Matthew Brandon Shaffstall

Payton Ve Strand is a CFP® certificant and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses, currently serving as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2025, Ve Strand worked at JPMorgan Securities, LLC, and PYA Waltman Capital, LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group and managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

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.

We believe money is a tool and that every person deserves a guide who will help them use it well. With deep respect for our fiduciary calling, we exist to serve individuals and organizations who are ready to understand their finances and take confident steps forward. We call that stewardship: holding what you've been given with care, intentionality, and purpose. Our relationships go beyond numbers. We take time to listen, learn, and help our clients find clarity around what truly matters, then build every decision on that foundation. This honest, human-first approach is at the heart of everything we do. Our comprehensive planning process creates a proactive partnership rooted in accountability. We walk alongside our clients through what we call Momentum Moments - those pivotal times when decisions carry the most weight. Planning to us focuses on our Life, Resources, Protection, and Legacy. By focusing on aligning these facets of your life, we help prepare for important decisions with confidence and courage, so you can move forward without second-guessing yourself. We don't take lightly the trust our clients place in us. We receive it with gratitude and honor it by holding ourselves to a standard of excellence in every interaction, every plan, and every recommendation. The Core Values which drive us: Stewardship - We treat every client's resources as something worth protecting and growing with care. Clarity - We simplify complexity so clients always know where they stand and what comes next. Gratitude - We don't take trust for granted. We receive it humbly and honor it faithfully. Excellence - We hold ourselves to a high standard in every plan, every conversation, and every outcome. Courage - We ask the hard questions, have the honest conversations, and help clients make bold, confident decisions. Our Mission is Empowering Fulfillment + Enhancing Communities Our Vision is to grow organically through a culture of excellence and genuine care - building a Destination Firm where clients and staff alike feel known, supported, and inspired. Along the way, we will make a lasting impact in the communities where we live and serve through volunteering, generosity, and relationships.

Steven King is a financial advisor at ICON Capital Management, LLC in Powell, Tennessee, with 21 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and has been with ICON Capital Management since 1996. ICON Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management, limited financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm is noted for its work with pension and profit-sharing plan clients, including retirement plan consulting and ERISA fiduciary roles.

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.

Hi, I’m Caroline (Murphy) Friedrich CPA, CFP®, a financial planner and founder of Hillvale Wealth Management. Growing up I was always brainstorming business ideas and loved organizing, which led to my first venture, “Caroline’s Closets.” My father, an accounting professor, suggested I become an accountant to organize numbers instead. Today, I organize much more than just closets and numbers – I help people achieve peace of mind through financial planning. A Knoxville native, I earned my accounting degree and master’s in taxation from the University of Tennessee. After graduation, I moved to New York City and spent a decade in public accounting at PwC and EY, reviewing thousands of personal tax returns as a CPA.  I then transitioned into wealth management, working at firms in Chicago and Knoxville, before launching Hillvale Wealth Management. Our Mission Many people leave meetings with financial advisors feeling overwhelmed by investment jargon and economic updates. When I transitioned into wealth management, I noticed a strong emphasis on investments, often at the expense of tax planning and client education. Leveraging my unique expertise in financial planning, investments, and tax strategies, I founded Hillvale Wealth Management to offer personalized recommendations tailored to your goals. My mission is to provide clients with clarity, understanding, and confidence in their financial decisions.