James Mertens

Raymond Eustace is a financial advisor at Eustace Advisors in Cary, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. Prior to founding Eustace Advisors, he worked at ClearComm Technical Sales from 2003 to 2020 and operated Nadaje Holdings LLC from 2013 to 2022. Eustace Advisors is an independent, fee-only firm that provides advice-only financial planning and investment analysis to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory with a focus on long-term, passive investment strategies, and it offers services including financial plan development, project-based planning, ongoing planning, educational seminars, and optional tax return preparation.

Christopher Fauchier Nobles is the President and Chief Compliance Officer of Confiance Financial LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has prior experience at Mediant Communications Inc. and Betanxt, where he was involved in investor communications and back-office technology platforms. Nobles divides his time between his advisory role and his executive responsibilities at BetaNXT. Confiance Financial provides discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a fundamentally driven, primarily long-term investment approach and may engage third-party independent managers to implement portfolio strategies.

Naveen Reddy Gollapally is the sole advisor at gnrfunds LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Morrisville, NC. He holds a Series 65 credential and has four years of industry experience, including over a decade at Epsilon Data Management LLC prior to founding gnrfunds in 2021. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as treasurer for several day care centers planned to open in 2026 and 2027, and he is president of a UPS store, as well as a database administrator for a technology consulting firm. gnrfunds LLC serves individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses with discretionary portfolio management and retirement plan advice. The firm focuses on concentrated equity portfolios through fundamental analysis and employs various strategies including long/short positions and derivatives, offering performance-based fee arrangements to qualified clients.

Jean Masse is the sole advisor at J. Pierre Masse, an independent firm based in Venice, FL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 23 years of industry experience. Since 2015, he has managed his own practice following prior registration with a broker-dealer. The firm serves individual clients, including some high-net-worth individuals, offering financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. Its investment approach combines fundamental business analysis with asset allocation, diversification, and risk management, emphasizing a conservative, low-turnover strategy.

John Young is a CFP® with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Cardinal Wealth Partners, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC. His prior experience includes roles at Red Oak Capital Management, Inc and Allen C. Ewing & Co. He is also involved in providing life insurance solutions through the Cardinal Wealth Partners Insurance Agency. Cardinal Wealth Partners is an independent investment adviser offering discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and select 401(k) plans. The firm manages approximately $13 million across 55 client households, employing diversified portfolios primarily using ETFs and mutual funds, with tailored investment advice and regular account reviews.