Ryan Smith is a Senior Lead Advisor for Venturi Private Wealth. Ryan provides investment advice and wealth management strategies to individuals, foundations, endowments and family offices. His passion is connecting his client’s long-term goals with near term investment and structure decisions. Ryan recently earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certification, which is the only advanced certification designed for wealth managers who advise ultra high-net worth clients.

Ryan started his career in Chicago with one of the largest independently owned investment consulting firms in the U.S., Callan Associates. He spent the next two decades serving clients within the financial services industry. Ryan served as a Senior Vice President and Senior Client Advisor within Texas Capital Bank’s Private Wealth Group and most recently, as a Client Advisor at Luther King Capital Management, an independent investment advisory firm overseeing over $20 billion in client assets.

Ryan has a passion for mentoring fatherless boys and recently helped launch a new inner-city campus for HOPE Farm, a leadership program for at-risk, fatherless boys. He also serves on the boards of the Dallas Leadership Foundation and OmniCounts, a privately-owned retail inventory technology business.

Ryan grew up in Dallas and attended Jesuit College Preparatory School. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL and an M.B.A. from the Cox School of Business at SMU in Dallas.

He and his wife, Carrie, live in Dripping Springs along with their three children, three King Charles Cavaliers, and many other pets. Ryan is active in the CrossFit community and loves the outdoors, especially Rocky Mountain National Park.

Ken is a Senior Portfolio Administrator at Venturi Wealth Management. He joined the Venturi team in 2021 and works across multiple departments making sure client needs and requests are met. Before coming to Venturi, Ken was with Asperiant.

Ken holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Finance from Sonoma State University.

During his free time, Ken loves to play golf, traveling with his wife Courtney, and exploring Austin since moving to Texas in 2019.

Alex engages with clients to construct in-depth financial plans that address critical areas of wealth management including estate planning, cash flow analysis, liquidity risk, trust management and philanthropic giving. Alex also works with the investment team to ensure proper alignment between clients’ wealth management goals and their portfolio investment strategy.

Previously, Alex was a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch where he provided comprehensive wealth management services for high-net-worth families in the Austin area. Alex attended The University of Southern California, where he earned his BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Certified Private Wealth Advisor® , and is currently working on a master’s degree in financial services with a concentration in legacy planning.

Alex’s wife Lina is a dentist in northwest Austin and a fantastic chef. Alex and Lina welcomed their second boy, Ian, in April of 2020.  Outside of work, Alex enjoys tennis, good food, and traveling with his family. Alex is also active in volunteering with The Missy Project, a local non-profit.

George Clark is a Founding Partner and the Chief Investment Officer for Venturi Wealth Management. George applies his extensive institutional capital markets experience to developing tailored investment strategies for clients. He is skilled in investment evaluation and selection, portfolio design, risk assessment, and macro strategy. George works in concert with the team to ensure that a client’s investment profile aligns with his or her wealth management initiatives.

Prior to moving to Venturi Wealth Management, George spent 18 years managing large institutional relationships for Merrill Lynch in Texas and the Southeastern United States. He focused on investment strategy and equities allocations for institutions between $2 -$100 billion. George also spent four years at the Texas Permanent School Fund, where he was an Equities Trader and Sector Analyst for the $29 billion endowment. George holds a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) charterholder.

Alex Holt is an Associate Advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. Alex’s primary objective is helping clients and their families achieve their financial goals by developing tailored strategies to fit their needs. Alex earned his Bachelor of Business degree in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and is currently working towards a Master of Science in Finance. Prior to attending OU, Alex served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Southern California where he achieved the rank of Sergeant. Alex began his military career as an Infantry Team Leader and went on to graduate from Scout Sniper School in Quantico, Virginia. Alex has gained valuable experience working with individuals across the globe and has had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and Southeast Asia.

Alex grew up in Overland Park, Kansas and now lives in Oklahoma City. In his free time, Alex enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, playing guitar and training his German Shepherd, Harvey.

Dave Swann is Chief Compliance Officer and the General Counsel of Venturi Private Wealth. Utilizing more than 20 years of industry experience, he is responsible for the administration, direction, management, and oversight of the compliance and legal functions at Venturi.

Prior to joining Venturi, Dave served as the Chief Compliance Officer at Meritage Capital, an Austin based firm that specialized in hedge fund investment solutions. Meritage Capital was acquired by Brown Advisory in 2018.

Prior to Meritage Capital, Dave served as the Regulatory and Legal Officer at the Virginia Retirement System. He also served as the Chief Compliance Officer for nine years for an investment advisory firm located in Austin, Texas. Prior to his career in investments, he served as an Assistant City Attorney providing legal guidance to the San Antonio Local Development Company and the City’s Economic Development Department.

He received a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.B.A. from Jacksonville University and a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law.  Dave is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas. Dave enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, and fishing.

Paul Boulus is the Director of Marketing for Venturi Private Wealth. With over 15 years of marketing experience, Paul is passionate about forming impactful connections with the communities and clients in which Venturi serves.

Prior to joining Venturi, Paul served as the Founder of Scripted Strategies, a full-service digital marketing agency to the wealth management industry. Paul graduated from Miami University (Oxford, OH) with a BS in Finance, and earned a Master in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Paul is also Certified Alternative Investments Analyst (CAIA).

Paul lives in Chicago with his wife (Libby) and daughter (Emilia). In his free time Paul enjoys traveling with his family, spending time in Northern Michigan, and moonlighting as a basement rockstar on the guitar and piano.

Westin is a Senior Portfolio Manager with Venturi Wealth Management. Westin focuses on developing and managing tailored investment strategies for clients and ensuring proper alignment with client’s wealth management goals. Additionally, as a member of Venturi’s Investment Team he is responsible for helping formulate Venturi’s asset allocations, investment outlook, and market views.

Previously, Westin spent 10 years as a Vice President at JPMorgan both in New York and Austin in a variety of investment roles. Most recently he was an Investment Specialist with JPM’s Private Bank where he was responsible for the portfolio construction and management of investment portfolios and providing clients with advice and execution across global markets. Additionally, he held roles as an Investment Research Strategist and also in the Investor Relations group. His primary role was to help manage the firm’s earnings related dialogue with its largest investors as well as the sell research analyst community.

Westin holds a B.B.A. in Finance & Accounting from Texas Christian University. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) charter holder. Westin and his wife, Amy, relocated to Austin in 2016 and have a young son and daughter, Wade & Arden. Westin enjoys competing in bike races as well as running, hiking, and being outdoors with his family.

Lindsey is an Associate Wealth Strategist at Venturi. Lindsey is passionate about building lasting relationships with clients and their families, and is driven by achieving goals specific to their unique situation.

Lindsey studied at Michigan State University College of Law where she earned her law degree with a concentration in family law. While at MSU, Lindsey was an active member of the Women’s Law Caucus and participated in many public interest opportunities where she provided legal assistance to indigent individuals and domestic violence survivors. Prior to law school, Lindsey earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and her associate’s degree from Schoolcraft College, and was a member on the women’s volleyball team at both schools.

Lindsey lives in downtown Austin with her Dalmatian puppy, Bane. Outside of the office, Lindsey enjoys exploring Austin for the best brunch spots, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

Dr. Richard Orlando, is the founder of Legacy Capitals, and author of LEGACY: The Hidden Keys to Optimizing Your Family Wealth Decisions. Dr. Orlando and his team are a strategic partner to our firm specialized in working with client-families to address topics such as wealth & values transfer, preparing the rising generation, family governance, legacy planning, and family philanthropy.

Richard has worked with the sports psychologist of the New York Giants and with athletic teams at Seton Hall University. He has been referenced in numerous publications including the New York Times, WSJ Online, Private Wealth Magazine, Trusts & Estates, CFA, Merrill Lynch Advisor, Research, Bloomberg Wealth Manager, On Wall Street and Registered Rep.

Dr. Orlando holds a Ph.D. in Family Systems from Seton Hall University and certifications from both the Family Firm Institute (FFI) and the International Coach Federation Accredited Program (ICF). He is an approved instructor for IMCA’s Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certification program, which is an advanced credential for financial planners to address the unique needs of high-net-worth individuals and families.

In the community, Richard is on the Board of Directors at Urban Hope in Staten Island, New York, and is an enthusiastic husband and father.

Rachael Wyatt is a Senior Lead Advisor with Venturi Private Wealth.  Rachael has more than two decades of experience in the wealth management industry,  the majority of which was with Bank of America Merrill Lynch where she served as a Senior Vice President in the Private Bank working closely with a team of highly credentialed specialists that managed $2 billion in client assets.  Rachael also held both management and consulting positions in the Private Banking & Investment Group at Merrill Lynch.

Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Rachael held management positions at both Fiserv and Morgan Stanley. Rachael began her career with Phillips Petroleum as an executive compensation specialist to assist key executives to exercise stock options as well as create data rooms for mergers and acquisitions.

Rachael earned her B.B.A. from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She is a member of Kingdom Advisors and currently holds both the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) and Certified Divorce Financial Advisor (CDFA®) designations.  Rachael is a graduate of Leadership Austin’s Essentials program and has been very active in the Austin community. With a true passion to help other women navigate difficult situations, she has served on the boards for both Austin Recovery and SAFE. In her free time, Rachael enjoys spending time on her boat with friends and family on Lake Austin or down at the coast in Port A, and usually with Jack (her Boston Terrier) in tow.

Mike Sanders is a Senior Managing Director of Venturi Wealth Management. For over 25 years, Mike has built and overseen sales, marketing and research organizations for companies in the financial services industry. He also brings operational expertise through his prior roles. Mike spent 24 years at Goldman Sachs Group, Equities Division, where he was the Partner and Managing Director responsible for the US Shares Institutional sales force and founding of the Hudson Street initiative in 2006.

Mike has also served as Executive Director and Head of Sales at Potomac Research Group Holdings, LLC. Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive Officer at Davis, Mendel & Regenstein, Inc. and Executive Director of Ned Davis Research. His primary role was establishing a longer-term strategic direction for the firm. He was instrumental in business development, client relationships, new sales and marketing initiatives, product development, and profitability.

Mike received a Bachelor of Business Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He has served as a Board Member of Wall Street on Demand (Markit). Mike enjoys spending time with his wife, Natalie, traveling and visiting with friends in Telluride, Boston and Austin. They have four children and two grand children.

Megan is a Senior Client Associate at Venturi Private Wealth.  As a Client Service Associate, Megan is the primary liaison between clients, custodians and advisors building trusted relationships and delivering exceptional service.  Prior to joining Venturi, Megan spent over seven years in both private banking and mortgage lending roles. Megan was also an active member of her community serving on boards for both The Fort Wayne Dance Collective and the Fort Wayne Pet Food Pantry. Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in General Studies from Indiana University and is a certified paralegal. In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling and exploring Austin since moving here in 2022.

Kent Mitchell is a Senior Lead Advisor at Venturi Wealth Management. Kent focuses on a comprehensive approach to wealth management for clients with significant net worth, including complex tax and estate planning needs. Kent believes that understanding family dynamics is essential to superior wealth management and that effective planning helps clients maintain financial independence and the ability to pursue what is important to them. Looking beyond clients’ portfolios – and helping them look forward – is critical to helping clients achieve their most cherished goals and is the basis behind Kent’s approach.

Kent joins Venturi with 16 years of industry experience serving individuals, families, and institutions. Most recently Kent was a Vice President at Merrill Lynch and in addition to his Advisory responsibilities Kent also served in leadership roles in Austin, Texas.

Kent recently earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation, which is the only advanced certification designed for wealth managers who advise ultra high-net worth clients.

Kent was born and raised in Kinnelon, New Jersey and is a graduate of Gettysburg College with degrees in Business Management and Political Science. At Gettysburg, he participated as a member of the football team and continues his involvement by volunteering to mentor recent Gettysburg graduates. He is also involved in the community as a board member of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Kent currently resides in Lakeway with his wife Ann and children Andrew and Vivian.

Taylor is a Senior Client Associate at Venturi. She joined the Venturi team in 2015. She guides clients through the onboarding process, working to ensure that clients experience a seamless transition. She serves as a dedicated point of contact for service issues and keeps clients informed about their account transactions and status. Taylor finds joy in getting to know each client personally and efficiently meeting their needs.

In her previous role as a consultant in the Transitions Management department of Raymond James, Taylor worked with Venturi team members. Prior to working at the Raymond James home office in St. Petersburg, Florida, Taylor honed her client service skills at an investment firm in Starkville, Mississippi.

Taylor holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in economics from Mississippi State University. Taylor enjoys indoor cycling, yoga, and exploring all that Austin has to offer.

Joey Sager is a Managing Director for Venturi Wealth Management. His career began in 1985 at Merrill Lynch, where he became a Certified Financial Manager. Joey has been recognized by Wells Fargo Advisors as a Premier Advisor each year from 2002 through 2017. He was honored by The Winners Circle LLC in Oklahoma Magazine in 2008, and by Barron’s Magazine in 2009, as a top 1,000 Advisor which included being ranked the Top Financial Advisor in Oklahoma.

Joey is active in his church, serving on leadership and ministry teams. He has been a speaker at Christian events for over 25 years and has traveled regularly with mission teams in Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. He volunteers with children’s group homes, coordinated a children’s eye clinic at a local mission center, and served as a volunteer and director at a clinic that offers free medical and counseling services. He leads a community development project called Shared Success in Nicaragua, Uganda, and Oklahoma City which helps aspiring leaders develop sustainable, income-producing businesses. Past service includes director or leadership positions with Ethnographic Media, INFO (a statewide support group for those with an incurable genetic disorder), Ministries of Jesus, Oklahoma Youth Expo, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University Foundation.

Joey serves on numerous boards, including Friends of the Oklahoma History Center, Integris Baptist Medical Center, Integris Health, Oklahoma Pilot’s Association, One World, the Sirloin Club of Oklahoma, and Southwest American Livestock Foundation.

He and his wife Danielle, both pilots and musicians, enjoy many hobbies together including cars, boating, scuba diving, traveling, reading, and relaxing at the lake with their daughter, Josie, and their son, Jett. As an instrument-rated pilot, flying airplanes and helicopters, Joey’s interest in aviation and space history has opened the door to friendships with several Gemini and Apollo-era astronauts, including many who went to the moon.

Sylvia Bell is the Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Venturi Private Wealth, she was COO of the TRS Investment Management Division where she was responsible for all aspects of investment operations including trade operations, investment information systems, talent management and budget and accounting services. From 2015 to 2019 she served as Director of the TRS Emerging Manager Program where she was responsible for a $1.6 billion portfolio of small and diverse managers.

Prior to joining TRS, Sylvia was with JPMorgan. In that role, she advised clients on a variety of investment strategies including equity, fixed income, and alternative asset strategies as well as advising institutional clients on investment operations and reporting solutions. Sylvia also worked with Oracle Consulting Services where her responsibilities included implementation of Oracle financial applications. She started her career with Deloitte and Touche, where she performed audit and consulting services for corporate, government, and not-for-profit clients.

Sylvia currently serves a Board member for the TOIGO foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to foster the career advancement and increased financial leadership of underrepresented talent.

Sylvia holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Chris is the Director of Alternatives for Venturi Private Wealth. In his role he evaluates and communicates Venturi’s views on global investment strategies and allocations. He is also responsible for expanding Venturi's menu of curated alternative investments.

Previously, Chris was a managing director at Windmuehle Funds, a boutique investment firm, leading sourcing and structuring for niche alternative investments. Prior to this, Chris was the Director of Private Equity at the $30 billion Texas Municipal Retirement System, and before that, the Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Director of Absolute Return at the $15 billion Kentucky Retirement Systems. Chris has over 20 years of experience in the investment industry, nearly all focused on alternatives.

Chris is currently a contributing columnist for Institutional Investor and has authored over 60 articles on investing. He is also the author of Better than Alpha: Three Steps to Capturing Excess Returns in a Changing World.

Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois. He received an MBA from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a master’s degree in financial markets from the Illinois Institute of Technology as well. Chris was named one of Money Management Intelligence’s 2012 Rising Stars of Public Funds, a Rising Star of Hedge Funds by Institutional Investor in 2014, received the Institutional Investor Intelligence Award for Absolute Return Strategies in 2016, and was named a Top 30 Private Equity Investor by Trusted Insight in 2018.

Chris lives in Dripping Springs and enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and two kids.

Russ Norwood is the CEO and Founder of Venturi Private Wealth and Venturi Investment Partners.  For more than 30 years Russ has been a trusted advisor to first generation wealth creators that have created their wealth as successful entrepreneurs and public company executives.  The firm mission is to turn new money into long-term, generational wealth for the benefit of clients, their families and society with an innovative approach to wealth management.  Prior to Venturi, Russ was a Managing Director in the Private Banking and Investment Group of Merrill Lynch in Austin for 24 years.

His career as an advisor and financial services entrepreneur began in 1986 after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Business Economics.  He also holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst^® (CIMA^®) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM (CFP^®) designations.  Russ currently serves on the Advisory Board to the University of Texas McComb’s Wealth Management Program, a unique program preparing McComb’s Business School students to be future leaders in the wealth management industry.  A lifelong student of the industry, Russ is passionate about putting practice to work in his own family and sharing his experience with others as a member of Tiger 21.

An Instrument-Rated Private Pilot and an avid aviator, Russ flies volunteer missions for Angel Flight, an organization that provides free medical transportation to patients battling cancer and other serious illnesses.

Jim Kozlowski is a Senior Managing Director of Private Equity at Venturi Wealth Management.  Jim leads our private equity effort with Venturi Investment Partners.

Prior to joining Venturi, Jim was a Co-Founder and President of TGF Management Corp., one of the most active and successful middle market investment firms in the Southwest. Under the Texas Growth Fund and Southwest Opportunity Partners banners, he managed a series of funds totaling more than $700 million dedicated to investing in companies located in Texas and throughout the Southwest. TGF acquired or invested in 47 middle market companies in a variety of industries.

Prior to TGF, Jim was a Managing Director at Fortis Private Capital in New York, a Vice President at Merrill Lynch Venture Capital in New York and Director of New Business at Tenneco Ventures in Houston. He has also worked in the Corporate Finance Group at Credit Suisse First Boston and the Commercial Lending Division of Chemical Bank in New York.

Jim received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his BA degree in economics from Harvard University. He also was a Fellow in the Harvard Advanced Leadership Program in 2014. Jim is an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum, the Texas Business Hall of Fame, and the Association of Corporate Growth. He is actively involved in the Young Presidents' Organization, Association for Corporate Growth, and the World President's Organization. Jim is the past Chairman of the Children's Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas and current Chairman of The Comfort Crew for Military Kids.

Grant Kinchen is a Lead Advisor for Venturi Wealth Management. Grant concentrates his efforts on working with affluent individuals, families, and institutions that seek financial well-being. He focuses on simplifying all aspects of client’s financial lives and helps them to articulate and prioritize goals for their wealth. Grant is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) which allows him to create unique and meaningful strategies for sophisticated and highly affluent clients.

Grant began his career in Houston as an energy commodities advisor focusing on natural gas and electricity derivatives. Grant earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and is a passionate supporter of his alma mater.

Grant is active in the local community through Habitat for Humanity and is on the board of the Coastal Conservation Association’s Austin Chapter. Grant lives in South Austin with his wife Brandy and their two Boston Terriers. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, fishing, hunting, and spending time with family and friends.

DeWayne Crunk is a Senior Lead Advisor at Venturi Wealth Management. He has worked in the Financial Services industry since 1986. DeWayne served as the Senior Financial Consultant and Vice-President with Merrill Lynch for 9 years. He held positions with Smith Barney as a Vice-President and Branch Manager for 13 years. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors in October 2013, he was the Vice President and Financial Consultant for RBC Wealth Management.

DeWayne is a member of the Investment and Wealth Institute. He received the Certified Investment Management Analyst designation (CIMA) from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. DeWayne earned his M.B.A. in Finance from Oklahoma City University and his B.A. from Louisiana Tech University.

Brittany is the Office Manager at Venturi Private Wealth. As the Office Manager, Brittany supports the Venturi team by ensuring all aspects of daily office life operate efficiently. Prior to joining Venturi, Brittany was a lead teacher and advisor at Trinity Episcopal School in Westlake Hills, Texas. Brittany received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern Mississippi and moved to Austin in 2017 with her husband, Colton. In her free time, Brittany enjoys spending time outdoors with her two dogs, reading books, exercising, and dining at new restaurants with friends.

Cole Edmiston is a Lead Advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. Cole works with families and individuals to create strategies to allow their wealth to achieve their aspirations. Cole’s primary goal is to put clients’ interests first, and then work tirelessly to ensure their goals are the drivers of their long-term strategy and investments.

Cole attended Baylor University where he played four years on the football team. A strong supporter of his alma mater, you can still find Cole in Waco on a fall Saturday watching the Bears play. He earned his Bachelor of Business degree in Finance and Marketing.

Cole lives in Lakeway with his wife Emory. Away from the office, Cole and Emory are active in their church and community. During his time at Baylor, Cole was very involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes program, as well as the Humane Society. During his free time, Cole loves to play golf, spend time at the lake, visit with friends and family, and travel with Emory.

Matthew Maxcy is an associate advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. Matthew works alongside clients to assess financial health and define goals. He uses this joint approach to craft strategies that help clients preserve and grow wealth in a manner consistent with their needs and values. Matthew developed his commitment to collaborative servant leadership during his nine-year career as a US Army officer prior to joining Venturi. He gained valuable experience in coordinating people and resources to achieve common goals as he worked to lead and serve his soldiers, their families, and the greater community. He also traveled or worked in over twenty countries, gaining a thorough appreciation for the value in connecting with people from varied backgrounds through meaningful, personal relationships.

Matthew is a Colorado native, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and earned his MBA at the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin. He lives in North Austin with his wife Christine and two daughters. When not at the office, Matthew also volunteers at his church and serves as a mentor to other veterans pursuing business careers. He enjoys hunting, fishing, reading history, and spending time with his family exploring activities in central Texas.

Chris Creed is a Senior Lead Advisor for Venturi Wealth Management. Chris partners with new clients to organize, plan, and manage all aspects of their family’s financial life. Chris is a Certified Financial Planner® professional and holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certification, which is the only advanced certification designed for wealth managers who advise ultra high-net worth clients.  Chris creates customized wealth planning strategies unique to highly affluent clients.

Having twenty-four years of experience in the industry, Chris brings a unique perspective to the role. Prior to joining Venturi, Chris was a principal at AFAM Capital, running their Private Client Group Business Development. For the seven years prior to joining AFAM, he was Regional VP, Southeast for Fisher Investments Private Client Group. He was the owner of an independent wealth management practice, Creed Capital Management (2003-2006), through Wachovia Securities Financial Network, which he later sold to another advisory firm. From 1994 to 2003, Chris was an investment representative with Edward Jones, where he also held roles in both the hiring and training of new advisors.

Chris holds a B.A. in Marketing from Southeastern Louisiana University. Chris enjoys tennis, skiing, boating and “quietly” supporting his two kids on their respective sporting events.

Melissa Whitaker is Senior Client Associate at Venturi Wealth Management. She helps manage the daily operational and administrative functions and strives to simplify clients’ lives.

Melissa earned a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services with a concentration in Family Life and Community Service from Kansas State University. She has obtained these registrations: Series 7 General Securities, Series 66 Uniform Securities Law, Series 3 Futures, as well as Insurance & Annuities licenses.

Melissa is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City’s LOYAL (Linking OKC’s Young Adult Leaders) program – Class XI and a current member of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma City’s Leadership Council – Class IV. She also coordinates the Oklahoma City-area K-State Alumni group.

Mike Banks is the Chief Financial Officer of Venturi Private Wealth. He brings 25 years of finance and operational experience to the firm. Mike provides fiduciary oversight and financial management of the firm, infrastructure development, and controls to ensure prudent management of client assets. Mike provides business advisory consulting on personal business matters of clients primarily in private business evaluations, financial assessment including modeling, investment due diligence, and M&A pre-planning.

Mike has a proven track record working with companies in high growth environments. Prior to joining Venturi, he led the finance & operations of two growth companies, both resulting in successful liquidity events. He has provided financial consulting on over 100 different business engagements over a broad range of industries including software, SaaS, semiconductor, manufacturing, renewable energy, service, and healthcare. He has led successful early-round equity fundings and debt financings.

Mike earned an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He received his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation and holds co-ownership in two technology patents. He has been an instructor on renewable energy economics and corporate M&A. He has been an executive advisor to a local Austin private school and served on the Finance Committee of the City of Sunset Valley.

In his free time, Mike enjoys spending time with his wife, Janna and their three children. He also spends as much time as possible at LadyBird Lake, where he attempts to run.

Blake Willcox is a Lead Advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. Blake focuses on working with institutions, affluent individuals, and their families to define and articulate what financial success means in their unique situations. As a Certified Financial Planner ® (CFP®) practitioner, he specializes in helping individuals and business owners customize a comprehensive financial plan and the corresponding strategies to help them visualize the steps they can take to work toward those goals. Blake enjoys using his skills and experience to help clients gain confidence in their financial future as he helps them navigate from concern or uncertainty to excitement as the path to their goals gains focus and clarity.

Blake is a native of Edmond, OK. He, his wife, and their five children enjoy being outdoors, often taking family trips to the lake. He also reserves time for coaching Little League and swinging a golf club when he gets the chance.

Emily Jackson is an Associate Advisor with Venturi Private Wealth. Emily is passionate about partnering with families and individuals to achieve their goals by creating strategies that optimize and protect their wealth. 

Prior to joining Venturi, Emily was a Financial Advisor at Northwestern Mutual in Southern California where she provided comprehensive wealth management and financial planning services for high-net-worth families. Emily attended Colorado State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work with a concentration in Criminal Justice. She is currently working toward her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

Emily and her husband, Jesse, currently live in Liberty Hill with their daughter, Remington. They are expecting their second baby in Spring 2022. Outside of work, Emily enjoys traveling, swimming, riding her dirt bike, practicing yoga, and snowboarding. 

Rodney Gamble is a Lead Insurance Advisor for Venturi Wealth Management. Rodney is passionate about providing his clients with the best plan tailored for their unique situation. He is consistently learning about their needs and the options that will best accomplish their goals. He has significant experience in working with individual clients and business owners in providing individual life insurance for estate planning and business needs.

Prior to joining Venturi Wealth Management, Rodney worked for over 35 years in providing strategic financial planning for corporations, government entities, privately owned businesses and individuals. From 1991-2016 he had his own firm in providing life insurance and group benefits. Before starting his own firm, Rodney was a business manager at Lockheed Missiles and Space. He was responsible for managing budgets of over $200 million dollars in funds. He has multiple awards and honors including; Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Round Table, Jefferson-Pilot Sales Leadership Recognitions, New York Life Associate of the Year, Lockheed Performance Incentive Award and Lockheed Productivity Improvement Program Award.

Rodney is a native Austinite and received his BBA in Finance from The University of Texas. He has been married to his wife Debbie for over 37 years and they have 3 adult sons. They currently reside in Lakeway and attend Lakeway Church. They continue to be actively involved in the Lake Travis and Austin communities. In his spare time Rodney enjoys camping, hunting, tennis and golf.