Top financial advisors working with young families in Concord, NC

David Nifong is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked at LPL Financial and Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC for nine years each. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of an architecture committee in Bryson City, NC. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, providing tailored strategies across multiple custody and platform options.

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.

David Gordon is a financial advisor at IFG Advisory, LLC in Concord, NC, with 27 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at IFG Advisory since 2016, following a 15-year tenure at LPL Financial. Gordon is also the managing partner of Gordon, Keeter & Co, CPAs, where he oversees management, client engagement, and the preparation of financial statements and tax returns. IFG Advisory, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a range of investment strategies and tools, utilizing sub-advisors and third-party managers to align portfolios with client objectives while offering various financial planning and consulting services.

Marshall Ward is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2019. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he was involved with JFL Enterprises Inc d/b/a Failure Free Reading from 2011 to 2019. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, including separately managed accounts and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Kevin O'Hare is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Concord, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2008. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an independent soccer referee in Charlotte, NC. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors through its Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank with a unique combination of municipal-advisor registration and bank affiliation.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Jon Bernier is a CFP® and ChFC® with 23 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with TandemGrowth Financial Advisors, LLC in Alpharetta, GA since 2000. TandemGrowth Financial Advisors serves individuals, high net worth households, trusts, and estates with comprehensive wealth management and financial planning, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside retirement-plan oversight and account aggregation tools. The firm uses a strategic, long-term investment approach across equity-risk spectrums, incorporating mutual funds, ETFs, independent managers, and alternative investments, and provides unique services such as a NextGen program and healthcare planning partnerships.

David Martula is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Fee-Only Financial Planning since 1991. Fee-Only Financial Planning serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, by providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm emphasizes a low-cost, buy-and-hold investment approach using no-load mutual funds, tailoring recommendations to clients’ goals and life stages.

Ai Mendoza is an Investment Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. In this role, she focuses on understanding each client's unique financial needs and providing professional guidance and tailored solutions to help clients make informed financial decisions and pursue their goals. Prior to her current position, Ai worked as a Private Client Banker at JP Morgan Chase from 2019 to 2022. Her experience includes assisting clients with their investment and banking needs. Outside of her professional work, Ai enjoys family activities, fishing, social events with friends, gardening, outdoor adventures, and painting.

Welcome and thank you for taking a moment to read more about Bolt Financial Group and Shaun Carney, CFP®! Shaun Carney is the Co-Founder of Bolt Financial Group, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and serves as the firm’s Wealth Advisor. Shaun has over seven years of experience in the financial services industry. Responsible for establishing and maintaining client relationships, Shaun finds immense satisfaction in helping individuals better prepare for retirement. Prior to forming his own firm, Shaun served in the United States Air Force and worked with Edward Jones. After earning his Master of Science degree in Cost Analysis, Shaun went on to obtain his CFP(R), Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, Shaun continues to fly C-17s in service to the United States of America. When he isn’t helping people plan for retirement, and piloting C-17s, Shaun is an avid golfer, traveler, husband, and father to three children. Always eager to help others and give back in any way that he can, Shaun regularly volunteers with the Reserve Officers Association and the Knights of Columbus.