Top advisors focused on charitable giving tax strategies in Georgia

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill in multiple capacities since 2011, with brief stints at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities in 2022. Merrill serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage services. The firm employs a range of program strategies and manager-constructed portfolios, with oversight from its CIO and platform management, and leverages its affiliation with Bank of America to support trading, lending, and capital markets activities.

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked in education for eight years. Outside of advising, Kristin is an author and publisher of a basketball coaching notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base with a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies across various account types and investment vehicles.

Claxton West is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2017. Prior to that, he was employed at the University of Georgia and Aflac. West has a 35% ownership interest in a trucking and logistics business called Big Red and serves as a finance committee member at Madison Baptist Church. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related products and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Kelsey Mc Knight is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Commerce, GA, holding a Series 66 designation with three years of industry experience. Kelsey has been with Edward Jones since 2013. 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. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and operates through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Thomas Mason is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Corient with nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fisher Investments and AssuredPartners Investment Advisors. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm uses a team-based investment model to create customized, goals-based asset allocations and integrates risk management through factor models, stress testing, and manager due diligence.

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Mark Kebodeaux is a financial advisor at Meridian Wealth Management, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked for First Financial for 10 years before joining Meridian in 2023. Kebodeaux holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Meridian Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing equities, ETFs, mutual funds, fixed income, and alternative investments with ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.

Tyler Brough is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with Edward Jones, where he has worked for 10 years. He is based in Sandy, UT. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Mark Petro is the sole advisor at Lakeland Investor Services, Inc. in Conneaut Lake, PA, holding a Series 66 credential with 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Lakeland Investor Services since 2002 and also serves as president of Lakeland Insurance Services, LLC, which manages insurance sales and related business operations. Lakeland Investor Services, Inc. provides fee-based wealth advisory and investment management services along with financial planning and one-time consultations. The firm serves individuals, small non-profits, small businesses, and retirement plan sponsors, constructing portfolios tailored to clients’ risk tolerances and time horizons while employing tools such as Monte Carlo simulation and offering fiduciary advice for qualified plans.

Kaylin Olster is a financial advisor at Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors, LP, holding a Series 65 designation. She has been with Schneider Downs since 2024 and has prior experience at Corient and Odyssey Capital Advisors. Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors serves individuals, trustees, pension plans, charitable organizations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm employs a process-driven investment approach that includes manager research, risk-tolerance review, and individualized portfolio construction, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management with diversified portfolios and tax-aware services.