Caroline Thomas is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with three years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services, as well as prior experience at WPS Health Solutions and FN America. Truist Advisory Services provides 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 offers ongoing client reviews, serving clients through a platform that includes third-party investment manager selection and fiduciary partnership services.

Christopher Garrett is a CFP® with 11 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently an advisor at Creative Planning and has previously worked at TMF Investments, Motley Fool Wealth Management, and The Vanguard Group. Garrett holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by advanced portfolio techniques and a range of retirement plan services.

Michael Jones is a ChFC® with 15 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Brookstone Capital Management LLC. He has worked at APR Financial LLC since 2011 and also operates an LLC that provides life and health insurance, including Medicare-related health insurance and long-term care insurance, as well as fixed and fixed indexed annuities for qualified accounts. Brookstone Capital Management offers fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other business entities. The firm uses a mix of strategic asset-allocation models and investment products, including proprietary ETFs and mutual funds, to implement client portfolios through discretionary management and sub-advisory relationships.

Latonya Woodruff is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and having 14 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, Truist Advisory Services, SunTrust/Truist Bank, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support its asset allocation strategies and ongoing client reviews.

Michael Dimitri is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for nine years and B. Riley Wealth Advisors for several years. Dimitri also serves as a non-public arbitrator for FINRA dispute resolution. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI tools and offers ongoing client reviews and reporting, leveraging its affiliations within the Truist Financial network.

Thad Tucker is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. He has been with the firm for 23 years and is also a partner in two real estate ventures, M&T Properties LLC and West Way LLC. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, using a client-focused process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various asset classes.

Zach Ziros is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and seven years of industry experience. He has previously worked with Principal Advised Services and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. In addition to his advisory role, he provides one-on-one investment advice to retirement plan participants and is involved in the sales of bank deposit products. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and select Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients, offering non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning based on Schwab’s asset-allocation models and internal research tools. The firm emphasizes client authorization for trades and uses third-party or affiliated money managers for separately managed accounts.

Jane Morris is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. She began her career at Rockefeller Financial in 2024 following four years at Wofford College and Waccamaw High School. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services and operates as a registered broker-dealer, providing investment banking and placement services alongside its integrated asset management and advisory platform.

Jie Sun is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and five years of industry experience. Jie has worked at firms including Fidelity Investments, Citigroup Global Markets, and LPL Financial. TLG Advisors serves a diverse clientele ranging from individuals to institutional investors, providing investment supervisory services, portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services for retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes manager selection and monitoring using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, complemented by a direct-to-consumer digital program offering diversified portfolios tailored to client risk profiles.

Thomas Stewart is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience, currently with Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. His prior experience includes roles at The Vanguard Group, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and operating his own financial planning practice. Outside of advising, he and his wife occasionally rent out a residential condominium to vacationers. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain referred clients, focusing on asset allocation and investment selection with trades executed only upon client approval. The firm uses proprietary research tools and models while typically recommending separately managed accounts managed by third parties or affiliates.

Bradley Kearns is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked within various Wells Fargo entities since 2017, with additional roles at Millennium Advisors, LLC and Garden Leave. Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides manager research, global investment strategy, securities research, asset allocation analysis, and model-portfolio services to Wells Fargo affiliates and other financial institutions. The firm offers non-discretionary, impersonal model portfolios developed by specialist teams, serving as a research and model provider rather than a direct portfolio manager or financial planner.

Brandie Fintchre is a CFP® with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. and First Citizens Bank, having previously worked at PNC Investments. She serves as a Finance Committee Advisor for the Emily Krzyzewski Center, a nonprofit focused on educational and career programs for underrepresented students, and holds a board position with the East Carolina University Foundation. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes advisor-led financial assessments and employs a range of portfolio management strategies including UMA and SMA accounts, model portfolios, and automated Guided Investing platforms.

Alice Jenkins is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has eight years of industry experience. Her career includes long-term employment at First Citizens Bank since 2012 and continuous service with First Citizens Investor Services since 2018. 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 process led by investment advisor representatives that involves assessing financial needs and risk tolerance and uses fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to allocate investments across various asset classes.

Terrence Colen is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 37 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2015 and previously spent 10 years with CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. Outside of his advisory roles, he is involved as an advisor and agent with Financial Independence Group and Sage Insurance Partners. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, and charitable organizations, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines a network of independent advisory representatives with access to brokerage services through LPL Financial and uses a range of portfolio management strategies supported by advanced technology platforms.

Roger Judy is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and its affiliated entities since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as chair of the Investment Committee at St. Margarets Episcopal Church and is a managing partner in a family investment LLC. 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 pre-existing retirement plan relationships. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, employing both model and customized portfolios.

Daniel Henao Ararat is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has previously worked at The Vanguard Group and South State Bank. Outside of his advisory role, he also provides part-time valet and parking services for special events. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools, partnering with Envestnet platforms to provide ongoing client support and customized investment solutions.

Howell Hallett II is a financial advisor with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Kingfisher Capital, LLC and Stonecrest Capital Markets Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he holds a North Carolina Life Insurance License through Simplicity AFG and manages billing dues for The Bull Investment Club. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost index vehicles, with additional services such as financial planning, retirement consulting, and estate-planning coordination.

Edwin Shields Jr. is a financial advisor with Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Shields is also a part owner of Nine Bridge Financial Partners, where he dedicates significant time alongside his role at Concurrent. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on customized, primarily long-term portfolios using a variety of investment vehicles and integrates affiliated sub-advisory arrangements and third-party solutions to support comprehensive wealth management.

Grant Goodwin is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and LPL Financial, holding Series 65 and Series 66 credentials and 24 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a network model of advisory representatives and utilizes various portfolio management strategies and technology platforms to support client services.

Dakota Murray is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has four years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services since 2019, preceded by studies at Western Carolina University. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs a client process led by investment advisor representatives that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage diversified portfolios across various asset classes.