John Bruneau is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC. His prior work includes roles at Ameritas Investment Company, LLC, Boston 128 Companies, and The Ripken Experience. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in investor relations at Boston 128 Companies. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a range of investment strategies incorporating model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, supported by multiple program platforms and third-party technology.

Amanda Black is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 29 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at First Citizens Asset Management, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Ironstone Securities, Inc. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, emphasizing IAR-led financial assessments and diversified portfolio management across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Patrick Schultz is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC. His previous roles include positions at New York Life Investment Management LLC, Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc., and Neuberger Berman. Outside of advisory work, he acts as a marketing consultant for Armstrong, Fleming, & Moore. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team advisory firm serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on customized, primarily long-term portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles, supported by a network of roughly 286 advisors managing over 13,000 clients.

Michael Smith is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Kannapolis, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2012. Fifth Third Securities 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 and combines third-party portfolio managers, strategist portfolios, and advisor-managed sleeves, with features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Namaine Coombs is a CFA® charterholder with over two years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Truist Advisory Services and previously held roles at Bank of America and Wells Fargo, where he worked for 24 years. Outside of financial advising, Coombs is the CEO of Unleashed Success, LLC, a life-coaching and book publishing company focused on addressing limiting subconscious beliefs. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of solutions including asset allocation, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platform and manager relationships.

Boyd Cauble II is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 65 and Series 66 designations. He has 24 years of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Evergreen Investment Management, Columbia Management Advisors, and Banc of America Investment Services. Cauble also utilizes CBS Brokerage as a resource for life insurance policies outside of his primary firm. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and provides access to proprietary programs as well as third-party advisory solutions.

Margaret Sattler is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. She has held various roles within Truist and its affiliated entities since 2021 and has prior experience at Capital City Financial Partners, E.W. Scripps Company, and Barre3. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary manager relationships, leveraging third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support investment decisions.

Clacy Hysong is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2010. 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 connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates within a vertically integrated group and offers both model-based and customized portfolio management options.

Stephen Honea is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2010. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm also acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund and offers a range of advisory services within a vertically integrated structure.

Rhondale Haywood is a CFP® and CFA® with three years of industry experience, currently advising at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC. Prior to joining Truist, he worked at Bank of America for five years and PNC Bank for twelve years. He serves on the investment committee of the Foundation For The Carolinas, where he participates in asset allocation and strategy oversight. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program that combines discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by AI-enabled research and inter-affiliate integration.

Christopher Benitez is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at The Vanguard Group and Angi. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing, delivered through a large-scale platform tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative services.

Robert Flynn is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group who holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at TIAA-CREF and TIAA from 1997 to 2022 before joining Empower Financial Services in 2023. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated approach leverages proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and is closely tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Chancey Zifko is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms including Fifth Third Bank and Wells Fargo prior to joining Truist. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and research tools to assist with investment policy analysis and manager selection.

Tenley Desjardins is a financial advisor with Corient in Charlotte, NC, holding the CFP®, PFS™, and Series 66 designations. She has eight years of industry experience, including prior roles at Ernst & Young, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Mcgill Advisors (now Brightworth). Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, employing a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house management with third-party solutions and specialized offerings through affiliated entities.

William Robbins is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with seven years of industry experience. His career includes roles at First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services since 2019, as well as prior experience at the City of Rock Hill and Francis Marion University. First Citizens Investor Services serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—as well as pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, emphasizing an IAR-led client process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across diverse investment options.

Justin Balmer is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at First Command Advisory Services and related entities. Outside of finance, he is involved with Easton D LLC, a company performing manual labor tasks, and Decadence Popcorn LLC, a retail popcorn business in Concord, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to employer retirement plans administered by TIAA. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management, utilizing model and customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.

Steven Ouellette is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with nine years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2025 and has been affiliated with TIAA since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer and Board Member for a nonprofit youth football program in Harrisburg, NC. 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. The firm distinguishes planning services from ongoing discretionary management and operates within a vertically integrated structure using affiliated funds.

Patrick Long is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services based in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 28 years of industry experience, including roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and UBS Financial Services. He serves as a co-trustee for family trusts related to personal clients, overseeing non-investment fiduciary responsibilities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary manager arrangements supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Mitchell Tanis is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with TIAA-CREF and its related entities since 2025. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he held positions at UBS, Merrill Lynch, and other organizations. Outside of his advisory role, he has worked as a delivery driver for Uber Eats. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account services to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers a range of advisory models including model portfolio management and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Bradley Cooke is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services since 2021. Prior to joining Truist, he worked at Wells Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Clearing Services for a combined 16 years. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services including asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.