Jessica Smego is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes a position at Community Bank of the Chesapeake and roles outside finance, such as at Outback Steakhouse. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients through a nationwide network of over 23,000 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, access to separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Michael Urizzo is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and 66 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Vanguard, New Jersey City University, and IMC Financial Markets. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base of high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals primarily through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering a combination of non-discretionary and discretionary investment services supported by centralized operational infrastructure.

James Shoemaker is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2011. Ameriprise provides a retirement-income planning service designed for clients with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary recommendations. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Luke Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and less than one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill, he held various roles including positions associated with the University of Notre Dame and Southwest Diabetic Foundation Inc. He has also been involved with St. Matthew Catholic Church and operated TLC Cleaners for several years. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Leah Flores is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Belmont, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and totaling 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Clearing in various roles since 2000. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Paige Kilburn is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Charlotte, NC. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has four years of industry experience, including prior roles at BB&T. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and nonprofit organizations by offering financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and various asset management programs. The firm relies on a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party program sponsors to deliver tailored investment solutions.

Sullivan Higson is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at The O'Brien Tate Group and Jeter Hrubala Wealth Strategies LLC. He attended Wofford College and Providence High School. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services. The firm uses proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor financial plans and portfolio management to client goals and risk tolerances.

Veronica Lommel is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan affiliates throughout her career. Outside of finance, she works as a part-time delivery driver for DoorDash. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s investment approach is IPS-driven and uses modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Evan Busby is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and BayBerry Group. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a broad client base, including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting through various programs, utilizing research and portfolio management styles supported by a nationwide adviser network.

William Mayeux is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and is recognized as a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). William has expertise in wealth and investment planning, assisting clients in preparing for their financial futures. He employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to select appropriate money managers for clients, contributing to the team's performance and service delivery. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and completed a Master's degree within the University of North Carolina System.

Ben Pavlish is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management based in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Thrivent since 2025. Prior to his advisory role, his experience includes positions at Builders First Source and work related to Queen City Hauling. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. Their approach includes holistic, goal-based analyses and separates planning services from managed accounts, focusing on comprehensive written recommendations without discretionary trading authority.

Raymond Cooper is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 36 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including his current role at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers planning services that utilize structured discovery processes and analytical tools such as Monte Carlo simulations.

Anthony Prudhomme is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 39 years of industry experience. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is an independent knife maker. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and research.

Ayanna Johnson is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 63 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, she worked at firms including LPL Financial and Lincoln Financial Group. Outside of advisory work, she also works as an Amazon Flex driver. Wells Fargo Advisors provides investment advisory services and financial planning to individual, corporate, and institutional clients, managing approximately $671 billion in assets with over 14,000 financial advisors nationwide.

Nora Buscema is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 26 years of industry experience. She has worked with Morgan Stanley and its affiliates since 2007, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and market simulations.

Jacob Strickland is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Security First Insurance and DeBary Country Club, as well as varied positions before entering the advisory field. Equitable Advisors serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party program sponsors.

Brian O’Regan is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing over 15 years of experience in financial advisory services. He began his career in financial services in June 1998 and has spent his entire career with Bank of America and its related companies. Brian focuses on the planning aspects of client relationships and works primarily with ultra affluent families and institutions. His expertise includes investment management, retirement planning and distribution, estate planning, debt and cash flow management, banking services, and college education planning. Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance with a minor in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). These credentials support his approach to integrating comprehensive financial planning strategies across all aspects of a client’s financial picture. Outside of his professional work, Brian is involved in his local community in Gaston County, North Carolina. He is a member of a local Rotary Club, has served on the Board of the Highland School of Technology, and was a board member for The Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson. Brian lives in Charlotte with his wife, Alyson, and their two sons, Liam and Gavin. His personal interests include biking, fishing, golfing, reading, and running.

Ryan Ash is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Robert Half Inc and involvement with Local Lunchbox. He works at Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including retail and institutional investors. The firm employs a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to develop model portfolios and manages multiple registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

Paul Gaskin is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including UBS Financial Services and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network before joining Raymond James in 2017. He also manages Gaskin Asset Management, an independent financial services company associated with his firm. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual and institutional clients. The firm utilizes tailored, non-discretionary planning and consulting supported by analytical tools, serving a broad client base that includes high-net-worth individuals and organizations.

Lauren Fink is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked in various roles including at Digijaks Group and Clemson University. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with a range of brokerage and investment advisory services, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management offerings tailored through proprietary research and model-based asset allocations.