Ernest Ross III is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He is currently with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and LPL Financial, having previously worked at Fifth Third Securities, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch. His experience spans various roles within financial services in the Charlotte, NC area. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, utilizes multiple investment strategies, and integrates technology platforms to support client asset aggregation and estate planning.

Kenneth Poe Jr. is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Corient. He has held positions at several firms, including McGill Advisors, Ci Brightworth, and CIPW Service Company, LLC, before joining Corient. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and uses comprehensive risk management tools to align portfolios with client objectives.

Kathryn Hughes is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses. She has seven years of industry experience and has worked for Park Avenue Securities since 2018. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and operates Smart Divorce Decisions, LLC, providing consulting services related to asset distribution during divorce proceedings. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides a mix of proprietary and third-party investment advisory programs and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary relationships.

Zahria Brown is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with six years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with TIAA since 2019. Her prior roles include positions at First Citizens Bank and Mattel American Girl. 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, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans.

Gavin Shuck is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 29 years of industry experience, with prior roles at Bb&T Securities and Scott & Stringfellow. Outside of his advisory work, Shuck serves as board chair for A Better World, Charlotte, a charitable organization focused on supporting at-risk and underprivileged children, and he is a member of the executive committee for the Radford University Davis School of Business Advisory Board. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, employing both discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and an AI-augmented Equity Research team.

Kermit Bolick is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 14 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Princor Financial Services Corporation since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, Bolick is involved with HUGGINS & COMPANY, CPA and sells health insurance through various carriers. Principal Financial Services provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under multiple advisory and promoter arrangements.

Erik Ibsen is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and its affiliate Tiaa since 2015. 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, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory approach distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, with portfolios that may be customized or model-based.

Matthew Dellinger is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has experience working with Bankers Life entities since 2025. Prior to his financial services career, he served with the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire Department and worked at Prime Coatings. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm emphasizes customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to guide investment decisions.

Steffon Cumberbatch is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Vanguard, Bank of America, Merrill, Wells Fargo, Truist Bank, and PNC Bank. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services 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 offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management through customized and model-based portfolios.

Paige Assa is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, Paige worked at RSM U.S. LLP and held various roles in the hospitality and auto auction sectors. 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 connected through TIAA-managed employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management, operating within a vertically integrated model that includes affiliated funds and donor-advised fund advisory.

Ryan Miller is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2006. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates within a vertically integrated structure, offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, and acts as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund.

Alexander Smith is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. (ESI Financial Advisors) in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Equity Services since 1994 and has additional tenure at National Life dating back to 1990. Outside of his advisory role, Smith serves as Vice President of the North Carolina Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and is involved in several business ventures, including real estate ownership and insurance sales. Equity Services, Inc. provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and model portfolios, combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and discretionary or non-discretionary management.

Janet Marchand is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 28 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with TIAA since 1997. 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 connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model separates one-time planning services from ongoing discretionary management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

William Baylog is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. since 2016 and has been involved with Bankers Life & Casualty since 1996, where he manages agents, managers, and administrators in addition to providing insurance sales and services. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and portfolio management according to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Cameron Loomis is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 credential and has worked at TIAA and related entities since 2022. Prior to his advisory role, his background includes positions at Hutkins Family and European Wax Center. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals connected with TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm’s advisory approach separates stand-alone financial planning from ongoing portfolio management and offers customized investment strategies through dedicated portfolio managers.

Patrick Golden is a financial advisor at &Partners with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he acts as a power of attorney for his mother and has partial ownership of an investment-related LLC with his spouse. &Partners serves a diverse range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers investment management and financial planning services, utilizing a combination of proprietary and third-party strategies on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Robert Bacon is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2017, following a year at PNC Investments. He is based in Charlotte, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily serving individuals with TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as various trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm provides a range of investment management options, including model portfolios and customized solutions, and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Alex Davidson is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at Equitable Advisors and Coca Cola Bottling Company Consolidated. Outside of his advisory role, he is employed part-time processing orders for Amazon. TIAA-CREF provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, including customized portfolios managed under client-approved investment policies.

John Moore is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Charlotte, NC, with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been affiliated with New York Life companies and Eagle Strategies since 2023. Outside of his advisory role, Moore is a freelance musician and serves as a board member for a local business referral group. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional investors, and plan sponsors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages a substantial portion of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Brian Arredondo is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked previously at firms including Bank of America, Merrill, and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Arredondo also served in the North Carolina Army National Guard for six years. 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 with existing employer retirement plan relationships. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model with both point-in-time planning and ongoing management, offering customized portfolio solutions alongside model-based programs.