Parsec Financial - Wealth Management - Asheville NC, Charlotte NC

Bart made his first investment at age 12 and has since gained more than 53 years of investing experience. Bart founded Parsec Financial in 1980 and has been featured in a variety of national publications, such as Worth, Wall Street Transcript and Medical Economics magazines. He has appeared as an investment and financial planning commentator on the ABC Good Morning America program and the Fox television network, and was recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal. He is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Arizona State University.

Prior to joining Parsec in 2003, Bill led the private client services division for a Chicago-based regional bank. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA North Carolina Society. Bill graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in finance, and studied management and economics abroad at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. He earned an MBA from DePaul University in Chicago, IL, that included visiting the Czech Republic to study the privatization of state owned firms. He graduated with honors from the BAI Graduate School of Banking held at Madison, WI.

Before joining Parsec in 1996, Rick was an investment representative for Shearson Lehman Brothers. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He also is an active member of the Asheville Rotary Club. In addition to earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in finance from Western Michigan University, the Michigan native studied abroad at the University of Leicester in Leicester, England. His focus overseas was a European economic seminar that examined the Euro as common currency.

Tracy joined Parsec in 2008. Prior to joining Parsec, she spent 13 years with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., most recently as a manager of Charlotte's South Park office. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and a member of the Financial Planning Association. Since January of 2011, Tracy has been a member of Mecklenburg County's Stewardship Advisory Committee. A Texas native, Tracy has lived in Charlotte since 1992. She received her BA in English from Southern Methodist University and an MA in English from University of Toledo.

Travis returned home to join Parsec in 2012. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA North Carolina Society. Previously he had worked as an Analyst with Wells Fargo Advisors and as a Client Service Associate with Edelman Financial Services. He holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also served as Co-Captain of the Carolina Boxing Club his senior year.

Michael has incorporated retirement and investment services, personal and corporate trust services, and residential and commercial lending during his career in the financial industry. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and has earned the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers. He holds both graduate and undergraduate degrees from Western Carolina University and provides community service through local board participation.

Aaron joined Parsec in 2011 in the Charlotte office. He now works in the Asheville office as a financial advisor. Originally from Williamstown, WV, Aaron is a recent graduate of Winthrop University where he studied financial planning and personal finance. He has completed his CFP® examination and is currently working toward obtaining his certification. He also enjoys sports and travel.

Sarah DerGarabedian, CFA
Director of Research

Sarah joined Parsec in 2005. She is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA North Carolina Society. As a member of the firm's Investment Policy Committee, she conducts ongoing equity and mutual fund due diligence and coordinates the development, maintenance, and monitoring of the firm's model portfolios. A native of Atlanta, Sarah graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in geology.

Joe Dillin, CTFA
Senior Financial Advisor, Senior Trust Advisor

Joe is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) with extensive experience in the trust and investment management business. Prior to joining Parsec, Joe was a senior vice president and senior trust advisor with Wachovia Trust. Joe also worked as an investment management advisor within Wachovia Wealth Management. He joined Parsec in 2007 to help broaden the firm’s trust investment management offering. Joe is a graduate of Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, with a degree in business administration.

Barbara Gray, CFP®
Partner

Barbara joined Parsec in 1999. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. Her previous work experience includes program management for the U.S. Department of Defense. She holds a B.S. in business from Western Carolina University and is a member of the Financial Planning Association.

Gregory D. James, CFP®
Partner, Charlotte Office

Greg joined Parsec in 2001. He has worked in many capacities in the investment management field since 1986 and was formerly a senior advisor at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. His experience also includes working as an accountant for the DuPont corporation. His educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Pennsylvania State University. Greg has completed professional studies at the College for Financial Planning and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner.

Roger A. James, Jr., JD, CTFA
Partner, Senior Trust Advisor

Roger joined Parsec in 2007 after serving as a senior vice president and senior trust advisor with Wachovia Trust. Roger began his career as an attorney, practicing exclusively in the areas of estate planning and estate administration with Strauss & Associates, P.A. in Asheville, NC. He has earned the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers. Roger holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Baylor University.

Mark Lewis
Director of Operations

As the Director of Operations for Parsec, Mark ensures quality and consistency in client reporting and data integrity. He also oversees trade execution and serves as a permanent member of the Investment Policy Committee. Mark has worked in diverse fields ranging from yacht management to mortgage banking. Prior to joining Parsec, he was the head trader at Boys, Arnold & Company for 10 years. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and has completed the educational courses that prepare individuals for the CFP certification. Mark is an Asheville native and joined Parsec in 2007.

Neal Nolan, CFP®
Financial Advisor

Neal joined the Parsec team in 2006. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and previously worked as an advisor at Ameriprise Financial. He is active in the Hendersonville community and serves on the board of directors as treasurer for the homeowners association where he lives. A veteran of the Army, he completed his degree at Western Carolina University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in financial planning. While there, he lead a team of two other students in a nationwide financial planning competition, where they earned second place.

Harli Palme, CFA, CFP®
Partner

Harli joined Parsec in 2003. She is a CFA charterholder as well as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. In addition to her duties as advisor and portfolio manager, she is the firm's Chief Compliance Officer. Harli is a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA North Carolina Society, and the Financial Planning Association. Currently, she serves on the boards of OnTrack and the Asheville Design Center. She has a B.A. in English from Wake Forest University.

Dr. James F. Smith
Chief Economist

Jim joined the firm in 2006 as Parsec's first chief economist. He has had an outstanding 30-year career as an economist in business, government, academic, trade association settings, and has been an Adjunct Professor at Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill since 1988. He is an elected Fellow of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) and served as its President in 1989-1990. He has served in organizations such as Sears, Roebuck and Co., Union Carbide Corporation, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the President's Council of Economic Advisers and the National Association of Realtors®, among others. He is a member of the European Council of Economists and served as its co-chair in 2001-2003. Jim is a member of the forecasting survey panels for the Associated Press, Bloomberg, CNN, NABE, The Shiller/Zillow house price forecast, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal.

Michael J. Ziemer, CFP®
Partner, Charlotte Office

Before joining Parsec in 2004, Michael worked as an investment representative for Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. He also serves on the advisory board for Easter Seals UCP and is on the finance committee for Susan G. Komen Charlotte. In addition to earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in finance from Indiana University, the Indiana native studied abroad at the American College of London in London, England. His focus overseas was international business. He has also completed professional studies at the College of Financial Planning.

* The “Partner” title denotes a senior level advisor with both employment longevity and an ownership interest at the firm. The title of “Managing Partner” describes those that provide strategic direction for the firm.

Prior to joining Parsec in 2012, Anne worked for a private oil and gas investment company based out of Scottsdale, Arizona as a landman and executive assistant. Her background includes six years in architecture as a custom residential and hospitality/resort designer. She has a B.S. in architecture from Arizona State University and is a native of Washington State. She is an avid runner and enjoys the outdoors.

Karen assists clients with various account transactions, account information and other services for the Charlotte office. Originally from New Jersey, she has lived in the Charlotte area for more than 16 years. Karen graduated from Iona College with a Bachelor of Business Administration in business economics. Her previous work experience includes fourteen years as a liability claims adjuster and litigation examiner at Chubb and Son, Inc. She has also worked as a manager for a small retail store and a bank teller.

Misty assists clients with various account transactions, account information and other services. She has worked for more than five years in various positions in the customer service field. Originally from Virginia, she is no stranger to traveling. She attended the Hawaii Pacific University, worked on a yacht in the Caribbean and lived in the Virgin Islands. She is a licensed massage therapist, a certified open water diver, and is a REGISTERED PARAPLANNER^SM designee. Misty is currently attending Appalachian State University seeking a degree in Health and Wealth Promotions.

Cristy has been with Parsec since 1992 and acts as the firm's unofficial historian. She calculates the firm's performance data, coordinates the publication of the company's newsletter, writes posts for the Parsec blog, and manages IT activities and special projects. She is an Accredited Asset Management Specialist^SM designee. A native of Western North Carolina, she holds an Associate in Science degree from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. She has completed numerous continuing education courses about financial planning, various computer applications, and regulatory compliance.

Laura assists clients with various account transactions, account information and other services. She has a strong background in the hospitality and customer service field. Originally from South Carolina, she received a B.S. in business management from USC-Upstate. Laura joined Parsec in 2012 and loves living in the Asheville area.

Mickie assists clients with various account transactions, account information and other services, and is responsible for various administrative duties for the Charlotte office. She came to Parsec in 2005. She graduated from Pfeiffer University in 1992 with a Bachelors of Science degree in criminal justice. She is a native of New York but fell in love with the South while at Pfeiffer. Mickie had seven years experience as an administrative assistant and experience in marketing and sales prior to joining Parsec. She is a REGISTERED PARAPLANNER^SM designee.

Brian joined Parsec in 2013. He handles client billing and various other operational duties. His professional experience includes billing, bookkeeping, and defined benefit plans. A native of North Carolina, Brian graduated magna cum laude from Mars Hill College. He holds a B.A. in religion and psychology, with minors in music, biblical languages, and mathematics.

Sherry assists clients with various account transactions, account information and other support services. A native of New York State, Sherry has lived in Asheville, NC, for most of her life. She is a graduate of Southeastern National Trust School at Campbell University, as well as a graduate of the American Bankers Association National Graduate Trust School. Sherry has earned the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers. After spending 25 years at Wachovia Bank as a trust administrator, she joined Parsec in 2007, bringing considerable trust and investment management experience.

Ashley assists clients with various account transactions, account information and other services. She is chair of the marketing committee and organizer of the annual Parsec Prize 5k. Ashley graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts in both accounting and economics, and a minor in management. Ashley is also a member of the Financial Planning Association. She is currently taking courses to become a Certified Financial Planner®. She is a competitive runner and loves dogs.

Vicki serves as the firm’s receptionist. She joined Parsec in June 2007 after a long career with Wachovia Bank, serving in their operations division, the retail bank and their trust company. She has completed educational courses in trust administration, taxation and estate planning, investment management, and is a REGISTERED PARAPLANNER^SM. Vicki is a native of Western North Carolina.

CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ are certification marks owned by the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Board of Standards, Inc. These marks are awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFB Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

AAMS® and ACCREDITED ASSET MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST^SM are service marks of the College for Financial Planning®.

REGISTERED PARAPLANNER^SM and RP^SM are service marks of the College for Financial Planning® . The RP designation indicates satisfaction of course requirements set forth by the College.

CFA® and CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST® are trademarks owned by the CFA Institute.