Johnson City, TN Princeton Rd Office

Jay Conkin is a financial advisor with Merrill in Johnson City, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill and Bank of America in 2024, he worked in education for several years, including at Sullivan County Schools and Kingsport City Schools. 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.

Sawyer Sams is a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and a member of the Smith Conkin Dixon Wealth Management Group. He and his team focus on developing personalized wealth strategies that leverage Merrill's investment and planning resources along with Bank of America's banking and lending capabilities. Their services encompass family wealth management, legacy planning, retirement planning, philanthropic planning, and portfolio management for clients across multiple states. Before joining Merrill, Sawyer gained experience at a smaller wealth and investment management firm in Charlotte, NC, where he led the investment committee and managed asset allocation and trading activities. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) certification. Sawyer graduated from Furman University with a bachelor's degree in economics. Sawyer resides in Johnson City, TN, and is active in his community through involvement with First Christian Church and the Milligan University CFA Research Team. Outside of work, he enjoys basketball, cooking, football, pickleball, and spending time with his family.

Crystal Bright is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since joining the firm in 2004, she has focused on developing and analyzing portfolio strategies and identifying specialized opportunities to build customized portfolios. She is responsible for investment analysis and recommendations serving more than 400 families and businesses. Crystal also manages trust and philanthropic planning for clients, supporting charitable and community growth by integrating this planning into client investments. She holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master of Business Administration from East Tennessee State University. Crystal has earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) professional designations. Crystal is involved in her community, volunteering with Girls Inc. of Johnson City/Washington County. Her personal interests include boating, fishing, golfing, reading, running, spending time with family, traveling, and watching movies.

Alvin Gills III is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in Pasadena. He has been serving in the financial services industry since 1994 and has been with Merrill Lynch since 1998. Alvin holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management with a minor in Finance from Christopher Newport University and has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation. Alvin works with individuals, families, and business owners at all stages of the business cycle, assisting with various financial areas including retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and employee benefits planning. He takes a long-term and personalized approach by evaluating each client's unique financial needs and risk tolerance, aiming to provide thoughtful guidance tailored to their current situations and aspirations. Outside of his professional work, Alvin is a retired Head Varsity Softball Coach at Arcadia High School. He enjoys spending time with his family and engaging in outdoor activities such as fishing and working around his property.

Christopher Bulle is an Assistant Vice President and Financial Advisor with the Smith Conkin Dixon Wealth Management Group, recognized by Forbes in 2026 as a Top 5 Best-in-State Wealth Management Team in Tennessee. He focuses on delivering comprehensive financial stewardship tailored to high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners, addressing the complexities inherent to significant wealth. His approach integrates Merrill's global investment platform with Bank of America's banking and liquidity solutions to create cohesive, fully integrated financial strategies. His professional expertise encompasses small business strategies, women and wealth, as well as sports and entertainment sectors. Christopher applies a 360-degree planning approach that aligns investments, balance-sheet strategies, liquidity, and long-term objectives. His career experiences include working in London, Washington, D.C., and New York City, providing him with a broad perspective on the needs of successful clients. Christopher holds a Bachelor's Degree from East Tennessee State University and is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Additionally, he has served as a board member on the NEThub Advisory Board.

Kimberly Bailey is a financial advisor at Merrill with 26 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill Lynch since 1999, also holding a position with Bank of America since 2011. Merrill, along 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 a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Daniel Emmel is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He offers a comprehensive approach to wealth management, focusing on understanding each client's family, financial situation, and priorities. By creating personalized strategies, Daniel aims to help clients pursue their long-term goals while adapting to changing market conditions. He provides access to Merrill’s investment insights and Bank of America's banking and lending solutions to address various aspects of clients’ financial lives. Daniel’s client focus areas include college education planning, divorce transition planning, institutional and corporate benefit services, and managing new wealth, among others. He holds professional designations as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned a Bachelor's Degree from East Tennessee State University. In addition to his professional work, Daniel follows the Merrill tradition of community involvement and spends time volunteering with local organizations. His personal interests include reading, watching movies, and writing.

John Kimmons is the Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor, focusing on wealth and investment planning for clients in pre-retirement and retirement stages. He leads and oversees his team's operations within Merrill. John has experience assisting executives with managing concentrated stock positions and navigating significant transition events such as retirement, inheritance, or the sale of a business. He provides access to Bank of America Private Bank's trust and estate planning services, credit, lending, and overall banking convenience. Additionally, he collaborates with clients' outside attorneys, accountants, and other professional advisors to coordinate financial and legacy plans. His expertise encompasses college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, tax minimization, and retirement income. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from East Tennessee State University and a High School Diploma from Lynchburg Christian Academy. John has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of work, John enjoys baseball, hiking, music, spending time with his family, and traveling.

Lisa Mcgovern is a financial advisor at Merrill with 29 years of industry experience. She has held her current role since 1989, working exclusively with Merrill Lynch and its successor entities. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. 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 supported by internal and third-party managers, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Tangneka Smith is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and 1 year of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2014. Merrill, along 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 using model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal teams and third-party managers.

Frank Tinsley is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he provides financial advice and services to clients, helping them manage their wealth and financial planning needs. Specific details about his experience, areas of expertise, education, credentials, personal interests, and community involvement have not been provided.

Jason Conkin is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been with Merrill since 1994 and serves as a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Merrill Investment Advisory Program. In this role, Jason builds and manages personalized or defined investment strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment options. He also has the capability to manage client assets on a discretionary basis and collaborates with other Merrill Advisors to extend his strategies to their clients. Jason focuses on helping clients navigate significant transition events such as retirement, inheritance, or business sales, while also coordinating with clients’ attorneys, accountants, and other advisors to align financial and legacy strategies. Jason holds a Bachelor's Degree from East Tennessee State University and maintains professional designations including Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®). His client focus areas include corporate executive services, education planning, endowment and nonprofit services, legacy planning, retirement planning and income, philanthropic planning, portfolio management, and tax minimization. Outside of his professional work, Jason resides in Jonesborough, Tennessee, with his wife Becky and their two sons. The family is actively involved in their community and supports Central Baptist Church of Johnson City. Jason’s personal interests include baseball, basketball, boating, football, golfing, hiking, and reading.

Frank Luton is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He provides financial advisory services within this organization. Frank holds a Bachelor's Degree from Emory & Henry College.

Leshae Tyson is a financial advisor at Merrill with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and manages event logistics for WOMENS INFINITY NETWORK (WIN) EVENTS AND TRAVEL LLC. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering both model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of individual and institutional clients.