Top advisors focused on educators, teachers, and academics in Arkansas

Marshall Butler is a Series 66-registered financial advisor at Paladin Investment Advisors with eight years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms including Veritas Independent Partners, Pinnacle Wealth Management, and Edward Jones. Butler is a part owner of Pinnacle Consultants, where he is involved in the sale of insurance products. Paladin Investment Advisors provides customized investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, business owners, nonprofit charities, foundations, and sponsors of ERISA-qualified retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $49.5 million in discretionary assets and employs a holistic wealth management approach using active, passive, or blended strategies.

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.

Brete Garland is a financial advisor at Stephens with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Stephens and its affiliates since 2019, with prior experience at Voya Financial Advisors and related entities from 2014 to 2019. Stephens provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, pension plans, and public entities, offering a range of investment and consulting solutions supported by centralized committees, in-house research, and affiliations with internal managers.

Lawrence Chance is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He employs a disciplined process to deliver a consistent yet customized wealth management experience, focusing on fully understanding each client’s unique values and priorities before making financial recommendations. Larry works closely with clients to establish objectives and develop strategies that integrate all aspects of their financial lives, regularly reviewing progress and adjusting plans as personal or business circumstances change. Larry holds several professional certifications, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., as well as the Certified Investment Management Analyst® and Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designations awarded by the Investments & Wealth Institute™. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Texas Tech University in 1986 and a Master of Science in Industrial Administration from Purdue University in 1987. Outside of his professional work, Larry is active in Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock. His personal interests include camping, fishing, hunting, and traveling.

Donna Toombs is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has worked with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and was previously with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a trustee for a family trust in Big Sandy, Texas. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that serves individuals, trusts, and institutions. The firm offers a broad range of financial planning and investment services, including specialized planning for business owners, sports and entertainment professionals, and clients with special needs.

Arjun Swarup is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Frisco, TX. He holds a Series 66 designation and has recently entered the industry with experience beginning in 2023, including time at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Prior to his advisory roles, he completed his studies at NYU College of Arts and Sciences. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA retirement plan relationships. The firm provides both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management through various managed account options under a fiduciary standard.

Kevin Harper is a CFP® professional with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at RFG Advisory, LLC since 2015. He has previously worked with Private Client Services and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of LHP Capital LLC, where he assists with buying and managing commercial real estate. RFG Advisory is an enterprise registered investment adviser serving individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, ERISA retirement plans, and other institutional clients. The firm combines active and passive investment strategies across various platforms and acts as a sub-adviser to a multi-ETF suite, offering a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Rebecka Kennedy is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Olympia, WA. She holds the Series 66 designation and began her advisory career at Edward Jones in 2024. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in education with North Thurston Public Schools and Corpus Christi Independent School District. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Marne De Santis is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 33 years of industry experience. She has held roles at several firms including Rice Financial Products Company, CV Brokerage, Valdes & Moreno, Bluestone Capital Management, and Dautrich Seiler Financial Services. Her credentials include Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Lincoln Investment is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer managing approximately $18.9 billion in assets through a network of nearly 900 advisors. The firm serves individuals, employers, retirement plan participants, charitable organizations, corporations, and other registered investment advisers, offering financial planning, custom and model portfolios, third-party management access, and ERISA retirement plan advice.

Lindsey Egan is a financial advisor at EFS Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including First Republic Securities Company and Cambridge Investment Research. Egan is also the sole owner of Women Who Explore, a community offering outdoor adventures and group travel for women. EFS Advisors provides investment advisory and financial consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, business entities, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a client-centric suitability scoring system to recommend portfolios and offers continuous supervisory management with quarterly performance reviews conducted by an in-house Advisory Committee.