Alexander Starnes is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and holds the designations of Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned a Bachelor's Degree from Wofford College. His practice emphasizes creating personalized wealth management strategies that align with clients' unique goals and situations. Starnes focuses on areas such as college education planning, family wealth management, legacy planning, retirement planning, small business strategies, special needs planning, women and wealth, sports and entertainment, tax minimization, and retirement income. A significant aspect of his work involves assisting special needs families with the transfer of assets to special needs trusts to help beneficiaries qualify for or maintain government benefits. Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Starnes participates in multiple community organizations including the Autism Society of North Carolina, Autism Speaks Raleigh/Charlotte, Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte, North Raleigh United Methodist Church, Special Blessings, Special Olympics NC, The Arc of Charlotte Mecklenburg County, and Trusted Parents. He also has interests in outdoor activities, sports, and music, and he rappels annually off the Wells Fargo building in downtown Raleigh to support the Special Olympics.

Joshua Soucy is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with various Fidelity entities since 2008, including Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. He is based in Raleigh, NC. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and charitable funds. The firm employs a systematic investment process that combines fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction, with a focus on model portfolios and oversight of sub-advisers.

Christian Hill is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Brokerage Services and Fidelity Investments. 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, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by a network of over 22,800 advisors.

Stephen Fordham V is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 63 license with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2011. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in managing rental properties through a property management company. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a large national network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Katherine Wall is a CFP® practitioner with Edward Jones in Garner, North Carolina, where she has worked since 2018 and has eight years of industry experience. Before joining Edward Jones, she spent five years with Johnston County Public Schools. Outside of her advisory work, she writes a personal blog focused on her experience with grief and travel. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving both individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs and affiliated investment options. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and operates a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Larsen Wharton is an Investment Solutions Representative III at Fidelity Investments, a role held since 2026. Larsen has been with Fidelity since 2021, progressing through various positions including Investment Solutions Representative II and I, High Net Worth Service Associate, and Customer Relationship Advocate. This progression reflects extensive experience in client-facing roles within the investment solutions domain. In this capacity, Larsen collaborates with clients to understand their financial goals and develop strategies to support informed decision-making. Larsen leverages both personal experience and Fidelity's resources to assist clients in navigating their financial journeys. Outside of work, Larsen's interests include beach activities, family engagements, outdoor adventures, parenthood, and skiing.

Michael Irvin is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Before joining Edward Jones in 2026, he worked at several firms including Equitable Advisors, Compass Insurance Advisors, and Philadelphia American Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Staff-1 Services Group, providing support staff and guest services for events. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Phillip Harris is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2005. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals with at least $1,000,000 in net investable assets, providing written recommendation reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax analysis to deliver tailored retirement-income advice through a centralized consulting team.

Andrew Mc Ilvain is a financial advisor at Cetera with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Prior to joining Cetera in 2024, he worked at ADP LLC and ADP Broker-Dealer Inc. He is also a senior retirement services consultant at Financial Directions, LLC, providing consultative services on qualified retirement plan design and employee education. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser serving a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services through a nationwide network of independent advisors, utilizing a multi-manager platform with various program options and custodial relationships.

Dylan Howard is a financial advisor at Fidelity with four years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His work history includes roles at Fidelity Investments and United Textile Distribution, as well as a six-year period at Frank Howard's Backhoe Service prior to entering the financial industry. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios and oversees affiliated sub-advisers with an emphasis on governance and compliance.

Samuel Bogaczyk is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial and has held prior roles at Coastal Federal Credit Union, CUSO Financial Services, Merrill, Bank of America, and Yadkin Bank. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the nonprofit Overflowing Hands, Inc. 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 investment management solutions, including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Douglas Richmond is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 52 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously spent 27 years with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation. Richmond is also engaged as an insurance agent offering accident, health, disability, and life insurance products. OSAIC is a large wealth management firm serving retail and institutional clients through a multi-advisor platform, providing brokerage and advisory services. Its investment approach centers on model-based asset allocation, portfolio optimization, and a variety of managed account programs supported by risk analysis and rebalancing tools.

Sheri Lofton is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Merrill, based in Raleigh, NC, and has 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at Merrill since 2008 and concurrently at Bank of America, N.A. since 2011. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program to Bank of America fiduciary clients. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Robert Alger is a CFP® with 26 years of experience in financial advising. He is associated with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. and has operated his own firm, Alger Financial, since 2012. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse clientele including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes tailored, non-discretionary planning and consulting using risk profiling and analytical tools, and supports both wrap-fee advisory programs and institutional portfolio management.

Derek Oliphant is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fortright Capital, Equitable Advisors, and Forney Financial Solutions. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, offering non-discretionary asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting supported by centralized due diligence and a manager solutions team.

Susan Ledford is a financial advisor at Merrill with 37 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has been with Merrill since 1989, also working at Bank of America since 2011. 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, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Kevin Cecil is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2007 and previously spent five years with PRUCO Securities, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, Cecil is involved in fixed insurance and annuity sales under contracts with multiple insurance companies. 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 variety of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Antoinette Russell is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Lenovo, Greene Resources, Abrigo, ArchiveSocial, and Best Buy. Outside of advising, she operates an e-commerce business with Amway Vitality Essentials and participates as an Amazon Associate. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to develop model portfolios from mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Dwight Carson is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with seven years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2019 and previously worked at Royal Oaks Homes, a division of Mattamy Homes, from 2016 to 2019. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth households, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Adam Simpson is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with five years of industry experience. He has been with Thrivent since 2021. Prior to his financial advisory role, he worked at Riverwood Elementary from 2014 to 2021. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on comprehensive goal-based analyses and written recommendations across various financial planning topics. The firm offers these planning services separately from its managed-account program, with an emphasis on periodic reviews and client engagement.