John Sontag is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. He previously worked at Merrill from 2007 to 2015. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics from Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Michael Lanphier is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. Since joining Merrill Lynch in 2008, he has focused on providing customized wealth management strategies that consider the full financial picture of his clients. His areas of expertise include employee benefits planning, executive compensation, liquidity management, and retirement income. Michael is a Cum Laude graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and holds professional designations such as CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He is an active member of the Waxhaw-Weddington Rotary Club and the Union County Arts Council, reflecting his commitment to community involvement. Outside of his professional work, Michael enjoys cooking, fishing, football, and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife Cindy for 26 years, and together they are raising their daughter Ashlyn Grace in historic Waxhaw.

Talbot Millar is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Wheeler DeGraaf Financial and GB & Company, as well as several years in full-time education. 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 range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

David Mancuso is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Truist Advisory Services, BB&T Securities, and PNC Wealth Management. Outside of his advisory role, Mancuso is a pickleball instructor based in Cornelius, NC. 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 financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies.

Taylor Stevens is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, joining the firm in 2016 as part of the Wright Beach & Associates team. He focuses on assisting individuals, families, and business owners in navigating financial complexities related to career shifts, business transitions, retirement, family growth, and evolving goals by providing personalized and adaptable wealth strategies. Taylor holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification and the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation, which provide him with specialized knowledge in financial planning and business transition strategies. His expertise includes areas such as education planning, executive compensation, legacy planning, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, small business strategies, tax minimization, and retirement income. Born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, Taylor graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Finance. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife Laine, their son Russ, and their pets. His personal interests include golfing, music, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Cameron Davis Kania is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Fidelity Investments. Outside of finance, he has been involved with organizations such as Madison Racquet and Swim Club and Inspire Tennis Academy. 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 institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management options supported by advanced operational and research tools.

Mitchell Hutula is a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Prior to joining Raymond James, he worked at TIAA and TEK Systems. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, institutions, pension plans, and municipal entities, offering financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting across a range of portfolio management styles.

Annette Patterson is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been associated with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and Wachovia Bank, N.A. since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as executor for her mother’s estate. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that offers investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides tailored financial planning using proprietary research and tools, with a broad menu of services that include retirement, education, and niche planning areas such as business-owner transition and special-needs analysis.

Diana Jara is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She manages clients' investment and retirement portfolios with a philosophy that prioritizes clients' interests. Diana's client focus areas include college education planning, family wealth management strategies, LGBT wealth planning, personal retirement planning, socially responsible and ESG investing, women and wealth, and tax minimization. She also assists clients with estate planning processes in coordination with legal professionals and offers strategies for tax efficiency. Diana began her financial career in 2006 with TD Bank and TD Wealth, where she held various roles including retail banking, supervision, and private banking. She spent five years at Morgan Stanley working with the Wealth Management International division, serving clients in Latin America, Brazil, and the United States before joining Merrill in 2020. Diana earned a bachelor's degree in Economics from Florida International University and holds FINRA registrations 7 and 66, as well as professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Beyond her professional work, Diana is involved with several organizations including the Women's Exchange Board, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte, and the Carolinas LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. She is an advocate for children and volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem for foster children. Diana is fluent in English and Spanish and enjoys activities such as camping, gardening, hiking, rock climbing, running, soccer, spending time with family, tennis, traveling, and yoga.

Brandon Zatopek is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Fort Mill, SC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 21 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2026, he worked at Commonwealth Financial Network for 15 years, Kestra Investment Services for 5 years, and Securian Financial Services for 2 years. 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 range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive research and operational tools.

Stefanie Pruden is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Robert W. Baird & Co. in Davidson, NC, where she has worked since 2014. She has 23 years of industry experience. Pruden is part of The DDK Group within Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice. The DDK Group advises individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The team provides consulting and portfolio services tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, utilizing a range of investment strategies and management approaches.

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.

Richard Weemhoff is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2010, with a brief period at Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc. He is also licensed as a non-variable insurance agent selling whole, term, and universal life insurance. 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 advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

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.

Erik Dullenkopf is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial. He has held roles at Commonwealth Financial Network, Screaming Eagle Wealth Management, Mass Mutual Investors Services, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and MetLife Securities Inc. He is also a managing member and co-owner of Screaming Eagle Wealth Management. 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 institutions through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

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.

Jason Grgurina is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, where he has worked since 2007. He has 18 years of industry experience and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and model portfolio programs, and supports advisors with various tools and platforms.

Darren Champlin is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2007. 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 variety of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

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.