Augusta, GA Broad St Office

James Bradford is a Senior Financial Advisor specializing in personalized wealth management strategies at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on creating flexible financial plans tailored to clients' unique goals and changing market conditions, leveraging the investment insights of Merrill and the banking and lending solutions of Bank of America. James holds a Bachelor's Degree from Augusta College and has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He follows the Merrill tradition of community involvement and dedicates time to volunteering with local organizations. His approach centers on working one-on-one with clients to develop financial strategies designed to help pursue their long-term goals.

Douglas Graves is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has 18 years of experience in the financial services industry and joined Merrill in 2018. He specializes in areas such as college education planning, education planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. Douglas holds a Bachelor's Degree from Augusta State University and a Master's Degree from Boston University. He is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and is committed to working one-on-one with clients to develop personalized financial strategies aimed at helping them pursue their long-term goals. A native of Augusta, Georgia, Douglas participates in community organizations and enjoys personal interests including baseball, golfing, photography, traveling, and watching movies.

David Van Lenten is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in creating personalized wealth management strategies that align with clients' long-term financial goals. His approach involves a thorough understanding of each client's complete financial picture and utilizes resources from Merrill and Bank of America to offer investment insights, banking convenience, and lending solutions. David's expertise encompasses college education planning, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, socially responsible and values-based investing, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income strategies. He leads a defined process that includes collaboration with specialists in portfolio development, liability management, and asset preservation to ensure a reliable lifetime retirement income stream. His team, VCH & Associates, focuses on understanding clients' current wealth and future objectives to use wealth effectively in achieving their goals. David holds a Bachelor's Degree from Clemson University and several professional designations, including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, he spends time volunteering with community organizations and enjoys baseball, football, golfing, music, tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Meredith Guedry is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with fifteen years of experience in the financial industry. She works closely with affluent, multi-generational families and businesses, focusing on areas such as executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, small business strategies, and tax minimization. Meredith is dedicated to creating meaningful, lifelong client relationships by developing customized long-term financial strategies based on clients' personal goals. Meredith graduated from the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of North Carolina. She holds the Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) professional designations. She is involved in several professional and leadership organizations, including the Women's Junior League of Augusta, Leadership Augusta Class of 2019, and North Augusta Leadership Class of 2017. She is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Augusta Chapter. Community involvement is an important part of Meredith's practice. She supports various local organizations such as Communities in Schools, Golden Harvest, Jessye Norman School of the Arts, Kids in the Kitchen, ReStart Augusta, Ronald McDonald House in Augusta, and Turn Back the Block. Meredith lives in Martinez, Georgia, with her husband, Ryan, and their two sons, William and Alexander.

John Whitwell is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. With over 19 years of industry experience, he focuses on helping clients make informed investment decisions to enable them to spend time on what matters most to them. His approach includes customizing financial plans that address common concerns, such as the risk of outliving one's money. John's expertise encompasses family wealth management strategies, investment consulting for defined contribution plans, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income. He also emphasizes retirement plans for businesses, analyzing their structure and advising on strategies to maximize benefits for business owners and employees. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Hamilton College and professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). John applies the discipline and work ethic from his experience as a former professional hockey player to his advisory role. He also participates in community volunteer activities aligned with Merrill's tradition of community involvement.

Brian O'Shea is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He leads The O'Shea Team, a group of experienced professionals focused on helping families make informed financial decisions to support a comfortable and fulfilling life both now and in retirement. Brian emphasizes understanding each client's unique perspective on work, time, and money to develop personalized financial strategies. His expertise includes college education planning, family wealth management strategies, institutional and corporate benefit services, investment consulting for defined contribution plans, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income. Brian holds several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Brian earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Connecticut. He integrates the resources of Merrill and Bank of America to provide clients with comprehensive investment management and banking solutions. Outside of work, Brian enjoys basketball, billiards, golfing, racquetball, tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

John Goodwin is a financial advisor with Merrill in Augusta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 1991 and has concurrently worked at Bank of America, NA since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he holds power of attorney for a personal entity in Evans, Georgia. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm combines internal and third-party management teams to implement asset allocation and trading, with options tailored for tax-sensitive investors.

John Ellinger serves as a Client Experience Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates with Merrill clients to assess their current financial situations and introduces solutions available through Merrill and Bank of America. His work focuses on equipping clients with the knowledge and tools necessary to manage their financial lives and select platforms that align with their needs. John holds the Professional Investment Advisor (PIA) designation, underscoring his commitment to the financial advising profession. His educational background includes a High School Diploma from North Augusta High School and an Associate's Degree from Tri-County Technical College.

Bennett Yort is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Augusta, Georgia. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 2002 and has over 18 years of experience in the financial services industry, including banking, investments, and trust services. Bennett holds professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC). He completed his bachelor's degree in Economics at Williams College in 1984 and graduated as class president from Southern Trust School in Mobile, Alabama in 1998. Bennett focuses on family wealth management strategies, investment consulting for defined contribution plans, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income. He works closely with clients to develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their long-term goals. Bennett is also active in his community, serving on the boards of the Family YMCA of Greater Augusta, Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA, and Good Vocations, Inc., where he is chair. He is an elder and member of Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church.

William Bottomley is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works with affluent clients, closely-held businesses, and national franchise chains to establish quantifiable goals and develop customized strategies to manage investments and liabilities. William has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1999. He holds a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and completed his education at Richmond Academy with a High School Diploma/GED. Additionally, William has served on several charitable boards at both local and national levels.

Laura Kanagy is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2012. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and operates Chaos Confections, a home bakery based in Windsor, South Carolina. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Meredith Herrington is a financial advisor at Merrill with 12 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and is based in Augusta, GA. Herrington has worked at Merrill since 2014. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Amy Corbitt is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She began her career in financial services in 1998 and has since built a practice focused on trust, personalized guidance, and long-term client relationships. In 2014, she joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she serves clients with comprehensive wealth management strategies tailored to individual circumstances and goals. In 2023, Amy helped establish OCB & Associates, a wealth management team that emphasizes collaboration to assist individuals, families, and business owners with investment management, retirement planning, wealth preservation, and legacy creation. Amy holds a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. She earned a Bachelor's Degree from Liberty University and attended Christopher Newport University and Armstrong Atlantic State University without degree conferral. Her client focus areas include college education planning, liquidity management, retirement income, portfolio management, and specialization in serving women and wealth. In addition to her professional work, Amy serves on the board of the Augusta Sports Council and is involved with The Lydia Project. She resides in North Augusta with her family and enjoys running, participating in fit camp, traveling, cooking, gardening, reading, and yoga.

Brett Wilson is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since joining Merrill Lynch in 2012, he has focused on developing strategies for high-net-worth individuals, their families, and businesses to help them pursue both short and long-term financial goals. He creates customized wealth management plans designed to help clients navigate the road to and through retirement, addressing concerns such as outliving their money through problem-solving financial strategies. With experience in the financial services industry since 2009, Brett offers expertise in areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, legacy planning, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and managing new wealth. He holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™ (CRPS), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Brett earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics and Commerce from Hampden-Sydney College. Brett is involved in his community through volunteer work with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Augusta. Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys fishing, football, hunting, and spending time with his family.

Raziyah Williams is a financial advisor with Merrill in Augusta, GA, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Bank of America and LPL Financial. Outside of finance, she manages a cleaning services company, Running Things Cleaning Services, and owns businesses organizing self-development retreats and coordinating travel services. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.