Coordinated Financial Confidence
AdaptFirst – Tax and Investments is a holistic financial services company providing financial solutions for individuals and businesses. AdaptFirst focuses on tax preparation and planning, bookkeeping, financial planning, and investment management. These areas intertwine with one another, so it is important to consider them collectively.
With our tax department working together with our financial planning department, clients can have peace of mind their investment and tax plans are coordinated and aligned with their goals.
As a firm, we are committed to always following the law, always learning and improving, and always adapting to the financial landscape as it changes.
Our families rely on us to take care of them, and we are committed to take care of ALL of our clients as best we can.
Meet Our Team
- All
- Executive
- Tax & Accounting
- Financial Planning
- Administrative
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Not Pictured
Tristen Gadberry
INVESTMENT ADVISOR REPRESENTATIVE
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Bobby Masten
INVESTMENT ADVISOR REPRESENTATIVE
Charles Freeman, CFA, EA
Charles F. Freeman, Jr. is the President and Portfolio Manager for AdaptFirst Investments. Charles is responsible for investment research and portfolio decision making for clients. He began his career in investments in 1998 while in New York City. Originally from Kernersville, NC, Charles found his way to NYC on a fencing scholarship to the New York Athletic Club.
In New York, a fellow fencer introduced Charles to a small investment stock trading firm. Charles knew immediately after starting with the firm that he had a passion for investing. After moving back to North Carolina, Charles began to help others with their investments in 2005 by joining AXA Advisors, and then continued to do so at Holderness Investments in Greensboro, NC.
An entrepreneur at heart, Charles decided to launch AdaptFirst Investments in 2017. AdaptFirst seeks to generate investment ideas and solutions for clients through intense research and analytics.
Professional Designations
Chartered Financial Analyst, 2014
Enrolled Agent, 2022
Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration - 1996
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Procter and Gamble Award for Marketing
Associations
Society of Financial Service Professionals
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Greensboro Chapter – Board Member, President 2021-2022
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Winston-Salem Chapter – President 2017-2018
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Tennis Committee - Chair of Men’s Tennis
Hobbies
Tennis, Snowboarding, and aspiring Guitarist, Bass Player, Chess Player, Tai Chi Player : )
Joe Wright, CPA, CGMA
Executive Vice President
Joe graduated with honors from Elon University with a degree in accounting and a minor in business administration. One of the top graduates of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, he passed the CPA exam on his first attempt. Joe possesses over 30 years of successful experience including public accounting and corporate management within the transportation, sales and service sectors and is a member of the AICPA.
Whether your company is a start-up, a continuing business or a well-established company looking at exit strategies, Joe has the experience to guide you through all the necessary steps. Joe manages and supervises the preparation of all individual and business income tax returns or forms and oversees all financial documents or statements before they are released to the client(s). Joe enjoys working with individuals to navigate the complicated tax law to ensure the best application for their particular circumstances.
Joe has been married for over 30 years to Debbie and enjoys time with their children and grandchildren. He is active in his church and is an avid Nascar and sports enthusiast.
Sandra Kiger, CPA
Senior Accountant
Sandra M Kiger, CPA has worked in public accounting since she graduated with honors from Winsalm Business College with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science with a concentration in accounting in 1979. She passed the CPA exam on her first attempt in 1982. Sandra is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accounts and an honored member of Who’s Who in American Accounting.
Sandra’s years of experience in all aspects of public accounting has given her the opportunity to provide business and tax advice to many long-standing clients who value her input. In addition to individual and business tax services, she has vast experience in training bookkeepers and business owners with the necessary skills to run their business on a day-to-day basis. She is dedicated and wholeheartedly finds fulfillment in serving the client’s needs.
Sandra obtained her 1st Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do in 2014. She enjoys church, spending time with her family, is a familiar face at the YMCA at 5:30 in the morning, and loves outdoor activities.
Gregg Schlaudecker, CLU ChFC
Chartered Financial Consultant & Chartered Life Underwriter
Gregg Schlaudecker was born in Cleveland, Ohio on St Patrick's Day. After graduation, he served all over the globe as an US Army Air Defense Artillery officer. When active duty ended in 1990, he and his wife Susanne settled in Tacoma, Washington where Gregg began his financial planning career with John Hancock.
Conferred the Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter professional designations in 1993, he led the financial services department of a large property casualty brokerage in Cleveland. He went on to found his own financial consulting firm in 1996. He moved to Greensboro in 1998, where he continued his practice. Since 2005, his company, Emerald College Planning has focused on helping high school parents fund college expenses in the most efficient way possible; upper and middle-income families, whether eligible for financial aid or not, can employ a wealth of strategies to reduce their out-of-pocket costs. As past president and board member of the Greensboro Society of Financial Service Professionals, Gregg, his co-chairs and committee have grown a community network of hundreds who are dedicated to nurturing, recognizing and rewarding the highest ethical standards in central North Carolina.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS
Chartered Financial Consultant, The American College, 1993
Chartered Life Underwriter, The American College, 1993
College Doctor, National Institute of Certified College Planners, 2010
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science – Management & English, University of Dayton, 1986
PROFESSIONAL
Society of Financial Service Professionals, Greensboro Chapter, all leadership positions (1998-present)
Director, Better Business Bureau of Central NC (2013-present)
Director, Society of Financial Service Professionals, Philadelphia HQ (2016-present)
Director, Greensboro Foundation For Financial Service Professionals, Inc. (2014-present)
Paul S. Mills Scholar, SFSP
Chair, Piedmont Business Ethics Award (2006-2011)
Greensboro Estate Planning Council
PERSONAL
Married to Susanne for 31 years
Two awesome kids, Jake (Tarheel) & Caitlyn (Wolfpack)
Hobbies: Leveraging technology, replacing paper, making wine
Ryan Gehsmann, AAMS
Investment Advisor Representative
Ryan began his career in the Financial Services Industry right out of college in 2015. Ryan’s passion for helping others through wealth management and financial planning strategies led him to become an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) through the College for Financial Planning in 2016. After five years in the industry Ryan became licensed to prepare tax returns in 2021, then continued on to earn the Enrolled Agent (EA) designation in 2024. Through this acquired knowledge and experience in a range of financial topics, Ryan is able to add more value to his investment clients.
Ryan’s objective is to help clients plan and save for their future in the most effective way possible. He begins this process by discussing his client’s long and short-term goals and objectives, as well as their previous investment and financial experience. Through these comprehensive steps, Ryan can then form customized plans based upon the personal goals and values most important to his clients.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS
Accredited Asset Management Specialist, College for Financial Planning, 2016
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science – Business Administration, University of South Carolina, 2015
PERSONAL
Ryan resides in Greensboro, North Carolina and is an active member in the community. In addition to his career in the Financial Services Industry, Ryan is the Head of Adult Programming with NC Fusion. His role with NC Fusion highlights his love for community, where he hosts and participates in service activities and sporting events such as the Greensboro Lacrosse Classic tournament. He has been involved in youth development projects since 2008 including lawn care, academic mentorship programs, and coaching youth recreational sports. In his free time Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife, Kelsey, their son, Caison, and their daughter, Riley.
Leslie Garner, CFP
Investment Advisor Representative
Live Life in the Black® says Leslie Garner, CFP®, one of Piedmont’s assets when it comes to strategizing and managing one’s personal finances. A graduate of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Garner specialized in finance. Her clients include college professors, medical doctors, and even some struggling working students. Whether you’re about to retire or a first-time home buyer with a growing family, she can help you maximize your goals with a customized investment strategy, big and small.
Garner is a Certified Financial Planner™️ dedicated to helping individuals cultivate a wealthy mindset, that want to garner wealth and be benefactors within their own families and community. In 2017, Leslie Garner and James Byers officially formed an independent financial planning company. Together they are driven by one mission, to help families align sustainable habits with their financial goals.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS
The Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation is a professional certification mark for financial planners conferred by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) in the United States, and by 25 other organizations affiliated with Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), the international owner of the CFP mark outside of the United States.
To receive authorization to use the designation, the candidate must meet education, examination, experience and ethics requirements, and pay an ongoing certification fee. The information relates specifically to CFP certification in the United States.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science – Business Administration, Finance, Emory University, 1996
James Byers, FSCP
Investment Advisor Representative
James Byers attended North Carolina A&T where he earned a BS in Accounting. Upon graduating, he started his career in financial services as a branch manager with Wachovia Bank (now Wells Fargo). However, Byers passion for helping people make well informed financial decisions lead him to pursue the financial specialist role in 2005.
Today Byers helps small businesses and families traverse the financially tumultuous road towards retirement. Byers has had the opportunity to learn from some of the sharpest minds in the financial services industry and takes the lifetime student approach to learning. His ability to connect with clients and their goals paired with his knack for making complex information digestible to any client is what people who work with him appreciate most about him.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS
Financial Services Certified Professional
The FSCP® program covers the critical skills and knowledge to successfully launch your career as a financial services professional or to grow your practice by marketing new products and services. You will learn crucial prospecting and marketing techniques, fundamentals of a wide range of products, how to meet client needs, and how to build a successful business. Taught by industry experts, and reflective of current trends and market realities like social media and regulatory constraints, the practical and relevant skills advisors learn can be applied right away.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science – Accounting, North Carolina A&T University, 2003
Tristen Gadberry
Investment Advisor Representative
One of the things that inspires Tristen is his never-ending desire to improve and constantly be better in life. Whether it’s being a better communicator, father, son, or competitor, there is no end to pursuing greatness. It’s with this passion that he coaches his clients to work towards their own personal definition of financial independence. Whether he is working with clients approaching retirement or others managing student loan and credit card debt, he approaches them with the same degree of specialized focus to find a plan that works towards their own success.
Tristen is passionate about golf, a game that has taught him integrity, sportsmanship, competitiveness and a work ethic that carried over into the everyday aspect of his professional career. When he’s not assisting clients, you can find him on the golf course, playing basketball, or spending time with his family at the beach.
Born and raised in Orange County, California, Tristen graduated from Cal State Fullerton University with a degree in business. He is an Investment Advisor Representative and holds his Series 65 registration. He also holds his Life and Health Insurance License and his Real Estate License.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS
Financial Services Certified Professional
The FSCP® program covers the critical skills and knowledge to successfully launch your career as a financial services professional or to grow your practice by marketing new products and services. You will learn crucial prospecting and marketing techniques, fundamentals of a wide range of products, how to meet client needs, and how to build a successful business. Taught by industry experts, and reflective of current trends and market realities like social media and regulatory constraints, the practical and relevant skills advisors learn can be applied right away.
EDUCATION
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
2004 – 2006
Jared Gibbs
Investment Advisor Representative
Jared Gibbs attended the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where he earned a BS in Finance. During college, he interned at multiple financial institutions, including Adaptfirst Investments, where he had hands-on training with the current Founder & President, Charles Freeman. After graduation, he continued his passion for helping others reach their financial goals by becoming a Mortgage Loan Officer and assisting clients in completing their dream of home ownership and financial freedom.
Whether you're on the brink of retirement or embarking on the journey of buying your first home while nurturing a growing family, he possesses the expertise to assist you in optimizing your objectives through tailored investment strategies, regardless of scale. Jared is dedicated to helping his clients lay the groundwork for their future by implementing meticulous financial planning strategies. He begins this process by conducting comprehensive assessments encompassing Financial Planning, Investments, Tax strategies, Protection strategies, and Estate Planning.
PERSONAL
I am recently married to my high-school sweetheart with our two puppies, Mickey and Nala. In my spare time, I enjoy teaching financial literacy, volunteering at local schools, cooking new recipes, and watching/attending sports events.
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO
Bachelor of Finance and Economics
2021
GUILFORD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Associate of Science - Business Administration and Management
How we work
1
Introduction & Evaluation
Schedule an introductory meeting with Charles or Debbie and share your story. Let us know where you need some help. Then we evaluate your tax return, financial statements, or investment account, to see what’s going on and share how we can be a resource for you and your family.
2
Work In Progress
Whether it is an ongoing monthly bookkeeping or investment management or annual tax preparation. We do the work you need to take the stress out of your life.
3
Communication
Throughout the year, we publish a weekly newsletter with Tax Tips, Investment Insights, Education and Special Events, and much more. Our team is also available for in-person, phone, or video calls. Our goal is to be here for you when you need questions answered so you can have peace of mind when it comes to your financial life.
Balancing Money, Life & Wealth
Our friendly experts are ready to help