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.

Clay Thompson is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 30 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His previous roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc. and Prudential Insurance Company of America. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering services integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning approach and serves a large participant base relative to its advisor headcount.

Robert Russo is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been associated with LPL Financial since 2007. Outside of financial advising, he owns a restaurant called Philly's Phinest (Lee's Hoagie House) and operates a technology business, We Handle Tech, LLC. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of services such as asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, implementing portfolio strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by various analytical techniques and technology platforms.

Thomas Owens III is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services since 2011. Owens serves as an officer and director and is a member of the Finance Committee at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, a nonprofit organization. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios including equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs, offering a range of solutions such as model portfolios, wrap programs, and tax-aware services.

Jason Cross is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Corient. His prior work includes roles at Ci Brightworth and CIPW Service Company. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutional entities. The firm utilizes a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party managers, employing risk management tools and alternative investments to align portfolios with client objectives.

Michelle Kuzma Kempf is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Hightower Advisors and its affiliated broker-dealer since 2011. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering multi-manager solutions that include affiliated and third-party managers, discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, and access to pooled and private investment vehicles.

Bert May Jr. is a financial advisor with MAI Capital Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at The Leaders Group since 2014 and maintains a long-term role with Learfield Communications, Inc. as a radio analyst for UNC football. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, and institutional clients. The firm manages multiple asset classes and investment strategies through in-house and third-party managers, and also serves as adviser to a registered mutual fund and several private investment vehicles.

Matthew Johnson is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at BB&T Securities, LLC since 2019 and has been with SunTrust Advisory Services, SunTrust Investment Services, and SunTrust Bank since 2014. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary management strategies. The firm integrates inter-affiliate resources and employs AI-enabled tools through its Equity Research team to support manager selection and investment oversight.

Brandon Phillips is a financial advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations. Prior to joining MAI Capital Management in 2021, Phillips worked for Solamere Advisors from 2009 to 2021. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base, including high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages a wide range of strategies and integrates financial planning and trust services, with over $72 billion in assets under management as of May 2026.

Joel Gardner is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors who holds a Series 66 designation and has eight years of industry experience. He has worked with Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company since 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in outside insurance sales focused on fixed insurance products, including health, life, and fixed annuities. Park Avenue Securities serves a diverse retail client base, offering brokerage and advisory services alongside financial planning and retirement consulting. The firm employs a range of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms and supports various account-level services such as lending solutions and donor-advised funds.

Benjamin Murray is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and served in the United States Coast Guard for 20 years before entering the financial services industry. Murray is also appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products for AGIA. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.