James Powell is a CFP® with 43 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. since 2015. He operates Powell Capital, LLC, a support company based in Charlotte, NC. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional investors, using analytical tools to tailor non-discretionary advice to client goals.

Macie Lenderink is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2025. Prior to her current role, her experience includes various positions in education and freelance work. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services that utilize structured discovery processes and firm-approved planning tools.

Kevin Jones is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2010. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, delivering written recommendation reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and automated tools to provide tailored, non-discretionary recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Timothy Hamilton is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Monroe, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at The Pinnacle Financial Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, Equitable Advisors, and Mony Securities Corporation. Outside of his advisory roles, he is president and part-owner of Elite Benefits Group, Inc., which conducts fixed insurance sales. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services delivered through a large network of investment adviser representatives utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Sarah Drummond is Vice President and Branch Leader at Fidelity Investments. In her role, she leads a team of financial professionals who work collaboratively with clients and their families to develop financial plans tailored to their definitions of success, including making sound investment decisions, growing or protecting wealth, and leaving a legacy. Drummond has been with Fidelity Investments since 2010, progressing through various roles including Financial Representative, Relationship Manager, Branch Service Manager, Assistant Branch Leader, and currently Branch Leader. Her extensive experience at Fidelity encompasses client relationship management and branch leadership responsibilities.

Tyler Shumaker is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with five years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2024, he worked at Robert Black Insurance, The Vanguard Group, PNC Bank, and Express Factory Outlet. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, asset management programs, and institutional platforms, utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies across discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Scott Ellis is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Wells Fargo Clearing, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup Global Markets. Outside of finance, he owns and operates an educational website focused on cereal history and co-authored a hardcover book on the subject. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers tailored financial planning and consulting services, drawing on a range of portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

William Smith is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 39 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Mass Mutual Investors Services in 2017, he spent 31 years with Metlife Securities Inc. He is also an independent insurance agent specializing in life, accident, health, Medicare-related products, and property and casualty insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational programs, focusing on collaborative, goal-oriented planning and a range of investment strategies.

Liz Corriher is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 37 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at RBC Capital Markets since 2019, following a previous role at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2019. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs that provide portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services tailored to each client’s risk profile.

Gregory Arthur is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 31 years of industry experience. He has held positions within Ameriprise and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of a photography business and serves on the strategic planning board of the Fort Mill Church of God. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services tailored to individuals approaching or in retirement, focusing on clients with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary recommendations, supported by a centralized consulting team.

Brandon Monette is a CFP® and ChFC® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2014. His background includes over two decades in full-time education. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Kaley Youngcourt is a financial advisor at Merrill with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 credential and previously worked at UBS Financial Services for several years. Prior to her advisory career, she was affiliated with Roger Williams University and Masuk High School. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies and serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Samuel Pratt is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Prior to that, he was with Wachovia Bank, N.A. beginning in 2006. 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 combines brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Scott Depiazza is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank since 2004 and 2005, respectively. Outside of his advisory role, he operates Di Piazza Impresa, LLC, an importer of kitchen appliances and accessories sold online. Charles Schwab serves a large client base primarily comprised of high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering a combination of advisory, brokerage, custody, and cash-sweep services. The firm utilizes a client relationship model that includes both non-discretionary guidance and access to affiliated discretionary managed accounts.

Kevin Walsh is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities for 12 years before joining Cambridge in 2023. In addition to his advisory role, he founded Ensemble Financial Strategies, a firm specializing in insurance and benefits, and serves as President of the BNI Charlotte Achievers Chapter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm operates through thousands of financial professionals, managing a multi-billion dollar asset base and offering access to multiple platforms, third-party advisers, and proprietary model strategies.

Wesley Billings is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His background includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Fifth Third Securities, Fifth Third Bank, and Northwestern Mutual. Prior to his financial services career, he worked in the food service industry with Waffle House and Hillcrest Foods Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm offers a non-discretionary advisory program focused on asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting, supported by centralized due diligence and incorporating forward-looking capital market assumptions.

Johnathan Shaw is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently associated with Wells Fargo Clearing. He has previously worked at Morgan Stanley and operated businesses including Pivott Transport, LLC and Cohesive Management Solutions, LLC. Shaw’s other business activities include managing transportation services and a real estate management company. 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 utilizes research and analytics to evaluate investment options and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions across a broad platform.

Thomas Mc Lean is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and JPMorgan Chase Bank. He has been with Edward Jones since 2021. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of financial advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Michael Bird is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Principal Securities Inc., Principal Life Insurance Company, and Edward Jones. He is also president of Everest Retirement, a separate business activity based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm manages a multi-billion dollar asset base and offers various account platforms, proprietary model strategies, and access to third-party advisers.

Jacob Spitz is a Team Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he joined in 2026. He works alongside his father, Jeffrey Spitz, to provide wealth management services through portfolio asset allocation aimed at achieving clients' financial and retirement goals. His role focuses on helping individuals and families pursue both short- and long-term financial objectives. Jacob specializes in areas including college education planning, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, and portfolio management services. He develops personalized financial strategies and manages investment portfolios by thoughtfully allocating assets according to each client's goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. He holds a Bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University and carries the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Outside of work, Jacob's personal interests include cooking, hiking, spending time with family, traveling, and watching movies.