Demarc White is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Fidelity in various roles since 2007. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund. The firm employs a blend of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage model portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Michael Langley is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Equitable Advisors, he worked in the hospitality sector and spent time at Defender Capital and East Carolina University. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse clientele including individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional entities. The firm offers financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs, relying heavily on LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed third-party managers to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Sonya Kilian is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. She has worked with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC from 2013 to 2016 before joining Wells Fargo Clearing in 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Prescott Padgett is a CFP® credentialed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with J.P. Morgan Securities and has prior experience at First Citizens Investor Services and Scottrade. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

Ward Marslender is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2013 and is also the owner of Marslender-West Asset Management. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutions by offering investment and fee-based financial planning services across a broad range of areas, including retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning. The firm uses proprietary research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations delivered through meetings and client summaries.

Jennifer Pianelli is a financial advisor at Fidelity with three years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Her prior roles include working at Equitable Advisors and Envision Science Academy. Outside of finance, she has experience working as a server and bartender at The Cowfish Sushi Burger Restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a process that combines fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

David Difilippo is a CFP® professional with 45 years of industry experience. He is currently with Wells Fargo Clearing, where he has worked since 2019. His prior experience includes six years at Raymond James & Associates and 24 years at Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. 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 offers a range of brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Candace Stepp is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 14 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Fidelity and its affiliated entities since 2008. Her roles include work with Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Investments. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including fund advisory and model portfolio delivery. The firm employs a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction, with distinctive features such as CFTC registration and advisory roles to multiple registered investment companies.

Jason Curfman is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with eight years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise since 2016 and was briefly involved with Triangle Futbol Club in 2016. Curfman is also a co-owner of Serving to Multiply, Inc., a business created to support an Ameriprise franchise. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement-income planning through written recommendations and ongoing advice. The firm’s approach includes asset allocation, withdrawal strategies, and Social Security planning within an investment universe influenced by affiliated product relationships.

Jenna Diehl is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in customized wealth planning and implementation, employing a goals-based wealth management approach. Jenna is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) professional, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., and also holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Jenna joined Merrill in 2015, bringing over a decade of experience in financial services. She focuses on connecting clients' lives with their finances, serving client needs in areas such as college education planning, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible investing, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Along with her team, the GOLDS Group, Jenna helps families and businesses develop customized financial strategies designed to last for generations. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor's degree in Business Management/Finance. In her personal time, Jenna enjoys football, golfing, reading, soccer, and spending time with her family. She also participates in community volunteer activities aligned with the Merrill tradition of community involvement.

William Cunningham is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role he has held since 2026. He has been with Fidelity Investments since 2023, progressing through positions including Workplace Planning Associate, Workplace Planning Consultant, and Workplace Planning Consultant II. In his current position, William focuses on understanding clients' priorities and helping translate them into clear, workable financial plans. He emphasizes building strong, trusting relationships to provide a planning experience that is supportive, transparent, and tailored to each client's unique situation. William's approach centers on empathy and recognizing the individuality of every client. Outside of his professional work, he has interests in baseball, football, and pets.

John Short is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 39 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 63 license. Prior to joining OSAIC in 2024, he worked at Securities America Advisors, Inc. and SSN Advisory, Inc. Among his other business activities, he owns a tax preparation service and is involved in life insurance and long-term care product sales. OSAIC serves a diverse range of retail and institutional clients, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to multiple investment platforms. The firm employs firm-provided asset-allocation tools and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management across various investment types.

Michael Moore is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wachovia Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory role, Moore is involved in managing a rental property jointly owned with his spouse. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, using an IPS-driven approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and offering both discretionary and non-discretionary options.

Shawn Wilson is a CFP® and Series 66-registered financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Cary, NC. He has six years of industry experience, including six years with Greater Kinston Credit Union before joining Edward Jones in 2019. 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 more than 23,700 advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Dillon Burdette is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 2015 and previously worked at Axa Advisors. Burdette is the owner and managing member of Oakbridge Financial Group, LLC, and serves as a guest lecturer at NC State University’s Poole College of Management. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and third-party asset managers. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model, offering both advisory and brokerage channels to deliver customized client solutions.

Ericka Archie Conner is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 18 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Lindsay Elliott is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. She previously worked for ten years at State Employees' Credit Union before joining Merrill in 2022. 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 using model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party teams.

Gregory Seamster is a CFP® with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Stifel since 2022. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he is a partner and owner of Buckfins and Feathers LLC, a hunting farm in North Carolina. Stifel serves a diverse client base ranging from individuals to institutional investors, offering brokerage and investment advisory services with a focus on fee-based financial planning and proprietary investment analysis developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Muhmad Alzpair is a financial advisor at Fidelity with three years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His prior work includes roles at Bio-Diesel Productions and DeSimone Research Group, as well as a five-year period at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs. The firm also serves as an adviser to multiple registered investment companies and develops model portfolios for Fidelity Institutional Wealth Adviser.

Claren Englebreth is a CFP® and Series 66-designated financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. Currently at Edward Jones since 2017, Englebreth previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. 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 nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.