Michael Bono

Ryan Hammond is the principal of Hammond Wealth Partners in Gastonia, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has experience with firms including Wells Fargo, The Vanguard Group, and Amplified Planning. Hammond has also held multiple roles at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Gaston College. Hammond Wealth Partners is a fee-only, fiduciary investment advisory firm serving primarily individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis to implement diversified, tax-efficient investment strategies and offers comprehensive financial planning alongside asset-based management.

Jeffrey Venables is the principal of Venables Financial Solutions in Rock Hill, SC, holding a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. He has been employed as a teacher with Rock Hill School District since 1995. Venables Financial Solutions provides investment management and financial planning services to individual and corporate clients, using an investment approach that emphasizes asset allocation based on modern portfolio theory. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, written financial plans, and access to outside managers and platform strategies, serving a modest client base with a combination of passive and active investment strategies.

Terrell Stauffer is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently operating as the sole advisor at Stauffer Financial, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Wealth Enhancement Group and LPL Financial. Outside of financial advising, he is a part owner of Seamless Paint and Epoxy, a business unrelated to his advisory services. Stauffer Financial is a newly established investment manager providing discretionary asset management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm’s investment approach focuses on fundamental analysis with long-term strategies, portfolio monitoring, rebalancing, and tax-loss harvesting tailored to client objectives.

Nathalie Cote is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Harvest Financial Planning, LLC, based in Fort Mill, SC. She has six years of industry experience and has been with Harvest Financial Planning since 2018. In addition to her advisory role, she is a professor of psychology at Belmont Abbey College, where she has taught since 1998. Harvest Financial Planning provides financial planning, personal finance coaching, portfolio reviews, and discretionary investment management services primarily to individuals, couples, and families. The firm emphasizes diversification, long-term holding, and cost minimization, with a notable focus on financial education and serving clients through various fee structures, including hourly and subscription arrangements.

John Mitchell is the sole advisor at JM Tax & Financial LLC in Tega Cay, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at H.D. Vest Investment Services and had a 30-year career at American Airlines. In addition to financial advising, Mitchell owns and operates a tax preparation and bookkeeping business serving individuals and small businesses. JM Tax & Financial LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, integrating discretionary and non-discretionary approaches. The firm combines investment advisory with tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services, emphasizing active management with technical analysis and consideration of clients’ tax situations.

Carlton Phillips is a financial advisor at Asset Investment Solutions, LLC in Fort Mill, SC, with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms, including Motiv8 Investments LLC and Brookstone Capital Management LLC. Phillips is also an independent insurance agent and hosts free educational seminars. Asset Investment Solutions, LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individuals and high-net-worth clients by providing financial planning and referring clients to third-party investment advisers for portfolio management. The firm emphasizes customized asset allocation models based on client goals and risk tolerance, with implementation and trading conducted by recommended third-party advisers while maintaining ongoing monitoring and review.