Joseph Leonard is a financial advisor with Leonard Wealth Management, LLC in Lincolnton, NC, holding a Series 63 license and 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at AE Wealth Management, Foundation For Financial Education, Formula Folio Investments, and Retirement Wealth Advisors. Outside of advising, he provides trumpet lessons and performances through his Cain Leonard Trumpet Studio and offers adult education on retirement planning. Leonard Wealth Management, LLC is an independent registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, charities, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm provides comprehensive financial planning, hourly consulting, estate-settlement assistance, and discretionary portfolio management, using a combination of model portfolios, third-party advisors, and various portfolio construction techniques.

Matthew Kale is the sole advisor at Extraordinary Kale LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has one year of experience in the financial advisory industry and has prior work experience at Goodwill Catholic Media and PETSMART. Outside of his advisory role, he maintains an executive position with Goodwill Catholic Media. Extraordinary Kale LLC provides advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporations, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan rollover advice. The firm combines hourly-billed financial planning and consulting with active portfolio management, using a primarily value-oriented, long-term approach alongside tactical and strategic asset-allocation techniques.

Mark Coffey is the sole advisor at Hickory Financial Group, LLC in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 32 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Avenir Private Advisors LLC and Kovack Securities Inc. Outside of advisory work, he owns a duck hunting guide service and a marine construction company. Hickory Financial Group is an independent investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm primarily employs an equity-oriented strategy using sector- and factor-weighted ETFs and individual stocks, combining fundamental and technical analysis with ongoing portfolio monitoring and rebalancing.

Michael Loeb is a financial advisor at Argosy Investors with eight years of industry experience and a Series 65 credential. He has worked at several firms, including Magnolia Wash Holdings, von Drehle Corporation, Ally Financial, and Broyhill Asset Management. Outside of advisory work, he serves as M&A Director for Whistle Express, a privately held car wash company. Argosy Investors provides discretionary investment management through separately managed accounts, focusing on a value-oriented strategy with a bottom-up fundamental analysis approach. The firm typically manages a concentrated portfolio aimed at long-term growth and special-situation opportunities, serving qualifying individuals and entities.

Andrew Gibson is a financial advisor at Integrative Planning, Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Vanguard Advisors, Inc. and Alphastar Capital Management, LLC. Integrative Planning, Inc. provides discretionary asset management, model-portfolio implementation, and financial planning services primarily for individual clients. The firm manages approximately $100 million across about 400 clients, employing strategic and rules-based tactical portfolios that incorporate a variety of asset classes and quantitative, technical, and fundamental analysis.

John Zarinsky is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with SafeBridge LLC since 2016, including a prior tenure at AE Wealth Management, LLC, and Horter Investment Management, LLC. Zarinsky is licensed to sell life insurance and annuities but does not receive commissions from their sale. SafeBridge primarily serves individuals and families near or in retirement, focusing on retirement income planning, tax-aware advice, and discretionary investment management. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio construction using low-cost index ETFs and high-quality fixed income, integrating tax planning and optional tax-return preparation.

Brittney Miller is a CFP® certificant with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving at Thayer Financial, L.L.C. in Hickory, NC. Her prior experience includes roles at Bragg Financial Advisors Inc and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, among others. Thayer Financial serves individuals, charitable organizations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans by offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, pension consulting, and educational seminars. The firm emphasizes goal-aligned, diversified portfolios and integrates educational workshops and ancillary client services into its wealth management practice.

James Deporre Jr. is a financial advisor with Hammerhead Financial Strategies, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 21 years of industry experience, including roles at Shark Investing, Inc. and Shark Asset Management, Inc. Since 2005, he has been president of Shark Investing, Inc., which operates a subscription-based website providing daily stock market articles and other content to subscribers. Hammerhead Financial Strategies offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting primarily to high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an active, opportunistic investment approach using proprietary trading methods that incorporate fundamental, technical, and behavioral analysis, with a focus on higher-beta equities and risk controls such as diversification and hedging strategies.

Shawn Lee is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Integrative Planning, Inc. with 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Alphastar Capital Management, Milestone Asset Management, Brookstone Capital Management, and Beacon Wealth Advisors. He is also CEO of the Learning for Life Foundation, a nonprofit focused on lifestyle and financial well-being. Integrative Planning, Inc. provides discretionary asset management, model-portfolio implementation, and financial planning services primarily for individual households. The firm combines strategic and tactical portfolios using a variety of asset classes and emphasizes tax-aware asset location and rebalancing.

My career began in Washington, D.C. I finished studies at George Washington University, then moved from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to a career as a management consultant with IBM. Although the work was I did was always interesting, it wasn’t what I would or could call a calling or a passion. I needed a goal. Thankfully, my wife Jillian was on-board with the idea of leaving it all behind to travel the world, so that’s what we did. After spending years with a singular financial goal, careers were put on hold, the plunge was taken and next thing we knew we were petting grey whales in Mexico on day one of a trip through 50 countries around the globe over 21 months. Then we came home. I was a new person in need of a new career; I wasn’t interested in opening a travel agency and that meant financial planning was the next logical choice. Why you ask? The number one question I’m asked about that trip is how we paid for it! When it comes down to it, my career today is about helping others realize their own goals—retirement, travel, education, lifestyle, etc.—and that’s just what I had done for myself. Bringing that experience to my career, to help others do the same, means I no longer have a career…this is a calling. I joined my father in Florida and followed his footsteps to become a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional. Later, with three children—Amira, Nora and Samuel—Jillian and I decided it was time to leave Florida and put down roots in a place where we could spend more time doing the things we loved to do like whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, hiking and camping. Although my first position in North Carolina was a rewarding one, I wanted to focus more of my time working with people and helping them achieve their dreams. Out of that desire Passport Wealth Management was born.

I’m Deaton Smith and I am the founder of Thayer Financial, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, a West Point graduate and OEF Veteran. I named Thayer Financial after the founding father of West Point because I envision my company as something bigger than me. It embodies the same values and principles of my time at West Point and in the Army: Duty, Honor, Integrity, and Loyalty. These values are at the very core of everything I do and stand for. The existing business model is drowning in a sea of “trust me” salespeople all riddled with major conflicts of interest and complicated financial products that pay exorbitant commissions. This is why I created my own firm. My values and beliefs did not line up with any of these major firms and I knew that there had to be a better way to serve my clients. That’s why I launched a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser that is legally obligated to work as a fiduciary 100% of the time. I don’t accept commissions, referral fees, kickbacks, free vacations, or marketing dollars from insurance companies or investment companies. The only way I get paid is directly from my clients for the services that I provide, which allows my clients to weigh the true cost of the advice they are receiving.

Jason List is a CFP® professional at Aventus Investment Advisors, Inc. with 17 years of industry experience. He has held roles at Truist Advisory Services, TRUIST Investment Services, BB&T, and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Aventus Investment Advisors provides portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm combines global macroeconomic trend analysis with fundamental research, offering both long-term and short-term investment strategies, along with additional services such as tax preparation assistance and coordinated estate planning.

Nicholas Lavella is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He currently works at Integrative Planning, Inc. and has prior experience with Beacon Wealth Advisors, Alphastar Capital Management, LLC, and The Vanguard Group, Inc. Integrative Planning, Inc. is an SEC-registered advisory firm providing discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, small businesses, trusts, estates, pooled investment vehicles, and charities. The firm uses a combination of strategic and tactical model portfolios, custom portfolios, and sub-advisors, managing approximately $101.4 million in discretionary assets.

Christopher Lee is a CFP® professional at Passport Wealth Management with experience starting in 2024. Prior to his current role, he held positions at several firms and organizations, including Choreo, SFMG Wealth Advisors, and Trustcore Financial. He also spent time at the University of Georgia and took a year for extended travel. Passport Wealth Management is an SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a passive investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax return preparation through a third-party provider, and retirement plan consulting.

Adam Smith is a financial advisor at Fortress Private Ledger, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch from 2018 to 2024. Fortress Private Ledger advises individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals and employer-sponsored retirement plans, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and specialized Qualified Opportunity Zone advisory services. The firm employs a dynamic investment approach combining trend identification, technical and fundamental analysis, and utilizes a mix of ETFs, individual securities, and mutual funds.

Brittany Macchia is a financial advisor with Sollinda Capital Management LLC, holding a Series 65 designation. She has 10 years of experience at Mumy Financial. Sollinda Capital Management LLC is a discretionary investment adviser that provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a range of systematic and discretionary strategies and manages approximately $1.016 billion in regulatory assets.

Janette Jolly is a financial advisor at Apollon Financial, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked with firms including Good Life Advisors, LPL Financial, and Waddell & Reed. Outside of her advisory role, she is also registered as a solicitor in Hickory, NC. Apollon Financial is an SEC-registered firm managing approximately $1.45 billion and serving a variety of clients including individuals, families, and businesses. The firm combines centrally managed model strategies with advisor-led portfolios and offers a broad range of investment options and technologies, including ESG models, Direct Indexing, and tax-aware techniques.

Thomas Kelly is a financial advisor at Aspire Private Capital with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Aspire since 2014. Kelly also owns Covenant Private Capital, an insurance and annuity product sales firm, and works as a marketing consultant for Aspire Insurance Solutions. Aspire Private Capital manages approximately $510 million for individuals, corporations, and retirement plans, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis and often recommends third-party sub-advisers through the GeoWealth platform.

Matthew Ellis is a financial advisor with Fidelis Capital and holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 designations. He has 19 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Wells Fargo and Merrill. Ellis serves on the board of Centerstone Military Services, a nonprofit organization. Fidelis Capital Partners provides investment advisory and related services to individuals, family offices, trusts, philanthropic organizations, and other entities. The firm employs a multi-faceted investment approach combining quantitative, fundamental, technical, and economic analysis, and manages portfolios on a primarily discretionary basis while also offering financial planning and sub-advisory services.

Andrew Rader is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Sollinda Capital Management LLC. His prior work includes roles at Capital Investment Group, Inc. and Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC. Outside of his advisory duties, he owns EIPO, LLC, a residential rental property business. Sollinda Capital Management LLC is a discretionary investment adviser managing over $1 billion in regulatory assets, serving individuals and profit-sharing plans with a variety of systematic and discretionary strategies. The firm offers tailored portfolio management and financial planning, employing diverse analytical methods and investment vehicles.