Sean Williams is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Cadence Wealth Partners, LLC since 2023. His prior experience includes roles at Instrumental Wealth, LLC and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of his financial advisory work, he is a father first. He enjoys woodworking and playing the banjo. He also loves Gator sports, even when the teams are terrible. Cadence Wealth Partners is a fee-only, fiduciary financial planning firm in Concord, NC specializing in helping business owners and pre-retirees (55+) reduce taxes, plan retirement income, and prepare for business exits and major life transitions. Our team includes CFP®, CEPA, and RICP credentialed advisors who take a whole-picture approach — investments, tax planning, estate planning, and risk management working together. We work with clients locally and virtually across the U.S. Named a 2025 & 2026 Wealthtender Voice of the Client Highly Rated Advisor.

Timothy Pope is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at 360 Aviation Advisors, LLC in Concord, NC. His prior experience includes roles at Cetera, PNC Investments, and The Vanguard Group. Outside of advising, he hosts a financial planning podcast called "Pilot's Portfolio," which targets professional pilots. 360 Aviation Advisors is an independent registered investment adviser that provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and coordinated tax preparation services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a passive investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and offers tailored investment policy statements without a firmwide account minimum.

Patrick Riley is a financial advisor at Optimal Planning LLC in Concord, NC, with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has led Optimal Planning LLC since 2016. Outside of advising, Riley is also an insurance agent with Wealth Management of the Carolinas. Optimal Planning LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and educational seminars to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm primarily employs a passive investment approach using index mutual funds and ETFs, incorporating fundamental and cyclical analysis to guide allocation decisions.

Alexandra Rickard is the principal of Rickard Investment Consulting, LLC in Concord, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to founding her independent advisory firm in 2026, she worked at Novant Health and Bonded Logistics, among other roles. Rickard Investment Consulting, LLC provides investment advisory services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio analysis, ongoing monitoring, and optional financial planning and consulting. The firm uses fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios across cash, equity, and fixed-income allocations and includes options strategy analysis as part of its service offering.

Phillip Whitley is a financial advisor with Whitley Financial, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 30 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Grove Point Investments, H. Beck, Sterne Agee, and Synergy Investment Group. He is also a licensed insurance professional, dedicating less than 10% of his business time to insurance activities. Whitley Financial provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and small businesses. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach using both fundamental and technical analysis to develop customized asset allocations, with accounts managed on a discretionary basis and reviewed at least annually.

John Harris is a financial advisor at WMC Capital Management, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Brookstone Capital Management and Wealth Management of the Carolinas, where he serves as president of a separate insurance business focused on fixed insurance products. WMC Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individual and institutional clients, utilizing primarily passive investment strategies with an emphasis on asset allocation and periodic rebalancing. The firm also offers educational seminars on personal finance and manages accounts according to individualized investment policy statements.

Leo Theriault is a financial advisor at Family Wealth Partners Concord, Inc with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and is based in Concord, NC. Family Wealth Partners Concord, Inc provides individualized investment advisory, financial planning, and wealth coaching to individuals and businesses. The firm emphasizes asset allocation and a Free Market Portfolio approach, offering fee-based advice and acting as a co-advisor on managed asset programs through Matson Money.

Keith Laibson is a financial advisor at Family Wealth Partners Concord, Inc with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Matson Money, Inc., MML Investors Services, Inc., and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to advising, he provides financial planning and sells life, disability, and long-term care insurance when needed by clients. Family Wealth Partners Concord, Inc offers individualized investment advisory, financial planning, and wealth coaching to individuals and businesses. The firm follows a fee-based model, emphasizing asset allocation and a Free Market Portfolio approach, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis without taking custody or voting client proxies.

Nicholas O'kelly is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cadence Wealth Partners, LLC. He previously served 13 years in the United States Army and has worked at multiple firms including Realta Equities, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, O'kelly is a board member of The Davis Focus Project, a military non-profit focused on optimizing human performance through natural mental health modalities, and serves as an ambassador for the mental health organization Give an Hour. Cadence Wealth Partners provides portfolio management, financial planning, and business consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, business owners, and family offices. The firm employs a disciplined investment approach with customized Investment Policy Statements, discretionary portfolio management, and specialized services including held-away account management and business-owner focused programs.

Luann Barnes is a financial advisor at WMC Capital Management, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Brookstone Capital Management and Beatty Financial Group. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Mount Moriah Lutheran Church, where she is authorized to submit trade instructions for the church’s brokerage account. WMC Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm primarily uses passive investment strategies focused on asset allocation and periodic rebalancing, complemented by fundamental and technical analysis.

Jeffrey Vaughn is a financial advisor with Synergy Investment Group, LLC in Kannapolis, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 designations and over 31 years of industry experience. He has worked with StoneX Securities Inc. since 2012 and Synergy Investment Group since 2010. Vaughn is also involved in insurance sales through Synergy Insurance Group and serves as president of Vaughn Wealth Management Inc. Synergy Investment Group, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and tailors investment strategies using a mix of mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income based on clients’ financial profiles and risk tolerance.

Paul Clark is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Mill Capital Management, LLC. Prior to joining Mill Capital in 2021, he worked at Wells Fargo for ten years. Mill Capital Management serves individual clients, including high net worth individuals, and charitable organizations, providing discretionary investment management focused on a concentrated, value-oriented large-cap equity strategy. The firm integrates financial planning with its investment services and manages approximately $1.49 billion in client assets with a team of three advisors.

Jonathan Rhoney is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Mill Capital Management, LLC with five years of industry experience. He has been with Mill Capital since 2021 and previously worked at Wells Fargo from 2003 to 2021. Mill Capital Management serves individual clients, including high net worth individuals, and charitable organizations by providing discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a concentrated, value-oriented large-cap equity strategy and manages approximately $1.49 billion in client assets with a team of three advisors.

Lynn Irvin is an advisor at Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Intercarolina Financial Services since 1993. Prior to that, he worked at CK Federal Savings Bank starting in 1990. Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and retirement plan consulting to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to manage portfolios across equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Bryan Stark is a financial advisor with Stark Financial Advisers, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. His career includes long-term roles at Stark Financial Advisers, Inc. and R.M. Stark & Co., Inc., as well as over three decades at U.S. Airways. Stark Financial Advisers, Inc. manages approximately $94.7 million on a discretionary basis for individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven approach that incorporates both fundamental and technical analysis, offering strategies ranging from conservative to aggressive and including derivative use in separately managed accounts.

David Beach Jr. is a financial advisor at Mill Capital Management, LLC in Concord, NC, with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 66 designations. Prior to joining Mill Capital Management in 2026, he worked at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. for five years and Wells Fargo Bank for nineteen years. Mill Capital Management serves individual clients, including high net worth individuals, and charitable organizations by providing discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a large-cap equity strategy focused on value-oriented U.S. large- and mid-cap companies and manages approximately $1.49 billion in client assets with a compact advisory team.

Brian Seay is a CFA® charterholder with four years of industry experience. He has been with Mill Capital Management, LLC since 2021 and previously worked at Wells Fargo from 1994 to 2021. Mill Capital Management serves individual clients, including high net worth individuals, and charitable organizations by providing discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a concentrated large-cap equity strategy focused on high-quality, value-oriented U.S. companies, combining internal management with selective use of external managers.

Richard Rust is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. He has held multiple roles within the Principal Financial Group family, including positions at Principal Bank and Principal Life Insurance Company. Outside of finance, Rust creates and markets music and digital art commissions for personal clients. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary services supported by proprietary and third-party models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group, enabling integrated access to affiliated products and services.

Jerrica John is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. She has held roles within Principal Bank, Principal Financial Services, and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2023. Outside of her advisory work, she is the managing director of Juke Properties, LLC, a real estate investment business involving property renovation and rental management. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary wrap-fee investment management program. The firm combines third-party and proprietary models and operates within the Principal Financial Group family, providing access to affiliated products and integrated services.

Gerald Craig is a financial advisor at IFG Advisory, LLC with over 33 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has worked at IFG Advisory since 2016. Prior to this, he has been associated with LPL Financial and Carolina Planning Consultants, LLP for over two decades. IFG Advisory, LLC provides comprehensive investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches and utilizes sub-advisors and third-party managers to tailor investment strategies that align with client objectives.