Generational Wealth

What does Independence Day mean to you? 

Twenty-three years ago, Kevin Painter and I started working together at a local bank’s investment department. We formed a partnership that has endured – and it eventually gave us the confidence to open our own independent advisory firm in 2007. We survived the transition from bank employees to small business owners when we launched LeConte. We survived the GFC (Great Financial Crisis) of 2008-2009.  

General Motors went bankrupt. Most banks had to take government bailouts to avoid bankruptcy. LeConte didn’t.  

We thrived in the aftermath of the 40% market decline during the GFC. As the economy slowly rebounded, we added great clients to our firm – and we’re proud to retain most of them today. More than one-third of our client relationships are now second – or third – generation families. One relationship even runs four generations deep.

Kevin and I worked hard to build a firm that reflected the core values we shared: faith, integrity, hard work, responsibility, and stewardship. Those values guided us from the very beginning – even when there were only three of us in the office. As we hired more people, we used those same values to ensure each new team member would be a great ambassador for LeConte, both at work and in the community.  

As our team grew, so did our business. From $35 million in advisory assets in 2007, LeConte grew to $320 million in client advisory assets today. That’s nearly 10x growth – achieved organically, one client at a time. That growth happened because we hired great people who reflect our values.

But the byproduct of hiring great people is more than just growth. We have fun, we laugh, and we support one another. As our team expanded, we also refreshed LeConte’s core values to reflect our belief that every employee should be able to balance great work, a fulfilling home life, and meaningful community service.  

2025 is a year of transition at LeConte.

We’re no longer a small startup trying to find our footing. Clients know what we do and that we do it with excellence. They seek us out. We continue to attract outstanding professionals who want to be part of what we’re building. That momentum has allowed us to open a new office in Nashville and expand our space in Maryville to support our growth.

 

Independence, for Kevin and me, began when we stepped out on our own. But it also means investing in others so they can achieve their own independence. That’s what we do with our clients through Purpose-Built Planning. And that’s what we do for our team – invest in them so they can experience the same financial growth, independence, and satisfaction that we’ve enjoyed.

Personally, I’m reaching a point where I can begin stepping back from some of my day-to-day responsibilities. Thanks to our team, I can do that with full confidence in the care and service our clients will continue to receive. I’ll remain as LeConte’s Chief Portfolio Manager, but I’m looking forward to spending more one-on-one time with team members – passing along the best lessons I’ve learned over my 39-year career as a client advisor.

I am excited to introduce our newest team member, Doug Whitten.

Doug was referred to me by a retired CPA that I attend church with. He moved from Canada to attend Maryville College, where he played collegiate golf. He began his career in wealth management in 2019 – just a year before COVID hit – at a firm in Knoxville. Now, he joins LeConte as a Client Advisor.

I’m personally mentoring Doug on how our team collaborates to serve clients, how we apply risk-based asset management, and how we integrate our tax capabilities and technology to deliver better outcomes. He’s also learning how our use of behavioral science helps clients effectively implement strategies and pursue their unique purpose in life.

 

As investment advisors, we’re trained to remind clients that we do not have a crystal ball to predict the future. As business owners, we live that uncertainty every day. Every decision is judged over time by the results.

I still don’t have fortune-telling capabilities, but I know WHY we’ve been blessed with success: our firm’s values are rooted in our faith. And that’s by design.  

Our Nashville office will thrive because we’ve placed great professionals there who reflect LeConte’s values. Our Maryville presence will continue to grow for the same reason. Our values reflect our reliance on God’s provision – giving us what we need, when we need it. He’s brought us great clients and great team members.

As we help our clients build generational wealth, we’re building a firm that can grow for generations to come.