Looking at Your Past to Plan Your future

Brad Barnes is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner at Southwestern Investment Group.

His specialty is providing sound investment strategies designed to build wealth through comprehensive financial planning. Some of those comprehensive planning services include retirement, estate and tax planning with an emphasis in excellent customer service.

Brad is originally from Knoxville, TN. Brad graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee in May 2006 where he obtained a degree of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting. After graduation, Brad spent two years serving with a college ministry, Reformed University Ministries, on campus at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC. Brad also previously worked for the Southwestern Company the summer of 2005 in an internship capacity with Southwestern Investment Group.

Brad enjoys residing in Nashville, TN where he spends much of his time attending local music events and playing golf, as well as spending time with family and friends. He is active in his local church, Midtown Fellowship Church, that meets in downtown Nashville.

Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

A native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Jim Grenn graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Biochemistry. After an internship during college, he was hired on full-time with a Raymond James team in Hattiesburg. After four years, Jim moved to Nashville to continue and further develop his role as a wealth advisor with Southwestern Investment Group.

As a wealth advisor for the Barnes Wealth Team, Jim sits down with clients to listen and empathize with their current financial situations, as well as their future financial motivations and needs. Jim works alongside his team to help create a holistic financial plan for their client to help them better steward their assets.

One of the things Jim enjoys most about Southwestern Investment Group is the synergy within the Barnes Wealth Team and the company as a whole. After watching the financial advising industry change throughout the years, he appreciates how Southwestern Investment Group has been a front runner in helping clients and putting their best interests first, while also growing as a business.

Outside of work, you can find Jim with his wife, Madeline, either on a walk with their pup Murph or in a coffee shop reading a book or writing poetry. An amateur fisherman, Jim tries to get to a river or back home by the Gulf as much as possible. A follower of Christ, Jim is excited to start a family in Nashville, while also finding new gospel community.

Rachel has served as the Client Operations Specialist for Bradley Barnes, CFP®, since joining Southwestern Investment Group in 2012. Her daily responsibilities include maintaining plan reviews, account maintenance, and assisting clients with money movement and transfers. She has a passion for helping others and loves getting to know her clients on a personal level, always seeking new ways to address their financial planning needs. In May 2022, Rachel was honored to receive the award for RJFS Branch Associate of the Quarter*.

Prior to joining Southwestern Investment Group, Rachel held a number of business administration and customer relations positions where she gained extensive knowledge. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia Southern University.

Originally from Thomasville, Georgia, Rachel has called Tennessee her home since 2009, although she loves her Georgia roots and welcomes any chance to go back. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband, friends, and family exploring middle TN and all it has to offer. She loves traveling, getting outdoors, and listening to live music, and is continually scouring her cookbook collection to inspire her next recipe.

*The Branch Associate Recognition Program is an internal Raymond James recognition that runs on a calendar year and winners are chosen based on a point system. Associates earn points through Core Program Qualifiers and Educational Program Qualifiers. Core Program Qualifiers, such as industry licenses, designations, academics, and tenure, are awarded as earned and will not expire. Educational Course Qualifiers, consist of topics that focus on Practice Management, as identified by PCG Senior Management, and points are awarded as earned and reset each calendar year. The top 600-point earners will be recognized. To be eligible, a minimum year-end appraisal score of Valued Contributor is needed. Also, associates must be employed prior to July 1st of the calendar year. This may not be representative of any one client's experience, it's not an endorsement, and is not indicative of future performance. No fee was paid in exchange for this award/rating.

James Ridley is originally from Henderson, Kentucky. He attended Belmont University, where he graduated with a business degree in Entrepreneurship. After some successful years as a real estate investor, James decided to pursue his passion for helping families understand their financial situation and assist them in reaching their goals.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, James works hand in hand with clients to create, implement, and maintain plans for those seeking financial freedom. James has a desire to serve others and is excited for the opportunity to learn more about clients’ lives and what is important to them.

Outside of work, James enjoys volunteering with Young Life and spending time outdoors – where he can often be found playing soccer, hiking, or going rock climbing.

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

Originally from Nashville, Clay Crothers grew up going to activities at Lipscomb and ended up graduating from the University years later with a degree in Sports Management and a Master of Business Administration degree. During his time at Lipscomb, Clay served as an Assistant Coach for the Women's Basketball team for 4 years and was also actively involved with social clubs and mission trips to Honduras and Nicaragua.

In his role as Financial Advisor at Southwestern Investment Group, Clay’s goal is to help others achieve their goals and build relationships along the way. This, along with the values set forth by Southwestern Investment Group, are just a couple examples of what brought him here.

Clay's favorite thing about working at Southwestern Investment Group is the people. He is thankful for the culture and the desire of everyone to help each other, and he enjoys getting to know the clients he comes in contact with.

Outside of work, Clay attends Ethos Church, enjoys playing and watching sports, and spends time with family. His favorite sports to play are hockey, golf, soccer, and basketball.