Christian Mijares is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Creative Planning, LLC since 2021, following prior roles at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, SBK Financial, Inc., and Morgan Stanley. He is based in Charlotte, NC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach with a focus on low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets across a large team of advisors.

Kevin Doyle Jr. is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Harrisdirect LLC, E*TRADE Capital Management, E*TRADE Securities, and AXA Advisors. 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 employer retirement plan relationships. The firm’s advisory approach separates one-time planning services from ongoing portfolio management and includes customized portfolio options alongside model portfolios.

Justin Romero is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and five years of industry experience. He has previously worked at firms including Accelerate Investment Advisors LLC, Principal Life Insurance Company, and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory role, Romero is a partner at Cypress Benefit Solutions, a firm specializing in group insurance and employee benefits. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Anna Giampietro is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with four years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Truist Investment Services since 2019. Prior to her current role, she held various positions including roles at West Virginia University and Encova Insurance. 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 employs 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.

Charles Bevan is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Schwab Wealth Advisory Inc. in Charlotte, NC, having previously worked at Vanguard Marketing Corporation, The Vanguard Group, Inc., and Wells Fargo Bank. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory (SWA) program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients by providing non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations. The firm’s advice is based on Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset-allocation models and internal research tools, with reviews tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Mark Nesbitt is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked within the First Citizens organization since 2019, with prior experience at Avena Homes. 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 utilizes a client process led by investment advisor representatives to assess financial needs and applies fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across a range of investment products.

Christopher Hance is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding a Series 66 credential and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and its predecessor entities since 2006, with a brief period of unemployment in 2019. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model that distinguishes planning services from ongoing discretionary management and advises a donor-advised fund while utilizing a vertically integrated investment approach.

Pete Trontis is a CFA® charterholder with eight years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Savant Wealth Management and previously worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors, LLC, where he was also an equity partner. Prior to that, he held roles at Willingdon Wealth Management and Horizon Investments. Savant Wealth Management serves a broad client base including individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a mixed investment approach combining evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and offers integrated services such as accounting, legal, and trust through affiliated entities.

Kelly Sewell is a financial advisor with TIAA‑CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses, with one year of industry experience. She has been associated with TIAA since 2010. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA‑administered employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management using model or customized portfolios.

James Paradise is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He is currently with Janney Montgomery Scott, having joined in 2026 after a decade at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank NA. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered 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 plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services.

Jennifer Hamlin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at MassMutual, Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and MetLife Securities. Outside of her advisory work, she has ownership in a real estate venture with her husband. 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 the AMC Advantage manager-selection program, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Andrew Dorrien is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Truist Investment Services and Truist Advisory Services, as well as experience with KW Beverage and Harrington Landscapes. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and manager selection through its AMC Advantage program, using a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Robyn Ducharme is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower, Robyn worked at CarMax Inc for six years and spent seven years in full-time education. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s services leverage integrated recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and savings rates rather than short-term forecasts.

Kaitlin Hord is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and approximately two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, she held roles at Ulta Beauty, Pour64, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often working with clients linked to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and separate broker-dealer services, operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes donor-advised fund advisory and model-based as well as customized portfolio management.

Angela Bellamy is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 20 years of industry experience. She has been with TIAA-CREF since 2012. Outside of her advisory role, Bellamy teaches a financial planning fundamentals course at Central Piedmont Community College, involving lectures and practical instruction on financial calculators. 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 linked to employer retirement plans administered by TIAA. The firm offers a range of advisory services, including planning and ongoing portfolio management, and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Shawna Norris is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 23 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms, including Morgan Stanley and Williamson Wealth Group. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services through multiple portfolio management programs.

Jordan Jones is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at LPL Financial, Barings Asset Management, and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Jones is based in Charlotte, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers 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 separates one-time planning services from ongoing managed accounts and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Magdy Mahmoud is an advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has experience working in the financial industry since 2014, including positions at Wells Fargo, First Horizon, and Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions, offering both investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm provides access to multiple investment programs through the Passageway Managed Account platform, combining third-party portfolio managers and advisor-directed strategies.

Martiara Boyd is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at various organizations including Truist Investment Services and the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development. Outside of finance, she is the owner of MB LUXE EVENTS, a business focused on event decorating. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, investment policy analysis, and fiduciary support, utilizing a mix of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supplemented by AI-enabled research tools.

William Gibson is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Bank of America and continues to hold a role at First Citizens Bank. Gibson serves on the boards of United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina and the Town of Matthews Board of Adjustment. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, utilizing IAR-led assessments and diverse investment strategies across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.