John Wilmer Ellard

My why in life...I exist to encourage and inspire the lives of others through the Art of Generosity. As a Financial Advisor at Sentara Capital, I partner with affluent families, business owners, professionals, and retirees to navigate complex financial decisions with clarity and confidence. My focus is helping clients make the transition from accumulation to distribution — and then moving intentionally toward maximizing their legacy and generosity. What sets our approach apart is the combination of active portfolio management using individual stocks and ETFs, paired with proactive tax planning strategies that keep more of what you've built working for you. After 17+ years in financial services — including roles at Wells Fargo, Truist, and Regions Bank — I made the move to the independent RIA space to operate as a true fiduciary. No quotas. No activity metrics. Just quality relationships and creative solutions built around what matters most to you. I graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Business Finance. Beyond client work, I'm passionate about the adoption community. My wife Christina and I live in Woodstock, Georgia with our 11 children. When I'm not in the office, you'll find me running, watching football, or trying not to pull a hammy playing Ultimate Frisbee with F3. (Any guesses why my F3 nickname is Myrtle? 🐢) Sentara Capital serves individual clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other business clients by providing comprehensive financial planning, investment consultation, and portfolio management. The firm utilizes six primary investment models combining core allocations with tactical and quantitative strategies, and it regularly offers educational workshops on financial topics.

Jackson Edmiston is a financial advisor with Bison Wealth, LLC in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Northwestern Mutual in wealth management, investment services, and life insurance. Outside of finance, he was involved with Sharon Springs Baseball for five years. Bison Wealth serves individuals, high net worth clients, family offices, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, portfolio management, curated model portfolios, and ERISA retirement plan services. The firm’s investment approach centers on outcome-focused, multi-manager model portfolios that combine tactical and strategic allocations across liquid and private-market strategies, as well as offering specialized overlay and third-party manager solutions.

Simon partners with successful individuals to deliver solutions across banking, credit, investments, and planning. Beyond just portfolios, Simon advises clients on business ownership and transitions, family governance, philanthropy, and other aspects of wealth that have often have a greater and longer-lasting impact than performance. Before joining Bank of America Private Bank, he was an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

Charles Steele is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with 20 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked at Kestra Advisory, Kestra Investment Services, and Cambridge Investment Research prior to founding Steele Advisory LLC. Steele is also a licensed insurance agent, spending a limited amount of time on insurance sales and implementation. Steele Financial Studios provides discretionary investment management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, and plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes fundamental analysis and a long-term investment approach, incorporating low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and unaffiliated independent managers, with a notable focus on pension and retirement plan consulting.

Gregory Smarr is a financial advisor with Smarr Financial Services Inc. in Atlanta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 21 years of industry experience. He has led his independent firm since 2004. Outside of his advisory work, he is licensed to sell various insurance products including life, fixed annuities, and property and casualty insurance through multiple carriers. Smarr Financial Services, Inc. provides financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs a fundamental investment approach combining long-term buy-and-hold strategies with selective short-term trading, managing a diverse portfolio that includes equities, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, fixed income, alternatives, and options.

Robert Jetmundsen is the principal of Worthscape, LLC in Atlanta, GA, where he has been providing advisory services since 2006. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 16 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in several entrepreneurial ventures, including serving as president of Bobbo Aviation and Raj Holdings, owning a publishing company, and managing a motor yacht charter business. He also serves on the board of L2C, Inc. Worthscape offers discretionary portfolio management primarily to individuals, trusts, and estates, including high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach focuses on concentrated portfolios of U.S. common stocks supplemented by other securities and employs both fundamental and technical analysis, with occasional use of active trading strategies and derivatives.