Justin Smith

Charles Pritchett is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on developing personalized financial plans that address clients' unique ambitions, including education funding, retirement lifestyle planning, and long-term family goals. His approach emphasizes simplicity and transparency in investment management to help clients navigate the complexities of wealth planning. Mr. Pritchett holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from Salisbury University. He holds the designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of his professional work, he enjoys baseball, gardening, and spending time with his family.

Kent Overholt serves as a Private Wealth Advisor within Merrill Private Wealth Management. Since joining Merrill in 1987, he has focused on advising ultra-high-net-worth families through complex investment decisions, liquidity events, and wealth management challenges. Kent collaborates closely with longtime clients and colleagues to develop customized financial strategies that address family wealth management, philanthropy, and business succession planning. With a multi-generational client base, Kent plays a key role in a team approach that includes investment management, asset preservation, intergenerational wealth planning, and credit and lending services. He also partners with the Merrill Private Wealth Center for Family Wealth to support POH families with wealth education and governance. Additionally, Kent manages strategy and portfolio reviews while facilitating access to Bank of America credit and lending solutions for clients’ diverse financial needs. Kent holds a Bachelor's degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He is a co-founder of the non-profit organizations Collect 4 Kids and Dancers Make a Difference. Kent divides his time between McLean, Virginia and Easton, Maryland with his wife and three children.

Kirk Thrush is a Senior Financial Advisor and Managing Director at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in Easton, Maryland. He joined Merrill Lynch in 1983 after beginning his career at 3M Corporation. Since relocating to Easton in 1994, Kirk has focused on expanding the Merrill presence in Talbot County. His client work centers on family wealth management strategies, retirement income planning, legacy planning, tax minimization, and liquidity management, serving individuals and institutional clients such as endowments, foundations, and non-profits. With over three decades of experience, Kirk employs a disciplined investment approach emphasizing risk management, diversification, and conservative asset allocation tailored to clients’ specific needs and objectives. His process helps clients evaluate the sufficiency of their retirement assets to support lifestyles amid market fluctuations and inflation. Kirk holds a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Maryland. Outside of his professional role, Kirk is involved in the Eastern Shore Hockey Association and has served as past president of the Board of Trustees for The Country School in Easton, Maryland. He enjoys outdoor activities including boating, skiing, golfing, biking, baseball, fishing, and ice hockey.

Bryan Carney is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He leads a team of professionals focused on providing investment management and personalized financial advice to individuals and families. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Bryan specializes in delivering customized guidance across multiple generations. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a bachelor's degree from Mount St. Mary’s College. In 2019, Bryan was named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list, based on a selection process that included industry experience, client retention, and compliance reviews.

Gregory Beane serves as a Resident Director at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his career with Merrill in 1990 and has been based on the Eastern Shore of Maryland since 1997. Throughout his tenure, Gregory has focused on helping multi-generational families, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations address both their short-term and long-term financial goals. Gregory holds a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and maintains the professional designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His team takes a holistic approach to wealth management, advising clients on strategies that encompass both the growth and preservation of their personal balance sheets. His expertise includes divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, retirement planning, portfolio management, individual and corporate investment strategies, tax minimization, and retirement income. In addition to his professional work, Gregory is involved in his community through coaching youth hockey and participating in local organizations such as the Tidewater Rotary Club. He resides in Royal Oak, Maryland with his wife and two children. His interests include fishing, golfing, ice hockey, running, and skiing.