Christian Mijares is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Creative Planning, LLC since 2021, following prior roles at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, SBK Financial, Inc., and Morgan Stanley. He is based in Charlotte, NC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach with a focus on low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets across a large team of advisors.

Kevin Doyle Jr. is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 11 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Harrisdirect LLC, E*TRADE Capital Management, and AXA Advisors. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals and various entities, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management services within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds and donor-advised fund advisory services.

Anna Giampietro is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with four years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Truist Investment Services since 2019. Prior to her current role, she held various positions including roles at West Virginia University and Encova Insurance. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration with Truist Investment Services and Truist Bank.

Charles Bevan is a CFP® professional associated with Schwab Wealth Advisory Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with two years of industry experience. He has held roles at Charles Schwab & Co., Vanguard Marketing Corporation, The Vanguard Group, and Wells Fargo Bank and Clearing Services. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering services such as annual financial reviews, retirement planning, and investment recommendations using Schwab’s proprietary asset allocation models and research tools. The firm operates as an internal advisory unit within the Schwab ecosystem and does not act as a discretionary portfolio manager.

Mark Nesbitt is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Arden, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has six years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at First Citizens Bank and Avena Homes. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm integrates risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation with discretionary management and third-party managers, offering portfolio management through wrap programs and automated platforms, supported by its affiliation with a bank holding company.

Kelly Sewell is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 designations. Sewell has been with TIAA since 2010 and joined TIAA-CREF in 2025, with a total of 16 years in the industry. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected with TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, corporations, and small retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing portfolio management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund, operating within a vertically integrated group using affiliated funds.

James Paradise is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience based in Charlotte, NC. He has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott LLC since 2026 and previously spent over a decade with Wells Fargo in various roles. 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 a diverse clientele, including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, and municipal clients, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and multiple advisory programs supported by both in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Jennifer Hamlin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at MassMutual, Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and MetLife Securities. Outside of her advisory work, she has ownership in a real estate venture with her husband. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and the AMC Advantage manager-selection program, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Zuzana Ambrova is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Matthews, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies and NYLIFE Securities LLC since 2013 and operates under the DBA Parker Financial Group, LLC. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse clientele including individual investors, institutional plans, and charitable organizations, 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.

Andrew Dorrien is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 63 designations and has worked in various roles within Truist entities since 2022. Prior to his financial services career, he held positions at KW Beverage and Harrington Landscapes and was affiliated with the University of South Carolina. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, investment policy analysis, and fiduciary support, utilizing both discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting in its advisory approach.

Robyn Ducharme is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at CarMax Inc and Regal Entertainment Group. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, utilizing an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates in its planning approach, serving a large participant base with a higher client-to-advisor workload than many peers.

Kaitlin Hord is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and approximately two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, she held roles at Ulta Beauty, Pour64, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often working with clients linked to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and separate broker-dealer services, operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes donor-advised fund advisory and model-based as well as customized portfolio management.

Angela Bellamy is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 20 years of industry experience. She has been with TIAA-CREF since 2012. Outside of her advisory role, Bellamy teaches a financial planning fundamentals course at Central Piedmont Community College, involving lectures and practical instruction on financial calculators. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients linked to employer retirement plans administered by TIAA. The firm offers a range of advisory services, including planning and ongoing portfolio management, and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund sponsored by Charityvest.

Shawna Norris is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 23 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms, including Morgan Stanley and Williamson Wealth Group. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services through multiple portfolio management programs.

Jordan Jones is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at LPL Financial, Barings Asset Management, and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Jones is based in Charlotte, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing managed accounts and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Martiara Boyd is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services in 2024, Boyd held various roles across organizations including the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development and S3 Security. Outside of financial advising, Boyd owns MB Luxe Events, a business specializing in event decorating. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research and inter-affiliate integration, including partnerships with affiliated broker-dealers and banking services.

Timothy Bailey is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at The Vanguard Group from 2013 to 2021 before joining PNC Investments LLC in 2021. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including a Portfolio Solutions Strategist Digital Offering that uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and approved model strategies to manage investments primarily through mutual funds and ETFs.

William Gibson is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bank of America from 2011 to 2018 and has been with First Citizens Bank since 2018. Gibson serves on the board of United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina and holds an appointed position on the Board of Adjustment for the Town of Matthews, NC. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, and pension plans. The firm delivers portfolio management through various programs, combining fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, and benefits from its affiliation with a bank holding company that offers integrated banking resources.

Frank Owen III is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 45 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with GWN Securities Inc. since 2004. He has held roles at The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, F.R. Owen & Associates, and Mutual of New York. Outside of his advisory work, he facilitates seasonal tax preparation and serves as president of US Retirement Partners, focusing on financial services in the 403(b) nonprofit sector. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios. The firm supports a network of approximately 423 advisors and manages about $3.65 billion across more than 37,000 accounts, offering a range of investment programs including SMA, UMA, and fund-strategist options.

George Irby Jr. is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Independent Advisor Alliance and LPL Financial since 2016. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of services such as asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing model portfolios, sub-advisors, and various analytical techniques, supported by technology platforms for asset aggregation and estate planning.