Raymond James Financial Institutions Division welcomes advisors with Pinnacle Financial Partners collectively managing $678 million to growing Eastern Division

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Raymond James Financial Institutions Division (FID) welcomed experienced financial advisors Scott Southerland, Jeff Cox, Mark Whitley and Josh Holby, collectively managing over $678 million in client assets, to Pinnacle Asset Management, the wealth management arm of Pinnacle Financial Partners and a current FID-affiliated branch, and to the firm’s growing division, according to Tim Killgoar, senior vice president and FID national director. Through their new alignment, the advisors at Pinnacle Asset Management will offer financial planning and wealth management services to clients through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.

Pinnacle Asset Management is a division of Pinnacle Financial Partners. The financial advisors work through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., to provide advice and services to businesses and individuals with investment and wealth management needs. They have access to the full suite of investment products offered by Raymond James and serve clients from offices throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

“What I have been continually pleased with is how truly great the people are,” said Southerland. “Everyone I’ve talked to is incredibly knowledgeable and the level of expertise from top to bottom has been outstanding. The support, from a client experience, is second to none. Focusing on the client and what is best for the client is very much at the forefront.”

Southerland joins Pinnacle Financial Partners as a senior vice president and financial consultant for Pinnacle Asset Management. He serves clients in Winston-Salem and throughout the Triad. Before joining Pinnacle, he was with BB&T Wealth in Winston-Salem, where he worked for 14 years, most recently serving as a wealth advisor managing $179 million in client assets. Prior to BB&T, he was with Consolidated Planning as a financial advisor and Sara Lee Corporation as an internal consultant. Southerland earned his bachelor’s degrees in economics and communications from North Carolina State University and his master’s degree in business administration from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional.

 “Raymond James offers a wide variety of investment solutions, providing more options to our clients and, in turn, helping them achieve their investment objectives,” said Cox. “The firm offers access to an abundance of research, not just for our new recommendations, but to keep tabs on our clients’ existing positions, such as changes in equity and bond ratings. We have been impressed with how efficiently we can keep our clients up to date with the markets, their portfolios, and all of the applicable alternative investments.”

Cox has been in the financial services industry for 31 years and is part of Pinnacle Financial Partners’ first full-service office in Atlanta. Prior to joining Raymond James, he spent the last 15 years with Synovus Securities, where he managed $176 million in client assets. Prior to that, Cox spent 11 years with SouthTrust Securities. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Terry School of Business with a degree in finance.

Whitley and Holby are based at Pinnacle’s new office at The Refinery in Charlotte, and will hold themselves out as a team operating as Strategist Capital Advisors. Previously, the duo worked at Wells Fargo Financial Advisors in Charlotte, where they managed $323 million in client assets.

“Raymond James truly understands that not everyone’s the same, so they allow us to use their marketing and social media resources to the fullest,” said Whitley. “This allows us to not just steer away from, but embrace the world we are in now due to COVID-19. The culture, the plethora of resources and the incredible support have been a breath of fresh air.”

Whitley brings 20 years of financial services experience to his roles of senior vice president and managing director. His previous roles included serving as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management; an independent broker and financial advisor for Whitley Financial LLC; a financial advisor for Synergy Investment Group; and a financial planner for Prudential Financial.

“We were looking for a firm that truly puts its clients first and we found that in Raymond James,” said Holby. “I owe it to my clients to provide them the best possible experience and offerings and I feel that I am able to do that here. I have been so impressed with the willingness to help, as well as the ease of doing business with the breadth of resources and support offered.”

Holby, with 10 years of experience, joins Pinnacle as a senior vice president and managing director. Prior to Wells Fargo, he worked for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Holby holds the CFP® and AAMS® designations. He is a graduate of Elon University with a degree in business. 

“We are pleased to welcome Scott, Jeff, Mark and Josh to Raymond James’ Financial Institutions Division,” said Killgoar. “Pinnacle is a highly respected bank, and I’m proud of our outstanding 18-year relationship with them as we continue to attract experienced professionals who are looking for a partner that goes well beyond just brokerage – a full-service provider that offers the sophisticated, high-touch support to help meet clients’ evolving needs.”

About the Financial Institutions Division
The Financial Institutions Division was established by Raymond James in 1987 to provide banks and credit unions with an alternative to traditional third-party investment providers. Raymond James provides full-service securities brokerage and advisory services to financial institutions seeking to compete with the largest banks and securities firms in the country. In addition to a full complement of investment products and services, Raymond James has the ability to deliver investment banking, public finance, research, self-clearing capabilities and wealth management services to both individuals and institutions.

About Raymond James Financial Services
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, has provided a wide range of investment and wealth planning related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both broker/dealers are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 8,200 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are $945 billion.

About Pinnacle Financial Partners
The team at Pinnacle Financial Partners provides a full range of banking, investment, trust, mortgage and insurance products and services designed for businesses and their owners and individuals interested in a comprehensive relationship with their financial institution.
The firm began operations in a single location in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, in October 2000 and has since grown to approximately $29.3 billion in assets as of March 31, 2020. As the second-largest bank holding company headquartered in Tennessee, Pinnacle operates in 12 primarily urban markets in Tennessee, the Carolinas, Virginia and Georgia.
Additional information concerning Pinnacle, which is included in the Nasdaq Financial-100 Index, can be accessed at pnfp.com. 

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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, and are not insured by bank insurance, the FDIC or any other government agency, are not deposits or obligations of the bank, are not guaranteed by the bank, and are subject to risks, including the possible loss of principal. Pinnacle Bank and Pinnacle Financial Partners are not registered broker/dealers and are independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.