Melville Waithe is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 20 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Truist Investment Services, Vanguard, and TIAA. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various adviser and promoter arrangements.

Breanna Lawson is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with one year of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. and The Children’s Place in prior roles. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers a variety of managed account programs on the Passageway platform, providing clients access to mutual fund and ETF models, SMA strategies, tax-overlay services, and direct indexing.

Scott Salisbury is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Mint Hill, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 35 years of industry experience. Since 2016, he has operated under the DBA SWS Financial Group, Inc., focusing on selling New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual investors and institutional sponsors, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Rolando Fernandez is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Clearing, RBC Capital Markets, and PNC Investments. Outside of finance, he is the managing member of Florence Mercantile LLC, an online and pop-up women's clothing business. Fifth Third Securities serves individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services, offering multiple programs and third-party portfolio managers on the Passageway platform. The firm operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank and manages a broad range of account types, utilizing strategies such as tax-loss harvesting and direct indexing.

Michael Arner is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 17 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Securities America Advisors, Investacorp, and Highland Brokerage Capital. Additionally, he is involved with Modern Life as a brokerage manager and wholesaler of insurance products. TLG Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm focuses on manager selection and monitoring using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, offering services through independent advisors and a direct-to-consumer digital program called Starlight Portfolios.

Brett Oconnor is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fifth Third Securities since 2025, with prior roles at Fifth Third Bank, Woodforest National Bank, and Banfield Animal Hospital. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and business entities. The firm offers investment advisory and brokerage services through various program types on the Passageway Managed Account platform, combining multiple portfolio management strategies and third-party offerings.

Karl Mount III is a Series 66-credentialed advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., bringing four years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Bankers Life Securities and BankersLife and Casualty Company, where he also serves as a unit field trainer recruiting and training insurance agents. Prior to his financial services career, he was involved with Backstreets Bar & Grill and held positions at Lenoir Rhyne University. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm’s investment approach focuses on customized asset allocation, periodic rebalancing, and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to guide portfolio decisions.

Eugene Musselwhite III is a financial advisor at Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked with Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation since 2017, as well as Transamerica Retirement Solutions since 2016. Prior to that, he was with Lincoln Financial Advisors and has operated a self-employed advisory practice since 2009. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed advice programs that include implemented portfolios and non-discretionary recommendations. The firm leverages Morningstar Investment Management’s proprietary software and model portfolios to guide asset allocation, contribution rates, and retirement age decisions for a large client base.

Joshua Bartholomew is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Matthews, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fortune Financial Services, Quasar Distributors, LLC, and two decades with Horizon Investments. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers a range of services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and employee education, and supports complex investment solutions while managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

Phillip Price is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has two years of industry experience, including roles at PNC Investments LLC and PNC Bank. Prior to his financial services career, he also worked at Charlotte National Golf Club and other firms. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital portfolio strategy that uses algorithmic risk assessment and discretionary management via mutual funds and ETFs.

Sean Bruce is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 10 years of industry experience. Sean has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2015 and has worked at Fifth Third Bank since 2009. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. 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 features such as direct indexing and a tax-overlay service, combining its municipal-advisor registration with a corporate affiliation to a large bank.

Elizabeth Younts is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. She has worked at Sterling Financial Group, Lincoln Investment, USI Insurance Services, and Wells Fargo Insurance Services. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a trustee for a family member’s trust. Commonwealth Financial Network supports a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors, providing a range of advisory programs, technology, and operational support while allowing advisors discretion in portfolio construction through various investment and insurance products.

Johnny Rutledge is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and holds the Series 66 designation. He has 18 years of industry experience, including roles at LPL Financial since 2014 and Independent Advisor Alliance since 2016. Outside of his advisory work, Rutledge is a part-owner of Red Key Ventures, an entertainment business. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm provides asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, using both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management approaches along with various analytical techniques and technology platforms.

Jin Mei is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Mei has one year of industry experience, with previous roles at LPL Financial, Primerica, Robeco, Franklin Templeton, and Natixis. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm provides asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing various portfolio management strategies and technology platforms to support clients’ financial goals.

John Kirwan is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Carolina Motorsports MGT. LLC and Carolina Sports Officials. Outside the financial sector, he has worked part-time as a CDL driver for SFL Transportation. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management firm serving individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and institutional clients through independent advisors. The firm utilizes a combination of custodians, third-party money managers, and platform programs, managing approximately $12.77 billion in assets with a predominantly non-discretionary approach.

Michael Fitzgerald is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies since 2017. Fitzgerald also operates under the Parker Financial Group and Parker Financial and Insurance Solutions names, focusing on brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional sponsors, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers a range of program types and emphasizes tailoring recommendations to client objectives, with the majority of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Michael Smith is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF based in Matthews, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he is a part-owner of a vacation property that is rented when not in use by the owners. TIAA-CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and other entities, often serving clients with ties to TIAA‑administered retirement plans. The firm offers a range of advisory services including model-based and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Shaun Foster is a financial advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 registrations and has worked in various roles at Bankers Life and its affiliated entities since 2024. Prior to joining Bankers Life, he held positions at ADP Inc, Quasar Distributors, LLC, Horizon Investments LLC, Brighthouse Financial, Mariner Finance, and Autobell Carwash. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and manages portfolios across a range of securities with periodic rebalancing and performance reviews.

Jennifer Vaughan is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. based in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has eight years of industry experience. Vaughan has worked with Bankers Life Securities Inc. since 2017 and Bankers Life & Casualty since 2015. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser that primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to develop tailored asset allocations and manages portfolios across various securities with periodic rebalancing and performance reviews.

Denis Moulton Jr. is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Matthews, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2000. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate and business 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 optional tax-overlay services.