Prescott Padgett is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with J.P. Morgan Securities, where he has worked for the past five years. His prior experience includes roles at First Citizens Investor Services and Scottrade. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, focusing on non-discretionary written asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory approach is supported by centralized due diligence combining quantitative and qualitative research and incorporates ESG eligibility criteria 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.

Matthew Mason is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 credential with less than one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Ashby Furniture, Raleigh Rescue Mission, and East Carolina University. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional entities, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management programs through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and partnerships with third-party managers.

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.

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.

James Sessoms is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and three years of industry experience. He previously worked at Capitol Comics of Raleigh and was involved with Knightdale Baptist Church for ten years. 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 utilizes a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios and offers a distinctive advisory role with various registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

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 CFP® professional with 39 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Osaic since 2024. His prior experience includes roles at Securities America Advisors, Inc., SSN Advisory, Inc., and Securities Service Network, Inc. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in tax preparation and life insurance and long-term care product sales. Osaic Wealth serves a diverse range of retail and institutional clients through a multi-advisor platform offering brokerage and advisory services, including comprehensive financial planning, advisor-managed portfolios, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment approach centers on model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization with tools for discretionary management, client restrictions, and third-party manager selection.

Michael Moore is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously at Wachovia Bank, N.A. since 2007. Wells Fargo Advisors provides 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, relying on research and analytics to guide investment 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, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 2015 and previously worked at Axa Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is a guest lecturer at NC State University’s Poole College of Management and is the owner and managing member of Oakbridge Financial Group, LLC. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management programs through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party asset managers.

Ericka Archie Conner is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 19 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009, following a one-year tenure at Citigroup Global Markets. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a variety of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses a structured planning process involving firm-approved tools and scenario modeling.

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®-certified financial advisor with 27 years of industry experience. He is currently with Stifel and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wachovia Securities. Outside of advisory work, he is a partner in Buckfins and Feathers LLC, a hunting farm operation. Stifel serves a broad client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, providing brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment guidance is based on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, which uses forward-looking capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling.

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®-certified financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience. She is currently with Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, where she has worked since 2017, following a brief period at Wells Fargo Clearing and a prior tenure at Edward Jones earlier in her career. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving a broad client base that includes individuals, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Andrew Shapiro is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 designations and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Liberty Mutual Insurance, Plymouth Rock Assurance, and Enterprise Rent-a-Car. He is based in Durham, NC. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, including retail and institutional investors, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm serves as an advisor to multiple registered investment companies and employs systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation strategies.

Scott Markel is a financial advisor at Fidelity with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones and Standard Furniture. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including fund advisory and portfolio management. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction, and serves as advisor to multiple registered investment companies and model portfolios.