Neal Patel is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds the Series 66 designation. He has experience with both Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities, where he has been since 2020 and 2026 respectively. Prior to his financial career, he worked in roles with Egenberg Trial Lawyers, the New Orleans Pelicans, and the New Orleans Saints. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides a range of services including financial planning, ongoing consulting, and access to proprietary and third-party investment programs.

Robert Hoyla is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at BB&T Securities, SunTrust Advisory Services, SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., and SunTrust Bank. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI-enabled tools and provides ongoing client reviews and reporting, operating as part of the broader Truist Financial network with extensive affiliated financial and operational relationships.

Scott Williams is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily for individuals with pre-existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model separates point-in-time planning from ongoing portfolio management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Roberta Dawson is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 19 years of industry experience. She has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2009. 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 uses a client-centered process involving financial needs and risk tolerance assessments, applying various analytical approaches to manage portfolios through multiple channels and offers optional tax-aware services.

Eric Cannon is a CFP® professional affiliated with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, Cannon serves as a track and field coach for Enka High School's boys and girls teams in Buncombe County. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes IAR-led assessments and combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Larry Parker is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Matthews, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2007 and also owns Parker Financial Group LLC and Parker Financial and Insurance Solutions. Outside of his advisory work, he volunteers as a youth sports coach with the Porter Ridge Athletic Association. Eagle Strategies serves a broad client base including individuals and institutions, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers a range of program types designed to tailor advice to client objectives and plan sponsor criteria, with the majority of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Bryan Stevenson is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2012 and previously worked at Edward Jones from 2007 to 2011. Outside of his advisory role, Stevenson is COO and Sales Manager of Cardinal Trading Group, an e-commerce business specializing in sporting dog products. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing retirement plan relationships. The firm offers model and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds.

Peter Velissarios is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services based in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 25 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, Wells Fargo Bank, and Citigroup. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation, manager selection, and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Justin Krebs is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and six years of industry experience. He also owns Proactive Total Wealth, a business involved in insurance sales and services, and partners with a network of CPAs for tax advice. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and ERISA plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes model portfolio and direct asset management programs, utilizing multiple investment strategies and serving a large client volume through standardized model and platform services.

John Patterson is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks, Carroll Financial Associates, and United Technologies Corporation. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides comprehensive financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets using a diversified investment approach that combines passive and active management with quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis.

Joseph Valenti is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2012. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm serves clients often connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans and acts as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund.

Mohamed Cherif is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. He previously worked with Wells Fargo Clearing and People's Securities, Inc. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of financial data collection, goal setting, and manager selection via the Envestnet platform, offering ongoing client reviews and leveraging both traditional and AI-enabled research tools.

Angelica Trumer is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and seven years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Bank of America and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of her advisory work, she is an owner of a rental property business. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with existing TIAA retirement plan relationships, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time financial planning and ongoing portfolio management through model and customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.

Joseph Pagani is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds a Series 66 designation. He has six years of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance. Previously, he worked in the apparel industry and spent one year in retirement. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers tailored client solutions through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary programs and third-party platforms.

Mathew Morgan is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 13 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he co-owns rental property with his spouse in Charlotte, NC. 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. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, including customized portfolios managed under client-approved investment policies.

Tamila Miceli is a financial advisor with Rockefeller Financial LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 license and 10 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Summit Financial Group and Securian Financial Services Inc. prior to joining Rockefeller Financial. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a Private Advisor model and an integrated investment platform that includes discretionary and non-discretionary solutions across multiple asset classes.

Carl Hedstrom is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wealth Enhancement Brokerage Services, LPL Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks, Carroll Financial Associates, and TRICAPITAL Wealth Management. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, retirement-plan consulting, and referrals to managed account investment managers for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified, risk-class based investment approach blending passive and active strategies, with portfolio oversight by an internal Investment Committee.

John Teeter Jr. is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has eight years of industry experience, including prior roles at Edward Jones and Truist Investment Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of client input, defined goals, and asset allocation strategies to recommend or onboard managers via the Envestnet platform, offering ongoing research, monitoring, and reporting.

Carol Mansour Ezzell is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and has 44 years of industry experience, including 22 years at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2004. 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 individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, providing brokerage services, financial planning, consulting, and various advisory programs.

Daniel Ford is a CFP® professional at TIAA-CREF with three years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and its affiliated entities since 2008. Ford serves as an adjunct professor teaching various finance courses at Southern New Hampshire University. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management through model-based and customized investment strategies.