Columbus, GA N Lake Dr Office

Gina Hall is a financial advisor at Merrill with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at both Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Incorporated and Bank of America, N.A. since 2011 and 2012, respectively. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as an executor in a fiduciary capacity. 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, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Rembert Houser is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he develops personalized financial strategies tailored to clients’ individual goals, leveraging investment insights from Merrill and banking solutions from Bank of America to address changing market conditions. Rembert holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Georgia. Committed to community involvement, he participates in local volunteer organizations aligned with Merrill's tradition of service.

Alexander Ballard is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He provides financial guidance focused on areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, employee financial health, liquidity management, and personal retirement and income planning. Alexander holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master of Business Administration from Samford University. He has earned several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). His approach centers on building strong, lasting relationships and leveraging the resources available through Merrill Lynch and Bank of America to support clients’ financial goals. Outside of his advisory role, Alexander is involved with St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.

Whitney Shackelford is a financial advisor at Merrill with 20 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. She has been with Merrill since 1997, totaling 29 years at the firm. 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.

Jason Kelly is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works with a diverse range of clients including individuals, businesses, endowments, foundations, and non-profits, providing services related to retirement planning, investment consulting, and wealth management. He focuses on connecting all aspects of a client’s financial life to prioritize and pursue their most important goals. With over 40 years of combined experience from the Houser Kelly Group, Jason and his team emphasize understanding the unique economic and life situations of each client. Their expertise covers divorce transition planning, institutional investment consulting, services for defined benefit and defined contribution plans, managing new wealth, and retirement income planning. Jason holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Columbus State University and professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, Jason engages in various personal interests such as baseball, basketball, fishing, football, golfing, tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

David Hancock is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been serving clients since 2014. He specializes in advising business owners, entrepreneurs, retirees, and affluent families on various aspects of their financial lives, including retirement income planning, generational wealth transfer, estate planning, and concentrated stock strategies. David collaborates with clients' legal and accounting professionals to develop comprehensive wealth management plans that align with their personal, professional, and charitable priorities. David earned a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Samford University's Brock School of Business. Before joining Merrill Lynch, he worked as a Certified Public Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He holds several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). David and his wife, Halley, live in Columbus, Georgia, with their four children. He is actively involved in his community, serving on the boards of Clement Arts and Lantern Vision. His personal interests include reading, spending time with family, and playing tennis.

Archie Morris III is a financial advisor with Merrill in Columbus, GA, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 credentials and 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 1982 and affiliated with Bank of America, N.A. since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a small agricultural operation managing a few cows on his farm. Merrill serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, third-party manager selection, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage execution. The firm utilizes multiple program strategy types and emphasizes tax-efficient investment capabilities, supported by integration with Bank of America affiliates and a comprehensive capital-markets platform.

Averett Flory is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He assists clients in handling their financial lives with greater clarity and ease, helping them accomplish their financial goals through personalized wealth management strategies. His approach is grounded in understanding each client's full financial picture to develop strategies that align with their long-term objectives. Flory's expertise includes college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, and retirement income. He was inspired to enter the financial advising profession by his father, who is the senior partner on their team, after observing the positive impact his father has had on clients' lives. Averett holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) designation and is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Georgia. Averett is also engaged in community activities, continuing the tradition of participation that is a core part of Merrill's values.

John Flory is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the founder and leader of the Flory Group, a wealth management team based in Columbus. He provides personalized service, disciplined investment management, and objective advice to affluent individuals and privately held businesses throughout the southeast. John focuses on building and enhancing meaningful relationships with clients and their families. John began his wealth management career in 1996 at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. His expertise covers a broad range of areas including college education planning, employee benefits planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, and retirement income. His approach addresses the entirety of clients' financial lives, including retirement and estate planning services, tax minimization strategies, legacy planning services, and risk management strategies. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Hampden-Sydney College and holds professional designations as a CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). John and his wife Katharine live in Columbus with their four children. Outside of work, he enjoys boating, fishing, football, hunting, and traveling.

S Jay Parker serves as the Senior Resident Director for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Columbus, Georgia. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1998 and has been with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management since 2006. In his role, Jay provides guidance to clients on wealth accumulation, preservation, income planning, and wealth transfer by developing individually customized wealth management strategies. Jay holds several professional designations, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., as well as the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Auburn University. Residing in Columbus with his wife and two daughters, Jay is involved in his community as an active board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley and serves on the board for Pedaling for Kids. He and his family are members of St. Paul United Methodist Church.

Shonalee Gamble is a financial advisor at Merrill with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Her prior roles include positions at Allstate Insurance Company and Aflac, Inc. 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 serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party teams.

Robert Piper is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Columbus, GA. He focuses on retirement planning and wealth management, assisting clients in developing strategies to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals. His client focus areas include liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income. Robert provides ongoing advice and guidance, adapting to his clients' evolving needs, and can connect them to additional resources such as banking, credit, lending, and small business solutions through Bank of America specialists. Robert holds a Bachelor's Degree from Auburn University and has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) professional designations. He emphasizes understanding what is important to his clients and their families to help create personalized financial strategies. Outside of his professional work, Robert has interests in basketball, cooking, and woodworking.

Lisa Steppe is a financial advisor at Merrill with 32 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. since 1999. Steppe holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. 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 to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Archie Morris IV is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with five years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Merrill in Columbus, GA. His prior professional background includes roles at Surgical Care Affiliates and several other organizations before joining Bank of America and Merrill in 2021. He also serves as an executor and successor trustee in a fiduciary capacity outside of his advisory role. 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, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Gavin Burrage is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in personal retirement planning, tax minimization, and retirement income strategies. He works with individuals and families to develop comprehensive financial plans tailored to their unique goals and circumstances. Gavin holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. He earned his bachelor's degree from Jacksonville State University. His approach emphasizes thoughtful planning and long-term collaboration to help clients make confident, informed financial decisions. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Gavin enjoys camping, fishing, golfing, hunting, running, spending time with his family, and traveling.