Lauren Black

Lynn Phillips Gaines is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience, currently serving at Phillips Wealth Planners LLC. She previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. and operated Phillips Financial and Lynn Phillips Inc. Gaines is also involved in business ownership outside the advisory field, including a construction company and partnership in a separate LLC. Phillips Wealth Planners provides discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach with strategic asset allocation and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Elton Thomas III is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2003. He also holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Agia since 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Finance Committee of First United Methodist Church in Columbus, MS. VALIC Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction and management.

Aaron Jones is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) and holds the ChFC® and Series 63 designations. He has 14 years of industry experience and has been with Eagle Strategies since 2018. He also serves as Vice President on the board of the Local Learning Community Foundation, which focuses on empowering families and youth in the community. Eagle Strategies LLC provides financial planning, investment advisory, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes client-directed solutions and utilizes third-party managers and model portfolios, operating as an indirect subsidiary of New York Life.

Robert Crosland III is a CFP® professional with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and is the owner of Crosland Wealth Management, Inc., where he has worked since 2010. His practice includes fixed insurance sales conducted at his branch location. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a range of advisory programs, including discretionary model portfolios and personalized investment solutions. The firm supports its advisors with operations, technology, compliance, and practice-management services.

Sarah Denley is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Starkville, MS. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been in the financial services industry since 2023, with prior experience at MWA Financial Services, Modern Woodmen of America, and Cadence Bank. Before entering financial services, she worked in education and retail sectors for over a decade. LPL Financial provides advisory and brokerage services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm offers a variety of investment solutions supported by an in-house research team and a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Curtis Mcneal is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with Ameriprise in Starkville, MS, bringing 37 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and owner of LifePath Corporation and LifePath Legacy LLC, where he manages leadership, strategic planning, and business operations. He also maintains a small acreage farm, earning income through equipment operation. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals nearing or in retirement with substantial investable assets. The firm provides detailed, research-based recommendation reports that incorporate tax-smart strategies and adaptive withdrawal planning, supported by a centralized consulting team and algorithmic tools.