Gabrielle Baylog is an advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to her advisory role, she spent nine years in full-time education. She is also a licensed insurance agent for Bankers Life and Casualty Company, authorized to write Medicare Supplement, annuity, life, health, and long-term care insurance products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Rhonda Gilliam is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she works part-time as an Uber driver. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. 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 features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank with integrated relationships among its bank, platform sponsor, and clearing firm.

Robert Rose is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 designations. Prior to joining Janney, he worked at Bb&T Securities and Truist Advisory Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is a musician in the band The Good Nuffs and serves on the finance council of St Pius X Catholic Church as well as a committee member for Greensboro Urban Ministries Development. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large 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, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering a range of brokerage services, financial planning, consulting, and advisory programs.

Hanna Rockwell is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials with two years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Trinity Wealth Securities, LLC and Florida Financial Advisors DBA Tristate Financial Advisors, as well as positions outside the financial industry such as at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with pre-existing TIAA retirement plan relationships. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary portfolio management with a fiduciary standard applied to its advisory services.

Kent Shuford is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at TIAA-CREF and Tiaa since 2017, following a one-year tenure at The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Pruco Securities LLC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm also advises the TIAA Donor Advised Fund and separates its planning services from ongoing discretionary management within a vertically integrated model.

Amy Johnson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and eight years of industry experience. She has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Bank, and Principal Securities. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to IRA and retail brokerage account holders, delivering services through an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Rachel Bradsher is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with industry experience totaling two years. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Poole Financial Services and Anthropologie. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning and retirement plan advice, managing a mix of in-house and third-party investment strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Andrew Turner is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. with four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Investure, LLC and held multiple roles within Wells Fargo, including Wells Fargo Securities and Wells Fargo Investment Portfolio - Reinsurance. Earlier in his career, he was employed by The Vanguard Group, Inc. Wells Fargo Investment Institute is an SEC-registered, bank-affiliate advisory and research organization that provides due diligence, securities research, asset-allocation guidance, and model portfolios primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses. Its research and strategy teams produce impersonal, non-discretionary advice used by affiliated entities for implementation.

Claude Ives III is a CFP® professional with over 32 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Rockefeller Financial LLC and has previously held roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Citigroup Global Markets. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, and corporations, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm operates a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform, providing a range of discretionary and non-discretionary solutions across multiple asset classes.

Deon Wallace is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 1994. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary model that separates planning services from ongoing management and advises donor-advised funds while utilizing affiliated funds within its investment programs.

Jillian Lucas is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2022. Prior to her current role, her background includes various positions outside the financial sector, including at Wise Acres and The Cupcake Shoppe. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with pre-existing relationships through employer retirement plans. The firm distinguishes between point-in-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, providing customized portfolios and model-based investment approaches under a fiduciary standard.

Jon Peterson is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 4 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Corient and previously worked at RKL Wealth Management LLC and Fulton Financial Corporation. Outside of finance, he was involved with Spooky Nook Sports for four years. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers, employing risk management tools and alternative investments as appropriate.

Lansen Pan is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Schwab Wealth Advisory. His prior experience includes roles at The Vanguard Group and Ally Invest, where he supported both advisory and self-directed clients. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice within the Schwab ecosystem, offering annual financial reviews and investment recommendations based on Schwab’s proprietary research and asset allocation models. The firm operates as an internal advisory unit and does not charge clients directly, distinguishing its approach from many enterprise wealth managers.

Phyllis Lowe is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with five years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. She previously worked at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Outside of her financial advisory role, she owns and operates a home remodeling business focused on project oversight. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with employer retirement plan relationships, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management, offering both model and customized investment solutions.

Stephen Hudzik Jr. is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with SunTrust Advisory Services since 2013. Outside of his advisory work, Hudzik owns a vacation rental property on Bald Head Island. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled equity research.

Jose Martinez Rincon is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked six years at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank, NA. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a Notary Public for the state of North Carolina. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with pre-existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory services include point-in-time financial planning and ongoing portfolio management, employing both model and customized portfolios managed under a fiduciary standard.

Austin Cowles is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual and Lincoln Financial Group. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed and advisory programs that focus on asset allocation, contribution guidance, and retirement planning, utilizing proprietary software and model portfolios provided by Morningstar Investment Management.

Bruce Warren is a CFA® charterholder based in Charlotte, NC, with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. since 2021 and previously held roles at Wells Fargo and Columbia Threadneedle (Ameriprise). Wells Fargo Investment Institute provides institutional research, manager due diligence, model portfolio construction, and asset-allocation guidance primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses, as well as select external clients. The firm operates through specialized divisions that deliver research and model guidance without exercising investment discretion or holding custody of client assets.

Garland Neal is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. Neal is involved with ATN Properties LLC, a real estate construction lending business. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, and operates as a registered broker-dealer offering securities transactions, variable insurance products, and placement and investment banking services.

Leslie Ortiz Quiroz is a CFP® certified financial advisor with seven years of industry experience, currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC. Prior to joining Focus Partners Wealth in 2026, Leslie worked at Wealth Enhancement Group, Carroll Financial Associates, Vertex Capital Advisors, and Charanda of Fort Mill. Focus Partners Wealth serves a diverse client base including individuals, family offices, corporate, retirement plan, and institutional clients, offering a range of services from investment management to tax and business management. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach incorporating both fundamental and quantitative analysis and integrates reporting across various asset types.