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.

My name is Charles Thomas. I am a Certified Financial Planner® and founder of Intrepid Eagle Finance. We work with Christian families on their journey to financial freedom. The first time I ever taught someone about finance was on a school trip to a roller skating rink when I was in the fifth grade. I spent the bus ride teaching a classmate about the value of saving. My career has been spent around the same basic premise: help others to be wise with their finances. I have been working with people and their money for over 14 years of my career. I have had experience at global financial firms in a wide variety of roles. This diverse experience has included everything from helping people who just received their first paycheck to counseling millionaires in the financial crisis to helping large corporations provide retirement plans for their employees. I completed a double major at Appalachian State University and hold Bachelor degrees in Music and Marketing. I later earned an MBA at the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business. I started Intrepid Eagle Finance to serve a community I believe has unique needs. Christian families face the challenge of balancing the needs of Mom and Dad, children, work, church and other things craving resources. The financial component of this difficult balancing act can be stressful to harmonize for this kind of family. How do I know this? My family is part of this group too! That’s why I started Intrepid Eagle. I spend my days helping families like mine who value things like God, Family, and Country. I help families to find financial freedom while honoring what is important for today, tomorrow, and the future. I help families to find financial freedom while honoring what is important for today, tomorrow, and the future. I am an active supporter of independent education and homeschooling. My wife and I are active supporters of helping others get started and find success with their own homeschool journey. When I am not working with other families, I spend time with my own family. My wife Amy and I make our home in South Carolina with our three children. Our family is active in our homeschool each day where we work hard and play hard. We spend our breaks on time outdoors, playing music, traveling, and serving our church family. Visit our website to learn more about how we use technology to serve you wherever you are located.

Bre Ann Weaver is a financial advisor at Gragg Financial with a Series 65 designation and has been in the industry since 2024. Prior to joining Gragg Financial, she worked at Truist Bank for 11 years. Gragg Financial provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm employs a value-driven investment philosophy focused on undervalued companies with strong fundamentals and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside tax and accounting services.

Jason Gragg is a financial advisor at Gragg Financial with eight years of industry experience. He holds the PFS™ designation and Series 65 license. Prior to his current role, he worked at CPS Investment Advisors from 2017 to 2025. Gragg Financial provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm follows a value-driven investment philosophy and combines its advisory services with Certified Public Accounting, offering income tax and accounting services alongside investment management.

Robert Pitt Jr. is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding a Series 63 designation and 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. since 1990 and worked at Antrim from 2006 to 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as trustee for his parents' trust, managing its investments. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, and institutional entities. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary financial planning and investment consulting, utilizing firm research and asset-allocation analysis to develop tailored recommendations.

Gary Gragg is a financial advisor at Gragg Financial with eight years of industry experience. He holds the PFS™ designation and Series 65 license. Prior to joining Gragg Financial, he worked at CPS Investment Advisors from 2017 to 2025. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of Revo Wifi LLC. Gragg Financial provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm follows a value-driven investment philosophy and offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, combining investment advisory with traditional income tax and accounting services.

Patrick Mauney is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial in Shelby, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial since 2002 and is also a partner at Mauney Pitt Financial Management, which he co-owns. Additionally, Mauney owns a commercial property management business with multiple tenants. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, and institutions. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary financial planning and investment consulting, using risk profiles and asset-allocation analysis to tailor recommendations while maintaining client decision authority.

Keith Miller is a financial representative at Vestech Asset Management Inc. with 35 years of industry experience. He previously worked at First Allied Advisory Services, Inc. and First Allied Securities, Inc. Miller serves on several local boards, including the Kings Mountain Housing Authority and the Cleveland County Board of Equalization & Review. Vestech Asset Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and corporate clients. The firm employs a combination of technical, fundamental, and cyclical analysis to manage diversified portfolios and offers both ongoing investment management and project-based planning.

Amanda Pate is a CFP® and ChFC® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Summit Wealth Partners, LLC since 2014. She is based in Clover, SC, and is part of a team of ten advisors at the firm. Summit Wealth Partners is an SEC-registered advisory firm that provides wealth management, investment advice, and pension consulting services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and various legal entities. The firm manages approximately $629.7 million in assets and emphasizes diversified, asset-class oriented portfolios using pooled vehicles, strategic asset allocation, and periodic rebalancing informed by academic research.

Tony Walker Jr. is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing six years of industry experience. He has worked with Members Trust Company since 2022 and has been affiliated with Credit Union Investment Services, SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and State Employees' Credit Union since 2019 or earlier. Outside of his advisory roles, he serves as a financial advisory services specialist and life insurance agent within the State Employees' Credit Union system. Credit Union Investment Services serves primarily individual investors in North Carolina with non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement and financial planning, and a wrap-fee program. The firm emphasizes low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs, fixed-income products, and a goals-based, long-term planning approach, with client decisions implemented at their discretion.

Jon Hoyle is a financial advisor at Gradient Advisors, LLC with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over a decade of experience in the financial services industry. His prior roles include work at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Securities America, and VOYA Financial Advisors, as well as operating his own financial services business. He is also an Independent Medicare Agent. Gradient Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm operates primarily through a network of Investment Advisor Representatives and third-party money managers, employing a largely non-discretionary model with a mix of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in portfolio management.

Michael Bono is a financial advisor with Madison Avenue Securities, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TIAA-CREF, The Vanguard Group, and Western Southern Life. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Sloan Financial Group, LLC, a financial services DBA based in Clover, South Carolina. Madison Avenue Securities, LLC provides investment advisory and related services to individual clients, charitable institutions, foundations, trusts, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $2.0 billion in assets and offers portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and college-savings services through a network of investment adviser representatives.

Mitchell Roth is a financial advisor with Vanguard Advisers in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Equitable Advisors, Axa Advisors, and Ameriprise Financial Services. Outside of his advisory work, he has experience as a landlord managing a rental property. Vanguard Advisers provides automated and human-supported investment advice primarily to retail investors and employer-sponsored retirement plan participants. The firm employs a goal-based, algorithm-driven approach using proprietary models to set personalized asset allocations, largely utilizing Vanguard funds and ETFs.

Aaron Ruen is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Principal Securities, Principal Life Insurance Company, and Wells Fargo entities during his career. In addition to his advisory role, he provides one-on-one investment advice to Principal retirement plan participants regarding distribution options at benefit events. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients. The firm provides both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary wrap-fee investment management program, combining third-party methodologies with proprietary models and benefiting from operational integration within the Principal Financial Group family.

Natalia Ruiz is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and eight years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Wells Fargo Bank. She currently serves as a retirement consultant, providing one-on-one investment advice to retirement plan participants. Principal Advised Services delivers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm combines third-party and proprietary methodologies and operates within the Principal Financial Group family, integrating bank products and affiliated trading services.

Clarissa Iannetti is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Principal Securities and Principal Life Insurance. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm integrates third-party methodologies with proprietary models and leverages operational ties to the Principal Financial Group family for a range of proprietary products and services.

Angela Thomas is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Gastonia, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and eight years of industry experience. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Wells Fargo Bank. Outside of her advisory role, she owns two businesses focused on developing organizational apps and wellness resources for women and families. Truist Advisory Services is a large SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions combining model portfolios, third-party managers, and advisor-led asset allocation and fund monitoring.

Brendan Petty is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Transamerica Life Insurance Company, MassMutual, and Mutual of Omaha. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed and advisory programs focused on asset allocation and retirement guidance, utilizing Morningstar Investment Management’s proprietary tools for portfolio construction and oversight.

Bobby Watson is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and previously worked at LPL Financial for 14 years before joining Commonwealth in 2023. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and services, including discretionary model portfolios and personalized investment solutions, while providing operations, technology, compliance, and practice-management support to affiliated advisors.

Holly Camp is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at Truist and its predecessor firms since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with several short-term rental properties managed by third parties. Truist Advisory Services is a large SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions that incorporate model portfolios, third-party managers, and advisor-led asset allocation and monitoring.