outside of Guardian-fixed annuities. Park Avenue Securities serves a diverse retail client base with brokerage and advisory services, offering proprietary and third-party investment programs alongside financial and business consulting. The firm manages assets through a combination of model portfolios and external strategists, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Justin Popham is a Certified Financial Planner® at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Fisher Investments, Fidelity Brokerage Services, Charles Schwab, and E*TRADE. He is based in Charlotte, NC. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a client-centered process incorporating fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Jason Mertz is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021, following prior roles at Bb&T Securities and Merrill. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation advice, fiduciary support, and manager-selection programs, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Meghan Mclain is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2021, following a decade at The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services offers financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and institutions. The firm combines centralized investment resources with tailored client solutions and operates within a large integrated financial group providing diverse services and products.

Mary Davis is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles outside finance, such as at Tony Silvagni Surf School and Mecklenburg Park & Rec. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration that includes affiliated broker-dealer and bank sweep features.

Chad Kupreanik is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for Javesca Feeds, a nonprofit focused on addressing hunger. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large enterprise firm managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs.

Stephen Swingle is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Waxhaw, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 14 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company since 2017 and a one-year position at LPL Financial in 2016. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a bank officer at Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company to support retirement plan account management and also works part-time as an Amazon Flex driver. Principal Securities 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 abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Sarah Pifer is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2019 and previously spent seven years at Fieldpoint Private Securities, LLC. Hightower Advisors serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering investment advisory and planning services that include discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s approach focuses on manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and custom portfolio construction.

Haley Brehm is a financial advisor with Rockefeller Financial LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her background includes roles at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Ayco. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, as well as institutional clients and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services through a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform.

Joseph Norton is a CFP® with 22 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Creative Planning since 2021 and previously held roles at Alaris Acquisitions and The Vanguard Group. He is based in Charlotte, 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, trusts, 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 tax-loss harvesting and selective private market exposure.

James Baugh is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at Wells Fargo Bank, Wells Fargo Clearing, J.P. Morgan Securities, and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Baugh is currently based in Charlotte, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program that combines discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.