Kaden Lail is a Financial Advisor affiliated with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he provides clients with financial guidance and strategies tailored to their individual goals, including general investing, retirement planning, and preparing for unforeseen financial needs. He works closely with clients to understand their priorities and develop comprehensive plans to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term objectives. Additionally, Kaden offers access to Bank of America specialists for services related to banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Kaden holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina System. He has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations, which reflect his commitment to professional development and expertise in retirement planning and investment advisory services. Through ongoing discussions, Kaden provides advice and guidance that adapts as clients' needs evolve, maintaining a focus on uncovering what matters most to them and their families to create effective financial strategies.

Luke Ryan is a financial advisor at Cetera with a Series 66 designation. He has recent experience with David E. Looper & Company, Inc., and multiple roles at Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Ryan’s background includes work in construction and self-employment prior to entering the advisory field. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a nationwide network of more than 10,000 advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services, featuring multi-manager platform options and a suite of affiliated partners supporting diverse investment strategies.

Rachel Weiland is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with six years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2019. Prior to her financial career, she was involved with several small businesses including a restaurant, a photography LLC, and a country club. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets through a large network of advisors and branch offices, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies along with affiliated mutual funds and tax-efficient services.

Sandra Austin is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation for 10 years prior to joining Cambridge in 2021. Outside of her advisory role, she is also an independent insurance agent. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, retirement plan advisory, and financial wellness services through a network of independent professionals using a variety of portfolio management and platform options.

Christopher Brauns is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Taylorsville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2019, he worked at Blue Ridge Molding and Scott Insurance. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a managing member of AME Design, LLC, a real estate entity. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of investment advisory programs and affiliated financial services, supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Jordan Greene is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, based in Morganton, NC, with 11 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2015. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a broad range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to third-party asset management, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Tiffany Hart is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with five years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Raymond James Financial and its affiliated firms since 2022, in addition to prior roles at Peoples Bank and OneMan Financial. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm uses tailored, non-discretionary planning and analytical tools to support client goals and offers unique programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Harrison Gardner is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Lenoir, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has recently transitioned into financial advising after various roles in industries including pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. Gardner has experience working with institutions such as Exela Pharma Sciences LLC and Bosch Rexroth. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies supported by advanced operational tools.

Charlene Meadows is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Securities, Chase Investment Services Corp., and Merrill. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including fund advisory and model portfolio delivery. The firm combines fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction, serving a variety of clients while overseeing affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisers.

Ann Watson is a financial advisor at Merrill with 32 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated since 2009. 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 serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering model-based and discretionary strategies constructed by internal Chief Investment Office teams and third-party style managers.

William Cannon Jr. is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 21 years of industry experience, including prior roles at TIAA-CREF and Equitable Advisors. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with LPL Financial since 2011. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a broad range of advisory and brokerage services supported by various investment models and operational tools.

Kelle Huffman is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. She has worked at LPL Financial since 2019 and previously held roles at Sagepoint Financial and SunTrust advisory firms. Huffman is also a commissioned notary in North Carolina. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and asset management solutions, with advisory services delivered through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Charles Benway is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, Benway serves as an ordained minister and pastor, performs Christian counseling and ceremonies, acts as a church elder, and is president of the West Point Society of Western North Carolina. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm focuses on holistic, goal-based planning across multiple financial topics and offers an option to combine planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing arrangement.

Kelly Jones is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Hickory, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. Jones has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2008. Outside of advisory work, Jones serves on the Board of Directors for the Catawba Medical Foundation, a nonprofit supporting the mission of Catawba Valley Health System. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. The firm focuses on holistic, goal-based financial planning across various topics and offers combined planning with managed-account services under a consolidated billing option.

Richard Buchanan IV is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Hickory, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he was self-employed for three years and previously worked at Granite Hardwoods, Inc. for twelve years. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers goal-based, holistic planning that covers a wide range of financial topics without managing client portfolios directly.

Benjamin Searer is a CFP® professional with 16 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with LPL Financial and previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions supported by extensive research and technology tools.

James Engelman Sr. is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and owner of Little Gunpowder Creek Farm in Hudson, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies. The firm has a large national presence with over 23,000 advisors and manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets.

Tory Haas is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. He has been working in the financial services industry since 2022, including experience with his own financial coaching business, Tory Haas Financial Coaching, and a decade of running Tory Haas Yard & Maintenance LLC. He joined Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in 2026. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm that serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent Financial Professionals, utilizing multiple custody platforms and a range of portfolio strategies.