Large-firm advisors focused on values-based investing in North Carolina

Willie Myles is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously affiliated with Axa Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit organization. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through various third-party programs. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model, offering both advisory and brokerage channels to implement client recommendations.

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked in education for eight years. Outside of advising, Kristin is an author and publisher of a basketball coaching notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base with a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies across various account types and investment vehicles.

Arjun Aggarwal is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, including tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process using firm-approved tools and economic modeling techniques.

Robert Pike is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Sheets Smith Wealth Management in Winston Salem, NC, and has worked at Stratford Advisors, Inc. since 2004. Sheets Smith Wealth Management serves individuals, families, foundations, endowments, and retirement plans, offering investment management and financial planning services. The firm customizes asset allocation and investment strategies based on clients’ risk tolerance and investment horizon, employing a long-term, buy-and-hold approach and utilizing a range of investment vehicles including equities, fixed income, ETFs, and alternative investments.

Trent Leyda is a financial advisor with Spirepoint Private Client, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley in various capacities from 2009 to 2023 before joining Spirepoint Private Client in 2023. Leyda is also a licensed insurance agent servicing clients on insurance policies. Spirepoint Private Client, LLC serves individuals, families, trusts, institutions, and retirement plans with discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting. The firm employs a multi-faceted investment process combining fundamental, technical, and relative-strength analysis with portfolio construction tools, offering both active and passive strategies tailored to client profiles.

Tucker Horsley is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Mariner Wealth in Sarasota, FL. Prior to joining Mariner Wealth, he worked at Allegiant Private Advisors and operated Lucky-U Cycles. Horsley is a board member of Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County, a nonprofit organization. Mariner Wealth is a large, multi-advisor wealth management firm managing approximately $98.6 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, tax services, and family-office style administration.

Eldin Foco is a financial advisor at Sterling Advisory Group LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including CIG Capital Advisors and Cco Investment Services Corp. since 2012. Sterling Advisory Group provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, families, trusts, foundations, businesses, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm manages client accounts on a tailored basis and also serves institutional clients, offering a range of strategic investment models that emphasize asset allocation, diversification, and Shariah-compliant selection.

Nicholas Stecklein is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving at Diversify Wealth Management, LLC in Orem, UT. His prior roles include positions at North Capital Investment Technology and DFPG Investments. Outside of investment advising, he is involved with Advantage Tax and Planning, providing tax preparation services to prospects and clients. Diversify Wealth Management offers investment advisory and planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, business owners, retirement plans, trusts, and institutions. The firm employs a tactically diversified investment approach across multiple account types and platforms, incorporating due diligence on third-party managers and a mix of traditional and alternative investments aligned with clients’ objectives and fiduciary standards.

Andrew Halbrook is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked for the City of Ruston for nine years. Outside of his advisory role, he co-manages a family-owned LLC involved in rental property. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a range of investment strategies and advisory services supported by a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.

Peter Hughes is a CFA® charterholder and Series 63 licensee with five years of industry experience. He currently serves as a senior advisor at Forrest Financial Partners LLC and is also principal and CCO at Evolve Investing LLC. Outside of his advisory roles, Mr. Hughes owns Peter Hughes Consulting, where he assists business owners with company valuation and market preparation, and Peter Hughes Performance Coaching, focusing on personal development and goal achievement. Forrest Financial Partners LLC provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning services to individuals, family offices, businesses, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm combines long-term, growth-oriented active stock selection with passive strategies, tailoring portfolios to client objectives, tax considerations, and values alignment, while maintaining formal business relationships with other advisory and consulting entities.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill in multiple capacities since 2011, with brief stints at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities in 2022. Merrill serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage services. The firm employs a range of program strategies and manager-constructed portfolios, with oversight from its CIO and platform management, and leverages its affiliation with Bank of America to support trading, lending, and capital markets activities.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Fort Worth, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years and has entrepreneurial experience with #TagMeBro LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services grounded in modern portfolio theory and tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances. The firm’s advisory process includes a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously affiliated with Axa Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit organization. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through various third-party programs. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model, offering both advisory and brokerage channels to implement client recommendations.