Stephen Freeman

Michael Waters is a financial advisor at Halcyon Professional Advisors and holds the PFS™ designation with nine years of industry experience. He is also a CPA and manages his own accounting firm, Michael W. Waters, CPA, LLC, which he has operated since 1988. Outside of his financial and accounting work, he serves as a minister at Baldwin Church of Christ. Halcyon Professional Advisors is an independent firm serving a small number of middle-income individuals and families with fee-only financial planning and investment oversight. The firm provides tax-aware asset allocation advice and tailored recommendations, focusing on no-load mutual funds and publicly traded investments, while clients retain control of their accounts.

Jeremiah Nolen is a financial advisor at Next Phase Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Brookstone Wealth Advisors and Regions Bank. Nolen is also a licensed insurance agent and owner of Nolen Financial Group. Next Phase Advisors provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities, using quantitative analysis and a long-term trading approach tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Seth Layton is a financial advisor at Next Phase Advisors in Cullman, Alabama, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Utah State University and Utah Valley University, as well as operating an insurance brokerage, Nolen Financial Group LLC, where he serves as an agent making recommendations on life insurance and fixed annuity products. Next Phase Advisors provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities, focusing on mutual funds, equities, fixed income, ETFs, TIPS, and insurance products. The firm utilizes quantitative analysis and a long-term trading approach to align portfolios with clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Jared Davis is a financial advisor at Uptick Partners, LLC with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Uptick Partners, he worked for Dvorak Financial Planning and spent ten years at LINC Research Inc. Jared is based in Cullman, Alabama. Uptick Partners provides wealth management services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans, offering investment management, financial planning, tax planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a comprehensive asset-allocation approach supplemented by multiple analytical techniques and utilizes third-party managers and risk-assessment tools to construct client portfolios.

John Williamson is a Series 65 licensed advisor with Wealth Management in Cullman, Alabama, bringing eight years of industry experience. He previously operated Jeb Williamson CPA LLC for over two decades and currently works with Stroup & Associates CPAs. Williamson serves on the boards of the Cullman Regional Foundation and the Cullman Housing Authority. Wealth Management Nebraska LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as to retirement plan sponsors and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $3.1 billion in assets and employs a modern portfolio theory approach, primarily using passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, with integrated tax and administrative support services.

Kimberly Simmons is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and one year of industry experience. She previously worked at several firms including World Financial Group and Physicians Mutual. Simmons is a partner in S&K Legacy Services, a management company created for tax purposes. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm delivers services through a large advisor network using model portfolios and third-party managers across multiple platforms.