Wealth of Information

Next Gen Wealth Team inspired by the power of collaboration

Written by Mariner Wealth Advisors and Dave Mahanes / Photos by Ashley Hylbert

The wealth team in the Mariner Wealth Advisors’ Nashville location all have something in common—they appreciate the collaborative, open-door culture fostered by Larry Sacks and David Goldberg, who run the practice. The two first founded Snow Creek Wealth Management in 2007, which became Mariner Wealth Advisors in 2019. “I love the open-door environment,” says Rishi Reddy, who first interned with the firm, then later returned as an Associate Wealth Advisor. “Larry and David encourage us to stop by with questions, then make sure we can explain the answer back to them, so it’s really an active learning experience.”

Joining a Top-Ranked Firm

Christina Horan recently joined the Nashville office as a Senior Wealth Advisor. She decided it was worth the move from Columbus, Ohio, to Nashville. “When considering job opportunities, I researched top registered investment advisors and saw that Mariner Wealth Advisors was ranked as a top-five RIA by Barron’s for the last six years,” * she says. “It was the only firm I applied to. So, I really feel like it was completely meant to be.” She also remarks that there’s not a sense of hierarchy. “Everyone works well together, and it’s a very client-centric culture.”

Getting to Know Clients

Leona Edwards, Wealth Advisor, described how the team works with clients. “It’s our goal to help clients with every aspect of their financial lives so that when they have a money-related question, their first instinct is to turn to us versus researching it on the internet,” she says. What starts as just managing investments often grows to offer comprehensive wealth management. “For example, we had a client who had a lot of money and needed to structure a portfolio, which then led to handling her taxes and, from there, assisting with managing an LLC.” Leona also reflected on the fact that many of their clients have been with the wealth team for as long as 30-plus years. “We’ve become very close with our clients and love learning about their personal lives as much as their finances,” she said. “It’s satisfying to help a client when they come in with a problem to solve, and they are relying on you for a solution. It’s nice to see the look of relief on their face when you can do that for them.” Christina says she appreciates having access to subject matter experts from tax to estate planning who are in-house at Mariner Wealth Advisors when working with clients. “It’s nice to have that subject matter expertise to bring into conversations with clients. It’s all part of offering clients holistic advice and a wealth plan that’s right for them.”

Getting to Know the Wealth Team

Larry and David thoughtfully selected these three to join the Nashville wealth team. Each came to their current roles through different paths.

Rishi’s Story:

From Intern to Team Member For Rishi, he started as an intern but went on to a private equity firm, a master’s degree in applied financial economics, a job focused on income and balance sheets and portfolio analysis, and then to Northwestern Mutual for a year. After that, in a full-circle moment, Larry and David recruited him to come back to the firm, and he’s been with the Nashville practice for less than a year. In terms of giving back to his Nashville community, when tornados hit the city, he and a friend jumped in a truck and drove out to East Nashville to help remove debris. He also supports an organization his mother started to help women in India who have experienced abuse receive an education.

Leona’s Path:

From Music to Finance Leona’s path was less traditional. She first arrived in Nashville to work in the music industry and joined BMI, where she worked in the licensing department for five years. She decided it wasn’t her path, so she moved to Seattle then eventually returned to Nashville, in part, to be closer to her family in Louisville, KY. She always had an interest in personal finance, and a friend encouraged her to take the CFP course. Larry and David hired her as a Paraplanner, which allowed her to learn all the aspects of the business. She, too, has found ways to give back locally by supporting Hands on Nashville, a nonprofit that provides resources to disaster recovery victims.

Christina’s Career:

From College to Wealth Management Christina found her passion for financial services after taking a college class. “I was blown away by understanding the time value of money and compounding interest,” she says. She has since worked in various roles, and in her last position before joining Mariner Wealth Advisors, she built the investment arm of a bank in Columbus, Ohio. She was familiar with Nashville, having traveled here for work as a consultant in a previous job, and was ultimately drawn to the job and the city because she loves the outdoors and appreciates the lakes, nearby mountains, and rolling hills of Nashville. Christina also plans to give back to the local community, as she has done in Columbus, where she served on many boards, including as Chair of a county-level Mental Health and Recovery Board for eight years.

Looking Ahead

As the team looks ahead to the future, Leona said that one of the main reasons Larry and David decided to join Mariner Wealth Advisors was to put a succession plan in place to ensure clients have continuous, quality wealth planning from a team they trust. “David and Larry are still very much still involved in the practice, but realizing that none of us plan to work forever, they’ve done a good job of bringing us into meetings with longtime clients so we’re up to speed and, at some point in the future, we know these clients well, and they will receive a continuity of service from our team,” she says. “In addition, Mariner Wealth Advisors gives us resources to grow and back-office support so we can focus more on deepening client relationships.”

*Barron’s awarded the 2021 and 2020 #5, 2019 #4 and 2018 #3 Top RIA Firms ranking to Mariner Wealth Advisors based on data compiled for Mariner Wealth Advisors and the 2017 #2 and 2016 #1 rankings to Mariner Holdings based upon data compiled for Mariner Holdings’ registered investment adviser subsidiaries. The number of firms included in the rankings were: 20 (2016), 30 (2017), 40 (2018), 50 (2019) and 100 (2020 and 2021). Barron’s publishes rankings based upon a number of criteria and the firms’ filings with the SEC were used to cross-check the data provided. The listing includes numbers of clients, employees, advisors, offices and state locations. The award is not indicative of future performance and there is no guarantee of future investment success. For additional information visit www.barrons.com.

The views expressed are for commentary purposes only and do not take into account any individual personal, financial, legal or tax considerations. As such, the information contained herein is not intended to be personal legal, investment or tax advice. Nothing herein should be relied upon as such, and there is no guarantee that any claims made will come to pass. The opinions are based on information and sources of information deemed to be reliable, but Mariner Wealth Advisors does not warrant the accuracy of the information.

Mariner Wealth Advisors (“MWA”), is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Kansas. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. MWA is in compliance with the current notice filing requirements imposed upon registered investment advisers by those states in which MWA maintains clients. MWA may only transact business in those states in which it is notice filed or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from notice filing requirements. Any subsequent, direct communication by MWA with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. For additional information about MWA, including fees and services, please contact MWA or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you invest or send money.

Dave talks to Leona Edwards, Christina Horan, and Rishi Reddy of Mariner Wealth Advisors

Dave Mahanes: Where did you grow up and what was it like?

Leona Edwards: I grew up in Louisville, which was great. It’s still one of my favorite towns because of its unique positioning between the South and the Midwest. It’s also an old city and maintains its quirkiness.

DM: What do you like best about living in Nashville today?

LE: It’s interesting to be a part of a city where “everyone” wants to be. The influx of people has really diversified the city.

DM: I saw that you like to go to concerts and started your career in the music business. Share with me what music means to you and who are some of the artists that you follow.

LE: Music has meant a lot of things to me: something I practiced, a career, but always something that made me really happy. Artists I’m following right are St. Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers, and of course Kasey Musgraves.

DM: What made you decide to move from the music industry to wealth management?

LE: I honestly felt like there was more opportunity and less volatility working in wealth management.

DM: I noticed that you are a dog lover. Tell me about Sue.

LE: Sue is my favorite! She’s the sweetest, happiest girl. Pit Bulls get such a bad reputation, but most people don’t know they used to be “nanny dogs” and parents would get them as companions for their children.

DM: What else do you like to do for fun?

LE: I really enjoy the outdoors and travel.

DM: How do you give back to the community and why do you choose that way to give back?

LE: Last year, for safety, it was mostly financial giving. Now that things are somewhat safer, I look forward to joining my friends again for volunteer opportunities in the community. I recommend Hands on Nashville if you’re looking for a place to volunteer.

Dave Mahanes: Where did you grow up and what was it like?

Rishi Ready: I grew up in Nashville, TN. I really enjoyed growing up here. It was a very friendly place, and the friendships I made as a kid have lasted my entire life.

DM: What do you like best about living in Nashville today?

RR: I love how beautiful Nashville is. I love that the time it takes from being in the middle of the city, to being in a beautiful park is about a 15 min drive. I love that I can go hike in a gorgeous park during the day and go experience live music almost anywhere at night. I love the sports scene here as well. I am a big Titans/Preds/ Nashville SC fan, so going to games/matches are awesome.

DM: What else do you like to do for fun?

RR: I love going on hikes with my dogs. I love playing sports and hanging out with my friends and family.

DM: How do you give back to the community and why do you choose that way to give back?

RR: I give back to the community by doing community service work. I am really willing to do anything to help. Two things off the top of my head are Habitat for Humanity and feeding the homeless. I choose to be more physically active in the community because I love interacting with people. Being out in the community is really the only way to learn what it’s like for people less fortunate than yourself.

Dave Mahanes: Where did you grow up and what was it like?

Christina Horan: I was born in St. Louis and grew up playing in the woods behind our house with my 2 younger brothers. To this day I love hiking in the woods, climbing mountains and skiing. Fun fact, I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.

DM: How are finding living in Nashville?

CH: On our first visit to look at housing near the office, I was blown away at the beautiful tree-covered hills which looked like mountains to me because it is so flat where we lived in Ohio. We love bluegrass and we are excited for our first concert in Nashville to see Del McCoury Band at the Grand Ole Opry.

DM: I saw that you like to cook and brew beer. What do you like to cook and what kind of beer to do you brew?

CH: I took a cooking class in Thailand and love cooking Indian and Thai food with all of the amazing flavors, but nothing is off-limits, we love all food and therefore try to cook it all. I love cooking out of the garden and even raised some chickens, goats, and cows just to get the full farm-to-table feel. I worked at a brewery in college where I found my love for craft beer. I converted my husband to IPAs so we mostly experiment with IPAs when brewing.

DM: What else do you like to do for fun?

CH: Traveling and immersing myself in other cultures both nationally and internationally

DM: How do you give back to the community and why do you choose that way to give back?

CH: I currently serve as a board member/trustee/Secretary for our county’s foundation where I sit on the investment committee and we manage all of their investments in-house. It is very rewarding to help facilitate the philanthropic work being done in our community and talk to clients about how they utilize tax deductions to fit their financial plans. I also serve as the chairman for our county’s mental health and recovery board where we work to better the lives of our citizens. I believe that to live life to its fullest, a strong mind/body/spirit interconnection with financial peace is important. (I can’t get that to flow better, so feel free to rework. Remember, I am a numbers person.