Christopher Wingler is a financial advisor with Gradient Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and two years of industry experience. He has been involved with Bostian Retirement Planning since 2008, where he also acts as an insurance sales agent. Gradient Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm operates primarily through a network of Investment Advisor Representatives and third-party money managers, using a largely non-discretionary model that incorporates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Cody Lewallen is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently affiliated with IFG Advisory, LLC in Mooresville, NC. His prior roles include positions at Marsh McLennan Agency, LPL Financial, and Old North State Trust. Lewallen also conducts non-investment related activities for Marsh McLennan Agency, supporting its insurance services. IFG Advisory, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies using sub-advisors and third-party models, managing both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios across a broad range of asset types.

Gregory Bennett is a financial advisor with IFG Advisory, LLC, holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 credentials and over 30 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Merit Financial Group, LPL Financial, Private Portfolio Partners, Wells Fargo Clearing, and A.G. Edwards & Sons. He serves as trustee for his deceased father’s trust, managing fiduciary responsibilities related to family beneficiaries. IFG Advisory, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse clientele, including individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm customizes investment strategies using sub-advisors and third-party managers and offers a broad range of portfolio management and consulting services.

William Ham is a financial advisor with AlphaStar Capital Management holding a Series 65 designation and eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Armis Advisers, Ham Asset Management, and a long-standing role with Financial Independence Group, where he serves as Vice President of Sales in the Annuity Division. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, small businesses, and pension plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing strategic asset allocation and quantitative tactical approaches.

Charles Sowers is a financial advisor at Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC with 42 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at firms including Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. and Capital Investment Group, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he owns CL&EKS, Inc., a support company handling accounting services. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, utilizing a range of analytical methods and conducting regular portfolio reviews.

John Matthews is a financial advisor at Brookwood Investment Group with 12 years of experience in the industry. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms, including Redwood Private Wealth LLC and his own Matthews & Co Private Wealth Advisors, where he serves as CEO and managing member. Outside of finance, he owns The Cut Barbershop in Charlotte, NC. Brookwood Investment Group serves individual investors, businesses, and retirement plans, offering portfolio management and financial planning with a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary management. The firm uses a variety of investment strategies tailored to client objectives and operates multiple affiliated businesses and proprietary partner offices.

Kevin Burton is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Alphastar Capital Management and Nationwide Securities. Outside of his professional career, he serves as an assistant high school football coach at the Community School of Davidson. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, frequently serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing discretionary management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund while offering both model and customized portfolio management.

Kiara Hackshaw Gary is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., based in Mooresville, NC. She has four years of industry experience and has worked with Fifth Third Securities since 2022, following prior roles at Fifth Third Bank and other companies. Outside of her advisory role, she engages in pastry baking as a home-based activity. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts, offering a range of investment advisory and brokerage services through its Passageway Managed Account Program and multiple third-party portfolio managers.

Brennon Hawkins is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Exencial Wealth Advisors, Wells Fargo, and The Vanguard Group. Savant Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management, financial planning, and related services to individuals, families, pension plans, charitable organizations, and high-net-worth clients. The firm combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and sub-advised mandates, supported by a broad range of affiliated legal, accounting, and trust services.

Daniel Finnerty is a financial advisor with Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, holding the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Kingsbury Capital, Inc., Kingsbury Capital Investment Advisors LLC, and SW Financial prior to joining Osaic Wealth in 2026. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving a broad client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate and charitable entities, retirement plan participants, and sovereign wealth fund clients. The firm offers a variety of managed programs, retirement plan consulting, financial planning, and access to alternative investments, utilizing a range of investment strategies and platform relationships that differentiate its operating model.

David Hudson is a CFP® and ChFC® with 20 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Citizens Securities, Inc., where he has worked since 2023. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at TIAA and TIAA-CREF. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors and retirement plans, offering investment advisory, brokerage, and insurance services. The firm’s advisory programs include a digital platform and managed accounts, alongside commission-based brokerage and other non-discretionary business.

Robert Bogia is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Cornelius, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo and ongoing positions with Principal Life Insurance Company and Fulcrum Capital Partners. Outside of his advisory duties, he serves as president of his local homeowners association. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, businesses, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs under both advisory and promoter arrangements.

James Bailey is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management. He previously worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors, LLC, where he was an equity partner, and at Willingdon Wealth Management LLC. Outside of his advisory role, Mr. Bailey is involved in managing rental properties with his wife. Savant Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, families, and institutional clients. The firm combines evidence-based asset allocation with actively managed strategies and benefits from extensive in-house capabilities supported by a large advisor base.

Brandon Bastuba is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with NewEdge Advisors. His prior roles include positions at Assetmark, Inc., Brinker Capital Securities, and Intelliflo. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm provides a broad range of services, including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party advisory programs, utilizing centralized due diligence, technology tools, and a variety of program structures.

Kyle Thomas is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 12 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Bank of America and Merrill from 2014 to 2023. Kyle also operates Founders Private Wealth, LLC, an investment advisory business affiliated with his current firm. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base, including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with a technology-driven approach and maintains a unique network model supported by its partial ownership by LPL Financial.

Derek Smith is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Mooresville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Principal Securities Inc since 1993 and with PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY since 1998, and he founded Smith Financial Corporation in 2008. He serves as a board member at large for the South Cove Homeowners' Association. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

John Godfrey Jr. is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial and Cornerstone Wealth. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services, utilizing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management supported by various analytical techniques and technology platforms.

William Harris is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 21 years of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life since 2004. Harris also operates Consolidated Planning Inc., through which he sells life and long-term care insurance products from companies other than Guardian. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, combining proprietary and third-party platforms to tailor client relationships across a range of financial planning and consulting services.

William Magill is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 license and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward Jones for four years and has been with both Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial since 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he has worked as an Uber driver and is employed by Primal Brewery. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various managed account solutions. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model that utilizes both proprietary and third-party strategies and technology platforms.

Kawii Jayjay is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 designations and has worked at several firms, including The Vanguard Group and First Citizens Bank. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm offers integrated services linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates through both point-in-time planning and optional managed account solutions.