Top advisors focused on liquidity event planning in Alabama

Dustin Woodham is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds a Series 66 designation and has 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Cetera Investment Advisors LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC, and Regions Bank since 2014. Cetera Investment Advisers serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and retirement-plan clients through a network of over 6,800 independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, utilizing a combination of advisor-managed accounts, firm-sponsored model portfolios, and third-party managed solutions.

James Harris III is a financial advisor at Stifel in Birmingham, AL, with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Stifel since 2015. His prior experience includes roles at Sterne Agee Leach Inc. and AIG Sunamerica Capital Services, Inc. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, providing both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to support asset allocation, retirement, and estate planning analyses.

Stephen Dunbar III is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Atlanta, GA, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 2010, previously associated with AXA Advisors, LLC during the same period. Outside of advising, he writes a monthly financial column for Kiplinger and is involved as an owner and investor in a family-run baking business. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and third-party asset managers. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model that combines advisory and brokerage services tailored to clients’ goals, risk tolerance, and time horizons.

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.

Gavin Taylor is a Series 66 licensed advisor with Primerica Advisors, based in Chipley, FL, and has four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company and spent seven years with the Department of Defense, where he also worked part-time as an engineer. He is a partner in GCK Family Enterprises, LLC. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering brokerage and advisory services alongside financial planning and retirement consulting. The firm employs a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supports various account-level services such as lending solutions and donor-advised funds.

Andrew Grombala is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in serving corporate executives and high-earning professionals with complex compensation structures, including equity awards. Andrew works closely with clients to understand their personal and financial goals and helps them pursue lasting financial success. Since entering the industry in 2017, Andrew has built experience in guiding clients through liquidity events, tax-efficient strategies, and long-term planning aligned with their personal and professional objectives. His expertise includes managing restricted stock units, stock options, employee stock purchase plans, deferred compensation, and performance awards. He emphasizes reducing tax drag, managing concentration risk, and aligning equity compensation with goals-based wealth strategies through a structured, plan-first approach. Andrew holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 registrations and is licensed in Accident & Health, Life, and Variable Insurance. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he participated in football and lacrosse. He resides in Anderson Township with his wife and two children. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, spending time at the family lake house, and staying active through CrossFit.

Eric Bravo is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2007. He is based in Santa Maria, CA. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Perrin Berry is a financial advisor at Apollon Wealth Management, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 license and has worked at Apollon Wealth Management since 2022. His prior roles include positions at Crisp Event Rentals, Modern Woodmen, and the Secretary of State’s Office. Apollon Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive advisory services and combines centralized investment strategies with local portfolio oversight, integrating both fundamental and tactical approaches alongside tax-aware tools.

James Van Nice is a Benefits & Planning Consultant specializing in Executive Services. In this role, he partners with executives to help them understand their employer benefits and develop plans to work towards their financial goals. James has professional experience as an Investment Solutions Representative III at Fidelity Investments from 2023 to 2025 and as an Investment Solutions Representative II at Fidelity Investments from 2022 to 2023. Prior to that, he worked at Merrill Lynch as an Investment Solutions Representative I from 2021 to 2022 and as a Financial Advisor from 2018 to 2019. Outside of his professional work, James engages in fishing, fitness, golf, running, and volunteering.

Skylar Simpson is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Meridian Wealth Management with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Meridian, Skylar worked for two years at Bonaventure and spent ten years at KS & S Design, LLC. Meridian Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities, offering investment management, financial planning, consulting, and pension services. The firm emphasizes diversified asset allocation using ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, with a small team structure that supports a concentrated client servicing model.