Helping You Pursue Financial and Personal Freedom

Mark Deering is dedicated to providing each of his clients with a personal and comprehensive plan to help reach their financial goals. Mark's extensive knowledge and experience in preparing for and working towards achieving financial freedom in retirement has helped countless clients make the vision of their future a reality.

Mark’s career began in the ’90s as a college student paying for school by running a small business selling educational books during the summers through Southwestern Advantage. During this experience, Mark developed the skills and character needed to build and lead a successful team, and became a sales manager for Southwestern for several years. After earning a degree in Business & Economics, as well as Biblical Studies, from Wheaton College, Mark was invited to join Southwestern Investment Group. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, Mark uses the same attributes that he developed selling books—determination, exceptional customer service, problem solving, to name a few—at Deering Wealth Team to partner with his clients in helping them reach their financial goals and experience freedom.

Mark has worked to further develop his services and team to continually improve client experience. In 2011, Mark was promoted to Vice President of Southwestern Investment Group, again promoted in 2013 to Senior Vice President, and in 2014 named Executive Vice President. In 2016, Mark was promoted to National Sales Director. Within this role, Mark oversees all training and mentoring for advisors of Southwestern Investment Group. As a leader in the industry, Mark has also been a member of the Raymond James Leaders Council consecutively since 2015 and most recently, named to Forbes’ list of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Mark exemplifies a true passion for service professionally and personally. He serves as a board member of TN Voices for Victims, Southwestern Investment Group Executive Board, and Southwestern Investment Group Leadership Board. Mark is an active member of his church and has served as both an Elder and the Treasurer. He also volunteers as a youth coach for the YMCA and Williamson County Parks and Recreation.

On days off, when there are no Carolina basketball games on, Mark can be found at home with his wife of 16+ years and their three children.

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.

Membership is based on prior fiscal year production. Re-qualification is required annually. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of advisors future performance. No fee is paid in exchange for this award/rating.

The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 32,000 nominations, more than 4,000 advisors received the award. This ranking is not indicative of advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.

James Ridley is originally from Henderson, Kentucky. He attended Belmont University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship. After a few successful years in the residential investment property business, James decided to pursue his passion for helping families achieve financial freedom.

James joined Southwestern Investment Group and the Deering Wealth Team in February of 2018. As a financial advisor on the team, James works hand in hand with Mark Deering to create, implement, and maintain financial planning for clients. James has a desire to serve others and is excited for the opportunity to learn more about clients’ lives and goals, while helping them achieve their objectives.

Most recently, James acquired the CFP® certification. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, James partners with clients in helping them reach their financial goals and experience freedom.

Outside of work, James enjoys playing soccer, rock climbing, and volunteering with Young Life.

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.

Jackson Wilcox studied finance and accounting at a small private college in rural Indiana. He began his career at a small tax firm in the Colorado Rockies, serving small businesses. Recently, he relocated to Franklin, Tennessee, to join Southwestern Investment Group’s Deering Wealth Team and pursue his passion for helping individual clients succeed financially.

Jackson’s role is to support the delivery of comprehensive financial planning to the families and individuals served by the Deering Wealth Team. His daily responsibilities include meeting preparation, meeting follow-up, insurance processing, and account balance management. He also helps clients with tax forms, IRA contributions, or required minimum distributions.

Jackson views the financial planning profession as uniquely positioned to provide value and peace of mind to clients. He is in the process of expanding his professional qualifications by studying to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

The united pursuit of serving clients with excellence makes it a privilege for Jackson to be an associate. He appreciates the professionalism and camaraderie of Southwestern Investment Group. He also enjoys working with his specific team and the relaxed office atmosphere.

Outside the office, Jackson enjoys exploring the Franklin area with his college sweetheart and wife, Molly. He enjoys staying active through biking, hiking, and playing frisbee. Jackson and his wife are also active members of and volunteers with their local church.

Neither Raymond James Financial Services nor any Raymond James Financial Advisor renders advice on tax issues, these matters should be discussed with the appropriate professional.

Janice has over 30 years of experience delivering exceptional customer service. She specializes in opening, operating, and following up on all things related to investment accounts. Janice manages the calendar and connects clients calling into the office with the person who can resolve their issue in the most timely and efficient manner.

Janice has been with Southwestern Investment Group since near the beginning in 2003. During her time with the company, she has held offices in three different locations with Southwestern— including downtown in Atrium way. Janice’s favorite part about working on the Deering Wealth Team is the people—some of which she has been working with for over 15 years now!

When not helping clients in the office, Janice enjoys spending time with her family. She frequently makes the trip to Atlanta to visit her daughter and grandson, Shaniece and Sebastian. Every once in a while, she makes it out to California to visit her twin sister and two older brothers in her hometown of Sacramento. Most weekends, though, you can find Janice riding her Harley around Nashville with her husband Ron.

Hannah Patterson was born and raised in Dyersburg, Tennessee. She attended college at Middle Tennessee State University where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a minor in Finance. Hannah has experience in client relations, marketing, and management.

As a client services associate, Hannah provides administrative support to our advisors and clients. She maintains and updates client account information, coordinates our events, and manages communications.

When she’s not in the office, Hannah enjoys walking her dogs and biking with her husband, Jordan. She also loves spending time with her family and traveling to new places.