Kelsey Neal is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, based in Sherrills Ford, NC, and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, Neal worked at Commonwealth Financial Network and BDS Financial Network. Neal also serves in the Army National Guard and has military experience dating back to 2013. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services through a large network of representatives to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, combining scale with diverse non-advisory financial services.

William Payne is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Denver, NC, with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2020 and previously held positions at BB&T Investments and BB&T Securities. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and supports a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Zachary Tussel is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience, currently associated with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. He has worked previously at Elmore Financial Group and New York Life. Outside of advisory work, he is a partner in non-investment businesses including Boats & Tows LLC and Clean Supreme Ventures LLC, and he is also involved in insurance sales. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and consulting services supported by analytical tools and supports advisory programs alongside institutional consulting and portfolio management.

Mitchell Sayers is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at The Vanguard Group for one year before joining Ameriprise in 2017. Outside of advising, he owns QC Somm LLC, a private sommelier and wine consulting service. Ameriprise Financial Services is a diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, known for its specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and annual retirement-income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware strategies.

Michele Compton is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Edward Jones and J.W. Cole Financial. Since 2020, she has also been associated with Signature Wealth Group as a Senior Wealth Advisor. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary advisory services supported by advanced analytical tools and has a notable affiliation supporting municipal and public finance work.

Trudy Mullins is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. She has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. since 2014 and previously worked at Vision Capital & Management and FSC Securities Corporation. In addition to her advisory role, she is an associate at Elmore Financial Group, where she supports administrative and financial advisor functions. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a broad range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored non-discretionary planning and investment consulting using analytical tools and supports various advisory programs and institutional portfolio management.

Michael Gerken is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Newton, North Carolina, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he is president of Gerken Enterprises, LLC. Thrivent Investment Management serves individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients by providing Dedicated Planning Services that cover a range of financial topics through goal-based analyses. The firm offers these services as standalone or alongside managed accounts under a consolidated billing system called WealthPlan, without discretionary trading authority.

Matthew Starnes is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2019 and previously worked at SagePoint Financial. Starnes also operates Starnes Financial Group and has been a self-employed insurance agent since 2002. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers various financial planning and asset management solutions, utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies on discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Mark Teague is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial since 2014. His prior roles include positions at Capital Guardian Wealth Management and Wells Fargo Clearing. He is also appointed as an authorized agent with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to sell Medicare-related insurance products. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, third-party asset management access, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive advisor tools and a broad spectrum of financial products.

Peter Nelson is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Spectrum Financial Inc. and Securities America Advisors. Outside of finance, Nelson serves as a board member and marketing committee chairperson for Exodus Homes, a nonprofit organization focused on helping individuals reintegrate into society after rehabilitation or incarceration. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, charities, and corporations through a multi-advisor platform offering brokerage and advisory services. The firm employs a model-based investment process emphasizing asset allocation and portfolio optimization, supporting discretionary strategies and third-party managers.

Florance Johnson is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with two years of industry experience. They hold a Series 66 designation and have previously worked at Dollar General, HealthSmart Pharmacy, Kohl's, Avon, and several other organizations. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering one-time or ongoing planning relationships that cover retirement, tax, estate, business continuation, divorce, and special needs planning. The firm uses goal-based analyses and modeling tools, and clients may combine planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan.”

Michael Austin is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Newton, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Thrivent, he worked at Wells Fargo for three years and served in the US Army North Carolina National Guard for 13 years. He is the Committee Chair for Shepherds for Sheepdogs, a nonprofit that provides trained service dogs to veterans and law enforcement officers with PTSD. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits, focusing on holistic, goal-based planning across various financial topics without managing discretionary trading authority.

Mark Sides is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations. He has prior experience working with TIAA-CREF and Accenture as a contractor for TIAA, spanning several years in various roles since 2012. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutional clients, and charitable organizations. The firm employs tailored, non-discretionary planning and analytical tools to support client goals and offers specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Terry Eskind is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 37 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. His prior work includes roles at Raymond James Financial Services, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Wachovia Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of Eskind Group LLC, a company involved in managing rental properties. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with over $1 trillion in assets under management. The firm provides a range of investment strategies and advisory services through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

John Watkins is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, serving clients in Western North Carolina. He focuses on developing personalized financial strategies designed to help clients pursue their long-term goals through tailored wealth management approaches that adapt to changing market conditions. John's expertise encompasses areas such as college education planning, corporate benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, and retirement income. He applies his knowledge to assist clients across various financial aspects, including corporate executive services, divorce transition planning, and employee benefits planning. In addition to his professional work, John is active in his community, volunteering with local organizations. He has personal interests in baseball, fishing, golfing, and hunting, reflecting his engagement with the community and leisure activities. John is committed to partnering with clients one-on-one to develop strategies aligned with their individual goals.

Elizabeth Frederick is a financial advisor at Fidelity with seven years of industry experience. Her background includes roles at Merrill, Wells Fargo Clearing, Keller Williams Lake Norman Realty, and L'BRI Pure and Natural. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to create model portfolios from mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Christopher Rhyne is a Certified Financial Planner® at OSAIC with 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales through his own business, Chris Rhyne Financial Management. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse range of retail and institutional clients, offering both brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform. The firm emphasizes model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization, supporting strategies that include discretionary Unified Managed Accounts and third-party money managers.

Samuel Dyer is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he focuses on understanding clients' individual goals to assist them in developing strategies tailored to their financial objectives. His areas of expertise include general investing, retirement planning, and preparing for unexpected financial needs. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Appalachian State University and has earned professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Samuel engages with clients to discuss their goals and concerns, providing ongoing advice as their financial needs evolve. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Samuel has interests in chess, cooking, fishing, golfing, hunting, skiing, and soccer.

Sarah Montgomery is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, bringing four years of industry experience. She previously worked for Truist Investment Services, Inc. for ten years before joining LPL Financial in 2024. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, supported by extensive operational tools and a broad network of over 22,800 advisors.

Christopher Mcbride is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been a member of the Lail Watkins Group since joining Merrill in 2014. The team delivers extensive knowledge with combined decades of practical experience, focusing on service and goal-oriented strategies to build and maintain long-term relationships. Leveraging the full enterprise capabilities, they serve clients' investment and banking needs through access to Bank of America. Christopher works as a full-service planner with families possessing $250,000 or more in investible assets, covering areas from asset gathering to legacy planning. He also supports business clients in retirement planning options including 401(k) plans, cash management services, treasury functions, investment management, lending, and business transitions. His client focus areas include education planning, family wealth management strategies, employee financial health, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, tax minimization, and retirement income. He holds a High School Diploma/GED from Summers County and has earned the professional designations Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of his professional work, Christopher enjoys boating, bowling, golfing, pickleball, and spending time with his family.