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.

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.

Edward Helm Jr. is a financial advisor at Emerald Haven Investments Corp in Albemarle, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Emerald Haven Investments Corp since 2011. Emerald Haven Investments provides financial and retirement planning as well as discretionary wealth management services to individuals, employee benefit plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses client interviews to develop investment policy statements and manages portfolios across various risk profiles, employing asset allocation based on fundamental analysis of mutual funds, ETFs, and individual equities.

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.

Seth Waller is a financial advisor at Falcon Financial with 16 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked at Trident Insured LLC and Falcon Investment Strategies, LLC. Outside of advisory services, he is involved in managing a youth baseball organization where he has coached and overseen the team. Falcon Financial provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm manages approximately $85.6 million in client assets and employs a diversified investment approach that includes fundamental and technical analysis, tactical tilts, and option strategies.

Stephen Gegorek II is a financial advisor at Falcon Financial with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Strategic Planning Group. Outside of advisory work, he is the sole owner of Metolius Capital, a holding company unrelated to investments, and a part-owner of The Gegorek Group, a business consulting company. Falcon Financial serves individual investors, retirement and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses, managing approximately $101 million. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, employing a range of investment strategies tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.

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.

Charles Parks is a financial advisor with C F Parks Inc in Salisbury, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has worked at Commonwealth Equity Services, Inc. for 30 years and has been involved with C F Parks Inc since 1988. Parks is also president of Parks Financial Services, Inc., an accounting and tax services firm. C F Parks Inc serves individuals, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses, managing approximately $85.7 million for about 192 clients. The firm uses proprietary model portfolios tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, focusing on equities, ETFs, and select mutual funds, and provides discretionary investment management alongside financial planning and affiliated accounting services.

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.

Russ Adams is a Series 65 licensed advisor with Falcon Financial in Salisbury, NC, and has three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Falcon Investment Strategies, he worked in real estate and as a professional golfer and caddie. He is also an independent licensed insurance agent specializing in life, health, and Medicare insurance. Falcon Financial provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm manages approximately $85.6 million in assets and employs a diversified investment approach that includes fundamental, technical, cyclical, and charting analysis, with regular portfolio reviews and tactical adjustments.

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.

David Smith is a financial advisor with Thomas Smith and Associates, Inc. in Salisbury, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Thomas Smith and Associates since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in Second Creek Development, a family office managing private family investments. Thomas Smith and Associates provides discretionary investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals and trusts. The firm manages fully diversified portfolios with an emphasis on tax and cost efficiency, serving a small number of clients with tailored investment approaches.

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.

Misty Thornburg is a financial advisor with Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. She has worked with The Strategic Alliance Corporation since 2008. Thornburg serves on the board of the Stoney Run Homeowners Association. Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered multi-advisor firm managing approximately $338 million for around 837 clients. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and limited financial planning using an asset-allocation approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory.

Kyle Eudy is a financial advisor at Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. Kyle has worked at Private Client Services LLC since 2012 and has been involved with Anson County Parks and Recreation since 2008. He serves on the board of the non-profit John P. Murray Community Care Clinic and is a part-owner of a baseball and softball practice facility, Xtra Innings, LLC. Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered multi-advisor firm managing approximately $338 million for about 837 clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and legacy position management, using an asset allocation approach informed by Modern Portfolio Theory and a combination of mutual fund and ETF analysis alongside third-party manager due diligence.

Joanne Burleson is a financial advisor with Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 16 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Private Client Services LLC, Strategic Investment Advisors, and Uwharrie Capital Corp. Uwharrie Investment Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered firm managing approximately $278 million in discretionary assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, foundations, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting with an investment process based on Modern Portfolio Theory and oversight by an Investment Committee.