Top financial advisors working with educators, teachers, and academics in Alabama

Dustin Woodham is a financial advisor at Cetera with 18 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has been with Cetera Investment Advisors LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC, and Regions Bank since 2014. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that serves individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, operating a multi-manager platform that includes model portfolios, third-party managers, and bespoke strategies.

James Harris III is a financial advisor at Stifel with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Stifel since 2015. Stifel serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is based on a proprietary methodology that uses forward-looking capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling to support asset allocation and financial planning.

Leslie Layne is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Hoover, AL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. She has seven years of experience at Edward Jones following previous roles at PRUCO Securities and The Prudential Insurance Company of America, as well as ten years at State Farm Insurance and its management corporation. Leslie has served as a panelist in a FINRA dispute resolution arbitration case in Alabama. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 advisors.

John Mott is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His career includes roles at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Co. Outside of advising, he is involved in managing a family limited partnership and operates Mott Farms. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Thomas Leland is a financial advisor with Southeast Asset Advisors, LLC in Mobile, Alabama, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Southeast Asset Advisors since 2015 and serves as a Principal of the firm. Mr. Leland is involved with an affiliate, Conifer Advisors, LLC, which manages private funds including the Conifer Funds. Southeast Asset Advisors provides wealth management and consulting services to individuals, family offices, endowments, foundations, and institutional clients. The firm manages both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios with a range of investment options and acts as a private fund adviser through Conifer Advisors, overseeing multiple private funds and pooled vehicles.

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and has an academic background from NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing managed account services within a fiduciary framework, including acting as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Kevin Harper is a CFP® with 29 years of experience in the financial industry, currently serving at RFG Advisory, LLC since 2015. He has prior experience with Private Client Services and LPL Financial. Outside of advisory work, he is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, which manages commercial real estate. RFG Advisory is a multi-team registered investment adviser with approximately 178 advisors managing about $8 billion for over 17,000 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth households, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional accounts. The firm employs a mix of actively managed and passive strategies, direct indexing, and tax-aware approaches, and is notable for its sub-advisory role with the Bluemonte family of ETFs.

Jacob Heinz is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charlotte, NC, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His previous positions include roles at Fidelity Investments and E*TRADE Capital Management. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of thousands of financial advisors and branch offices.

Robert Ouimet is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently advising at Lincoln Investment. His prior experience includes roles at Capital Analysts, Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., and Russell Investments. He also assists clients with evaluating insurance-based products as part of his advisory services. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a particular focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and retirement plan advice, utilizing both strategic and dynamic investment approaches and managing approximately $22.9 billion in advisory assets.

Marne De Santis is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Fort Washington, PA, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Lincoln Investment in 2019, she worked at Rice Financial Products Company, CV Brokerage, Valdes & Moreno, Bluestone Capital Management, and Dautrich Seiler Financial Services. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan advice, and a range of managed portfolio programs, employing both strategic and tactical investment approaches overseen by an investment management and research team.