William Thomas Jr. is a financial advisor at Merrill in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America, N.A. and Merrill since 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of a family farm and a general partner in a restaurant business, as well as serving as a deacon at Sandhills Presbyterian Church. 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 a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations.

Daniel Creswell is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Wake Forest, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having four years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services since 2021. Outside of his advisory role, Creswell is involved with North Wake Church and has operated Sychar Properties, a real estate business focused on house flipping, since 2008. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which offers model-delivery strategies and a limited number of separately managed account options to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and employs a tiered wrap-fee structure for its services.

Matthew Purdy is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016, following five years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. 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, supports more than 14,000 advisors, and combines brokerage and advisory solutions with research-driven investment approaches.

Kwabena Adabor is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at DACE LLC, Charter Communications Inc., Conduent Inc., and Wright State University. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios as well as fund advisory services.

Anthony Licht is a financial advisor at Fidelity with four years of industry experience and holds the Series 66 designation. His prior work includes roles at Levitate/Real Magic, Harris Teeter, Hilton North Raleigh, and DoubleTree Raleigh/Durham. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary portfolio management, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery. The firm’s investment process integrates proprietary fundamental research with quantitative analysis and uses algorithmic portfolio construction across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Justin Rosenthal is a financial advisor with Fidelity Investments in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Coleman Research Group and various other positions outside the financial sector. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, including retail and institutional investors, utilizing proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios.

Christopher Gray is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2025. He assists clients and their families in achieving financial clarity through education, personalized goal setting, and holistic planning. His work encompasses retirement lifestyle planning, tax-efficient investing, estate planning considerations, charitable giving, and complex strategies tailored to each client's unique goals and values. Prior to his current role, Christopher held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including Financial Consultant I and Investment Solutions Representative, spanning from 2021 to 2024. Before joining Fidelity, he worked as a Personal Banker and Home Preservation Specialist at Wells Fargo Bank NA from 2019 to 2021. He holds insurance licenses in Arkansas and California. Outside of his professional career, Christopher has interests in comedy, family activities, food, outdoor adventures, parenthood, and traveling.

Clayton Charland is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Charles Schwab in Cary, NC. His prior roles include positions at TD Ameritrade, Domani Wealth, LPL Financial, Atlas Private Wealth Advisors, and John Driscoll & Co. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base, primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, offering wealth advisory wrap fee programs alongside affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts, supported by a multi-asset model portfolio approach and centralized operational infrastructure.

Brant Spesshardt is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2026, following three years at OSAIC and 23 years at FSC Securities. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner at Banyan Rock and Talent Insurance Agency, where he assists in overseeing the agency. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a nationwide network of investment adviser representatives. The firm provides a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management approaches supported by research and technology.

Melissa Hasty is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 9 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Her prior work includes roles at Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC and Madison Property Management Solutions. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary portfolio management, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery. The firm employs a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across a broad investable universe.

Russell Emrath is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Apex, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated firms since 2008. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing detailed written Recommendation Reports that cover income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis, delivering personalized, algorithm-assisted recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Brian Shobert is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Wells Fargo in various capacities since 2009. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as a FINRA arbitrator, assisting in dispute resolution. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services utilizing proprietary research and tools, with advisors delivering tailored recommendations on a discrete engagement basis.

Gavin Dabkowski is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he spent four years at Clemson University and thirteen years with Peters Township School District. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to diverse clients, including retail and institutional investors. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage a range of portfolios, including multi-manager and fund-of-funds structures.

Jonathan Foley is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and was previously with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as trustee and holds power of attorney for his mother's trust in Raleigh, NC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory process incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broad range of investment options, such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Mark Obrien is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2014. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Keith Jackson is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities since 2021, with prior experience at Wells Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Outside of his advisory roles, he has been involved with TAK30V3RMUSIC from 2020 to 2024. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, focusing on asset-allocation advice, manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm integrates quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework in its investment recommendations.

Drew Steffens is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been serving clients since 1994. He specializes in building long-term relationships with high net worth families and focuses on restricted and concentrated stock strategies, investment manager due diligence, and asset allocation modeling. Drew's client services include Corporate Executive Services, Family Wealth Management Strategies, Legacy Planning, Liquidity Management, Managing New Wealth, and Portfolio Management Services. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Dartmouth College and has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Over his career, Drew has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including being named to the Barron's Top 1000 and Top 1200 Advisor lists during the early 2010s, as well as repeated appearances on the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors and Wealth Management Teams lists throughout the 2020s. Drew has contributed to the community through his service on various boards, including the Montessori School of Raleigh Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2005, the North Carolina Symphony Foundation Board from 1998 to 2004, the North Ridge Country Club Board of Governors from 2017 to 2019, and the Old Chatham Board of Directors beginning in 2025. He resides in Raleigh with his wife and four children, and in his personal time he enjoys drawing/sketching, golfing, reading, and spending time with his family.

Dustin Hall is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently with LPL Financial since 2008. He holds a Series 66 license and operates out of Cary, NC. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with Hall & Burns Tax Management, LLC, providing tax preparation services. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a nationwide network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting.

Jason Kristof is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill from 2014 to 2021 and has been with Raymond James since 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a product specialist at Audi Cary. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, offering financial planning and investment consulting through various programs, with a non-discretionary approach that involves tailored planning and a range of portfolio management styles.

Jake Coffee is a Benefits & Planning Consultant in Executive Services at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2025. He began his career at Fidelity Investments in 2021 as an Investment Solutions Representative I, II, and III, gaining experience until 2025. Prior to joining Fidelity, Jake worked as a Banker at PNC Bank in 2021 and as a Financial Services Representative at State Employees Credit Union from 2020 to 2021. Jake holds an Arkansas Insurance License and focuses on providing comprehensive and personalized financial planning and guidance. His approach involves understanding each client's unique needs and circumstances to support them in working toward their financial goals and aspirations. Outside of his professional role, Jake enjoys family activities, golf, movies, reading, and running.