Derek Kennedy is a CFP® with 24 years of experience and the principal advisor at Kennedy Wealth Management in Knoxville, TN, where he has worked since 2000. He holds a Series 63 license and leads the firm as its sole advisor. Kennedy Wealth Management serves individual investors, trusts, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plan sponsors with financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm operates as a fee-only fiduciary, uses diversified asset allocation based on fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, and provides pension consulting and employee education services uncommon among similar independent advisors.

With high regard to our fiduciary duty, we exist to faithfully serve individuals and organizations who are eager to understand and take control of their finances. Deep, authentic relationships allow us to help our clients clarify and define what is most important and utilize that knowledge when making important decisions. Our comprehensive approach facilitates a proactive partnership rooted in accountability putting clients in position to Ignite Financial Momentum and create meaningful outcomes. Life is full of Momentum Moments, those times when decisions are most impactful. We proactively prepare our clients for those moments through: Life Planning, Financial Wellness, and Wealth Planning services. Skee began his finance career in early 2012 and has since served many individuals and organizations as their trusted advisor. Having a long family lineage of educators, he naturally has a passion for teaching and helping others. An interest in finance early in life led him to attain his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree focused in Financial Planning and Economics from Western Carolina University in 2010. After college, Skee served as Senior Financial Services Officer at a prominent credit union in his home state of North Carolina. He moved to East Tennessee in 2016 and has built strong relationships with individuals, families, and organizations, managing over $100,000,000 for many of them. One Knoxville non-profit organization he advised was recognized as one of four Plan Sponsor of the Year nominees in a well-known national publication in 2024. He holds designations of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, and Accredited Tax Preparer. Skee enjoys serving his community through several organizations in the Greater Knoxville Area. Mission: To empower family stewards, people pursuing independence, and employee-centric organizations to achieve their full potential financially and personally, positively impacting their own circumstances and the lives of those around them. Vision: To grow organically through a commitment to our culture of providing high quality client experiences and by fostering community relationships. Our desire is to build and maintain a Destination Firm for both clients and employees. Along the way, we will make a positive impact on the communities where we live and serve through volunteering and giving back. Core Values: Influence, Competency, Trustworthiness, Boldness, Authenticity

Leon Ebbert is the principal of Ebbert Asset Management, LP in Knoxville, TN, with 21 years of experience in financial advising. He holds the PFS™ designation and Series 63 license. In addition to his advisory role, he has been president of Leon E. Ebbert, PC, a certified public accounting firm, since 1997. Ebbert Asset Management provides personalized investment management and financial planning services to individuals and small businesses. The firm employs an active investment approach focused on equities, market timing, and trading strategies, and integrates investment management with tax and insurance services through its close affiliation with the principal’s accounting practice.

Patrick Carmichael is a financial advisor with Strategic Wealth Investments, LLC in Knoxville, TN, holding a Series 65 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked with Strategic Wealth Management since 2014 and was previously with Wealth and Retirement Investment, Inc. Mr. Carmichael also serves as president and insurance agent at Strategic Wealth Management, dedicating approximately 40% of his time to insurance product sales and services. Strategic Wealth Investments provides discretionary asset management and financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing roughly $7.36 million across about 60 accounts. The firm employs fundamental, charting, and cyclical analysis, along with periodic rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting, and offers public educational seminars and insurance products through its affiliated insurance business.

Jackson Southard is a financial advisor at Graybridge Capital with a Series 65 credential and four years of industry experience. He is also a licensed real estate broker affiliated with Realty Executives, where he represents buyers and sellers in real estate transactions. Southard's background includes roles at Purdue Global University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Graybridge Capital is a state-registered investment adviser providing discretionary asset management to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, charting, cyclical, and quantitative analysis, using proprietary algorithms to monitor portfolios and customize investment strategies based on client objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance.

Derrick Hanson is a CFP® and ChFC® with six years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Oppna Wealth LLC, where he has worked since 2025. Prior to founding Oppna Wealth, Hanson held roles at Elevation Capital Advisory, LLC, and M Financial Group. He also maintains an affiliated insurance practice, dedicating approximately 10% of his time to insurance sales. Oppna Wealth LLC is a state-registered investment advisory firm offering discretionary asset management and financial planning services. The firm serves clients with a focus on estate planning, taxes, qualified plans, insurance, and retirement income, operating with a single advisory professional and requiring discretionary trading authority to implement investment programs.

David Zbonski is a financial advisor at First Advisors National, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior work experience at Duck Hills Farms, Fortinet, Zones, and General Growth Properties. First Advisors National manages discretionary assets for individual clients, including high-net-worth households, offering investment management, third-party portfolio recommendations, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes selecting and monitoring third-party managers and uses fundamental analysis for supplemental individual security recommendations.

Donald Taylor is a financial advisor at Trendz Advisors with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 43 years of industry experience. He has worked at Greensview Wealth Management and TrustFirst, where he remains active. Taylor is also involved in managing several investment-related LLCs. Trendz Advisors is a state-registered investment adviser managing approximately $58.5 million for individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business accounts. The firm uses a patented, rules-based algorithm called Trendz for tactical asset allocation and offers both model-driven and customized portfolio management services.

Christi Shell is a Series 65-credentialed advisor with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Shell Capital Management LLC since 2011. She is based in Knoxville, TN, and works at a firm with a total of two advisors. Shell Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, pension, and charitable accounts through separately managed accounts. The firm employs quantitative, rules-based investment strategies focused on directional price trends and active risk management, and it operates both as a wrap-fee sponsor and a model manager on the Goldman Sachs Model Manager Exchange.

Amanda Copeland is a financial advisor with NBZ Investment Advisors, LLC in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing eight years of industry experience. She has worked at Novinger Ball & Zivi PC since 2007, where she also serves as an administrative assistant. NBZ Investment Advisors provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals—including high net worth clients—as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates. The firm’s approach centers on asset allocation using mutual funds and ETFs, with most accounts managed on a discretionary basis.

Jackie Simpson is a financial advisor at CW Securities, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. In addition to his advisory role, he is a partial owner of Pinkstaff, Simpson & Headrick, PC, a tax accounting firm, and PSH Audit & Assurance Services, LLC, a business audit company. He also owns PSHH Financial Services and holds interests in a payroll company and several commercial property partnerships. CW Securities, LLC provides investment supervisory and portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers personalized investment policies implemented across various asset classes and management styles, coupled with financial planning and consulting services.

Anthony Cosey is a financial advisor with Cosey Financial Services, Inc. in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Silver Oak Securities, Inc. for 12 years and has been with Cosey Financial Services since 2006. Outside of advisory work, he founded The Running Foundation, which reviews and directs donations to local charities and assists with planning and marketing. Cosey Financial Services, Inc. provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and banking or thrift institutions. The firm offers discretionary asset management across various securities and alternative investments, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and corporate services, employing multiple analytical methods and strategies tailored to client objectives.

Brian Stivers is a financial advisor with Stivers Wealth Management in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at CoreCap Advisors and USA Financial Securities Corporation. He is also involved in the sales and service of health insurance, life insurance, and annuities through Stivers Wealth Management. Stivers Wealth Management provides portfolio management and co-advisory services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, operating in partnership with a third-party manager that handles investment management and trade execution. The firm uses a combination of fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, quantitative and technical methods within a long-term trading strategy.

Bradley Haston is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience and is currently with NBZ Investment Advisors, LLC in Knoxville, TN. He has worked at Novinger, Ball & Zivi, PC since 2016, serving as a staff accountant involved in tax return preparation. NBZ Investment Advisors provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates, managing approximately $370.8 million in discretionary assets. The firm’s approach emphasizes asset allocation using mutual funds and ETFs, with a proprietary “NBZ Index Plus” model that employs leveraged index funds and a stop-loss strategy.

Philip Dortch is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Aspire Private Wealth Counsel, LLC since 2016. Prior to that, he worked at Visionary Horizons Wealth Management Group, LLC from 2012 to 2016. Dortch is also the virtual CEO of VMC Facilities, LLC, a general contracting firm, where he oversees strategy and external relationships. Aspire Private Wealth Counsel provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as endowments and foundations. The firm employs fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory, uses model portfolios and a sub-advisor for customized solutions, and maintains a small adviser team with a limited client roster.

Samuel Pressley is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ridgepath Capital Management LLC since 2016 and previously at Capital Investment Group, Inc. from 2012 to 2016, as well as Mumy Financial Advisors, LLC starting in 2012. Ridgepath Capital Management provides portfolio management and tax preparation services to individual and high-net-worth clients, employing a comprehensive investment approach that includes technical and fundamental analysis alongside options strategies and diversified asset allocations. The firm manages approximately $331.6 million in discretionary assets across about 110 client relationships.

Monica Head is a financial advisor at CW Securities, LLC with nine years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. and Visionary Horizons Wealth Management Group, LLC. Monica is also appointed as an insurance agent with various companies. CW Securities, LLC provides investment supervisory services and portfolio management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers discretionary management along with financial planning and consulting, using client-specific investment policies implemented across equities, fixed income, and mutual funds with multiple management styles.

Derek Miser is a financial advisor with Miser Asset Management, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at AlphaStar Capital Management, Miser Wealth Partners, and Newbridge Securities. Outside of investment advisory, he is involved in life, accident, and health insurance services through Miser Wealth Partners and provides tax planning and tax services via Miser Tax Advisory Services. Miser Asset Management serves individual clients, trusts, estates, conservatorships, and small business entities, offering portfolio management, financial consulting, and educational seminars. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and economic analysis in its investment approach, using both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies and model portfolios that include indirect cryptocurrency exposure.

James Blevins is a financial advisor with Soar Financial LLC in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 65 and Series 66 credentials and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at B and T Developments LLP, Summit Financial, Inc., and Summit Accounting Services, LLC, where he is also a certified public accountant and owner. Outside of advising, he is involved in credit card processing services and land development. Soar Financial LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, businesses, and qualified retirement plans. The firm offers customized portfolios emphasizing long-term strategies with tactical adjustments and serves as both discretionary and non-discretionary managers for a range of clients.

Erich Von Geis is a CFP® professional with Aspire Private Wealth Counsel, LLC in Knoxville, TN. He is the sole advisor at the firm, which manages approximately $79 million in assets for about 47 clients. Aspire Private Wealth Counsel, LLC offers individualized portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, along with foundation and endowment planning services. The firm uses fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory to construct tailored portfolios, often managing accounts on a discretionary basis and employing model portfolios.