Connor Tuerlings is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with two years of industry experience. He has held positions within several Principal Financial Group affiliates, including Principal Bank, Principal Life Insurance, and Principal Securities, Inc. Prior to joining Principal, he worked in marketing and loan services. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients. The firm offers both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest, integrating proprietary models and third-party tools to support client portfolios.

Brian Barnes is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Financial Services, Robinhood Markets, Inc., and Wells Fargo Clearing, among others. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm integrates third-party tools and proprietary models and operates within the Principal Financial Group family, enabling access to affiliated products and services.

Sean Bandazian is a financial advisor at Cornerstone Wealth Group with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at The Leaders Group, Alphastar Capital Management, and LPL Financial. Cornerstone Wealth Group is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $2.1 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, retirement plans, other advisers, and corporate clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting with an investment approach centered on model portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, individual equities, and fixed income.

Edward Wood is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Cornerstone Wealth. He has previously worked at Mutual Securities, Cornerstone Financial Partners, Cornerstone Financial Advisors, and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Cornerstone Risk Management Advisors, LLC, an insurance-related business. Cornerstone Wealth Group is a multi-team advisory firm managing approximately $2.1 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, retirement plans, other advisers, and corporate clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services primarily through model portfolios with discretionary management.

Casey Hepburn is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Principal Financial Services, Principal Bank, and Truist Financial. Hepburn provides investment advice to retirement plan participants regarding their distribution options. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party tools like Morningstar with proprietary models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, providing access to affiliated mutual funds, bank products, and trading services through integrated operations.

Isaiah Smith II is a financial advisor with Integrity Advisory Solutions and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has 11 years of industry experience, including roles at AlphaStar Capital Management and Regal Investment Advisors. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as Senior Vice President of Annuity Sales at The Assurance Group, where he trains and mentors agents. Integrity Advisory Solutions serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other business clients through a network of approximately 100 independent advisors, managing around $1.1 billion in assets. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and sub-advisory services, utilizing a range of asset-allocation frameworks and third-party platforms to create tailored client portfolios.

Michael Ames is a Financial Advisor with StoneX Advisors Inc. in Cornelius, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. Prior to joining StoneX in 2020, he worked at Fifth Third Securities for five years. Outside of his advisory role, Ames is involved in insurance sales as an agent with Synergy Insurance Group and partners with Buckhead Brokerage Group for access to index annuities. StoneX Advisors Inc. serves individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and charitable organizations by providing portfolio management, financial planning, ERISA plan consulting, and annuity allocation services. The firm utilizes advisor-managed portfolios, proprietary models, and third-party money managers, supported by platforms such as Envestnet and Advyzon, to deliver customized investment solutions.

Andrea Pine is a financial advisor with Cornerstone Wealth, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mutual Securities, Inc. since 2017 and at Cornerstone Financial Partners since 2014, with prior experience at LPL Financial from 2013 to 2017. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts and estates, employer retirement plans, other advisers, and corporate entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, primarily implementing investment advice through model portfolios that include ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and alternative investments, with oversight by an investment committee.

Matthew Sandberg is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cornerstone Wealth Group, LLC and Mutual Securities, Inc. since 2017 and previously held roles at Cornerstone Financial Partners and LPL Financial, LLC. Sandberg operates out of Huntersville, NC. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts and estates, employer retirement plans, advisers, and corporate entities. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, implementing investment advice primarily through model portfolios composed of ETFs, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds.

Orlando Ricci is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company and NYLIFE Securities LLC. Outside of financial advising, he officiates high school wrestling in North Carolina and South Carolina and is a published author working on multiple novels. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party tools and proprietary models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, offering access to affiliated products and combining non-discretionary recommendations with a discretionary investment management program.

Trenton Whalen is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Merrill, Fifth Third Securities, and Fifth Third Bank. Outside of his advisory role, Whalen serves as Chief Judge of an election precinct and is Chair of the Cabarrus Community Foundation board. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, small businesses, and pension plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, employing both model and custom strategies that combine strategic asset allocation with quantitative and momentum analysis.

Arron Price is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and serves as the COO of Financial Independence Group, where he oversees the strategic direction of operations and technology. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, and institutions. The firm offers both predefined model portfolios and customized strategies, employing a quantitative and tactical investment approach that incorporates third-party research and momentum evaluation.

William Smiley is a financial advisor at Coastal Bridge Advisors with eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at TrinityPoint Wealth, LLC, and Penland Legacy Advisors. He serves on the board of directors for the Winthrop University Foundation, providing volunteer leadership in community outreach and university engagement. Coastal Bridge Advisors offers financial planning, consulting, and wealth management services to individuals, family offices, trusts, estates, foundations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a goal-based, fundamental analysis approach to construct diversified portfolios and provides specialized advisory services including retirement plan consulting and HSA investment management.

Jeremy Grant is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Cornerstone Wealth. He has worked at multiple financial firms, including Mutual Securities, Cornerstone Financial Partners, Cornerstone Financial Advisors, and LPL Financial. Grant is also involved with an insurance agency as part of his other business activities. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm managing approximately $2.1 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, retirement plans, other advisers, and corporate clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to affiliate-managed private investment vehicles.

Riley Wolfram is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services and holds a Series 66 designation. Based in Charlotte, NC, Wolfram has one year of industry experience, including roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Bank, and Wells Fargo. Prior to entering the financial sector, Wolfram worked in various positions including at Davidson College and Girls on the Run Greater Charlotte. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients. The firm offers both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest, leveraging proprietary and third-party models supported by affiliated entities within the Principal Financial Group.

Neill Nelson is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at various entities within the Principal Financial Group, including Principal Bank and Principal Life Insurance Company. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, leveraging proprietary models and affiliated resources to serve its clients.

Deborah Stamets is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Merit Financial Advisors in Davidson, NC. She has seven years of industry experience and has been with Merit Financial Group since 2015. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with 264 advisors serving approximately 20,040 clients across 66 offices and managing about $23.9 billion in client assets. The firm provides coordinated wealth-management services and uses a long-term, diversified investment approach supported by an internal Investment Management team and Investment Committee.

Austin Palmer is a financial advisor at Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. He is a founding partner and wealth advisor at Destination Wealth Advisors, where he holds an ownership stake and assists with firm growth through advisor and client acquisition. Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC provides investment advisory services through a network of independent advisors and multi-advisor teams, serving individual and institutional clients with access to a wide range of investment products and specialized offerings.

Mark Martin is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. He previously worked at TIAA and First Citizens Investor Services before joining CUIS and its affiliated entities in 2026. Outside of finance, Martin is employed part-time at Lowe's Home Improvement in a non-investment role. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors who are residents of North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and financial planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goals-based approach using low-cost index funds and ETFs, operating within a credit union ecosystem as a wholly owned subsidiary of State Employees’ Credit Union.

Kyle Sellers is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Financial Services, and Florida Financial Advisors, as well as experience in the hospitality sector as a cook. Outside of advisory work, he is employed as a cook at QC Pour House. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm integrates third-party and proprietary methodologies and benefits from operational ties to the Principal Financial Group family of companies.