Deanna Strean is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including The Colony Group, Buckingham Strategic Wealth, and Carolina Capital Consulting. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Kristy Meeler is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. She is currently with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and has also worked at LPL Financial since 2013. Outside of her advisory role, she offers insurance to small groups and individuals through multiple carriers as needed. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, and charitable organizations, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a network model of independent advisory representatives and combines discretionary portfolio management with access to third-party managers and technology platforms for comprehensive client service.

Michael Dautel is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021, including prior roles at Truist Investment Services and BB&T Investment Services dating back to 2005. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting with oversight from its Equity Research team and Investment Advisory Group.

Brian Guild is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Bankers Life entities since 2008 and serves as president of BGUILD Financial, an LLC he oversees. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and manages portfolios across a broad range of securities aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Joseph Tieber Jr. is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE Capital Management, and Alight Financial Advisors, as well as previous tenure at TIAA-CREF and TIAA. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals—often those with existing employer retirement plan relationships—as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management under a fiduciary standard, utilizing model portfolios and customized management options.

John Czura is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. Before joining Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services in 2025, he worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC from 2021 to 2025. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches with oversight from an Equity Research team and Investment Advisory Group.

Michael Willard is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 license and 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC, Alloy Wealth Holdings, Alloy Wealth Management, and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory work, he is listed as owner and president of Forged Financial LLC. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, 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 that combine long-term investment strategies with options for shorter-term trading and specialized instruments, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

William Semans is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked with Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021, following six years at BB&T Securities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration across its services.

Charles Dixon is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including LPL Financial, Ameriprise, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Dixon is also involved in an investment company, KDX Partners LLC. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, and charitable organizations, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a network model with numerous advisory representatives and incorporates both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by various investment strategies and technology platforms.

Cathie Clontz is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist Advisory Services and affiliated firms since 2018, including BB&T Securities and PNC Investments. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration with Truist Investment Services and Truist Bank.

Andrew Gradus II is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials with 23 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Adhesion Wealth and Nuveen Securities, as well as a long tenure at TIAA dating back to 2004. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and managed account programs primarily to individuals with existing retirement plan relationships, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management through model and customized portfolios, operating within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds.

Samantha Allen is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. She previously worked at The Vanguard Group for six years and has experience across both financial services and hospitality sectors. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and investment management services through multiple program structures, emphasizing recommendation-based advice alongside non-discretionary management.

Gregory Morris is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and TIAA since 2015. 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 with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing discretionary management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group that uses affiliated funds.

Mickey Howell is a CFP® professional at Rockefeller Financial LLC with three years of industry experience. He previously worked at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a Private Advisor model and an integrated investment platform, while also operating as a registered broker-dealer offering securities transactions, variable insurance products, and placement and investment banking services.

Jamie Smothers is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding the CFP® designation and Series 66 license. She has 20 years of industry experience, all with First Citizens Investor Services since 2006. Outside of her advisory role, Jamie is involved in property management through Peak Property Management LLC, where she participates in purchasing, repairing, and managing residential properties. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities by providing advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers portfolio management, wrap programs, model portfolios, and financial planning, utilizing a client process focused on financial needs and risk assessment with a combination of fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Ian Peters is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at NYLIFE Securities LLC, New York Life Insurance Company, Trinity Wealth Securities, LLC, and Florida Financial Advisors. Outside of advising, he has been involved with Little Bridges LLC since 2022. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives, with a significant portion of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis and a focus on fiduciary responsibilities in retirement plan recommendations.

Harold Lockwood Jr. is a CFP® and ChFC® with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. since 2021 and has prior experience at Truist and BB&T in various advisory and investment roles. 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 employs a client process focused on assessing financial needs and risk tolerance, utilizing fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage diversified portfolios.

Douglas Merrigan is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory in Charlotte, NC. His prior experience includes 14 years at The Vanguard Group, as well as roles at LPL Financial and Uvest Financial Services Group. Merrigan also manages a rental property in Ocean Isle Beach. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice through the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering annual financial reviews and investment recommendations supported by Schwab’s research tools. The firm operates within the Schwab ecosystem and does not directly charge clients fees, distinguishing its service model from many other enterprise wealth managers.

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.