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, named Executive Vice President in 2014, and named Senior Executive Vice President in 2021. 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, 2020 and 2021*.
Mark exemplifies a true passion for service professionally and personally. He has served as a board member of the 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 17+ years, their three children, two dogs, and twenty-five chickens!
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.
*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’ 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. Out of approximately 32,725 nominations received, based on thresholds, more than 5,000 advisors received the award. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receives a fee in exchange for rankings. 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. For more information: www.SHOOKresearch.com.
**Membership is based on prior fiscal year production. Re-qualification is required annually. This recognition may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of future performance. Financial Advisors do not pay a fee in exchange for membership.
Jackson Wilcox studied finance and accounting at a small private college in rural Indiana. After graduating, he began his career in the financial industry at a small public accounting firm in the Colorado Rockies. During his time in public accounting, he worked with individuals and small business owners on a variety of issues including tax planning, financial statement preparation, and income tax compliance. Although this work was challenging and rewarding, financial advising was always his true passion and it was only a matter of time before he made the change. Looking for new opportunities and milder weather, Jackson joined Southwestern Investment Group’s Deering Wealth Team as a financial advisor in Franklin, TN.
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 serving families in the six CFP® practice areas of general planning, retirement planning, tax planning, investment management, risk management, and estate planning. In addition to these regular responsibilities, Jackson is also responsible for implementing new technology and planning processes for the families of the Deering Wealth Team.
Jackson views the financial planning profession as uniquely positioned to provide value and financial confidence to clients. He is in the process of expanding his professional qualifications by studying to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. Jackson is also devoted to developing and maintaining top level knowledge in new trends in the advising and regulatory landscape.
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 by playing ultimate frisbee and trying to tire out his inexhaustible goldendoodle puppy – Finley. Jackson and his wife are also active members of and volunteers with their local church.
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.
Hillary Stalker was raised in the Chicago suburbs in a tight-knit, entrepreneurial family of four. She credits her parents—especially her dad—for teaching her how to be a successful business owner, while always keeping faith and family first.
A graduate of Iowa State University, Hillary has a career background in client relationships, sales, marketing, and a passion for helping people. This background eventually led her to working in the financial services industry, and she spent several years advising clients in insurance and risk management at a financial services firm in Naperville, Illinois.
While looking for a new career opportunity to help grow as an advisor and as a part of a team, Hillary joined Southwestern Investment Group in 2020, which also afforded her family the opportunity of achieving their dream goal of relocating to Franklin, Tennessee. As a registered representative, Hillary finds nothing more fulfilling than watching her clients work towards goals and achieve them successfully. Her favorite part of her job is meeting people and truly getting to know her clients and their stories.
Hillary’s role on the Deering Wealth Team is to provide additional expertise in risk management and helping clients further understand all the tools they can utilize in maximizing their financial and retirement goals. Above all, Hillary is always looking to grow within the industry and is currently practicing what she preaches by setting industry designation goals so she can constantly improve upon her service to her team and clients, and it’s her dream to help pave the way for more young women to join the financial advising world and to lead today’s little girls by example. Hillary feels extremely blessed to have landed a role on the Deering Wealth Team, and she’s incredibly excited to meet and serve clients.
Beyond the office, you can find Hillary spending time with her family and friends—especially her husband, Atlee, and their two children, Paxton (“Pax”) and Ezra (“Ezzie”). She is extremely excited to finally live close to her sister who has been in Nashville for the last four years. Hillary loves to travel, listen to live music, anything design related, and playing outside with her babies—which she will gladly be doing more often now as a Tennessee resident.
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 a small-town called 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. While in college, she served as the Treasurer and President of her sorority and completed an internship for the fundraising department of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Through these experiences, Hannah realized she had a passion for building relationships and started her career as the Membership Director for the Chamber of Commerce in her hometown. Eventually, she relocated back to Middle Tennessee for a relationship of her own. There she managed several office locations for a medical practice in the greater Nashville area. With her experience in client relations, event planning, marketing and management, she joined the Deering Wealth Team in June of 2019.
Hannah originally came on board as a Client Services Associate responsible for assisting our advisors and clients along with managing all of our marketing and events. However, she recently passed her Series 7 and 66 exams and is now a Registered Financial Associate. She will provide support to our lead advisors with comprehensive financial planning as well as assisting our clients with money movements and trades.
Life outside of the office for Hannah is spent with her husband, Jordan, and their two dogs, Harley and Miller. After a few years of long distance, Hannah and Jordan settled down in the quaint town of Nolensville. They spend their weekends hiking, going on bike rides, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.
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.
Maddie Abrams is an experienced communication professional who joined the Deering Wealth Team as a Client Services & Marketing Associate, assisting her team’s financial advisors and clients and managing the team’s marketing activities and events. Prior to joining Southwestern Investment Group, Maddie spent her career in communication agencies, focusing on public relations and marketing for clients in various industries.
Raised alongside her three younger siblings in Glenview, Ill., a suburb just north of Chicago, Maddie’s parents instilled in her a strong work ethic at a young age. Paired with her lifelong passion for writing, Maddie attended the University of Alabama to pursue her bachelor’s degree in communication, majoring in both public relations and Spanish. On top of her studies, Maddie completed several agency internships and led the largest account at Alabama’s student-run communication firm.
While in college, Maddie’s parents moved to Franklin, Tenn., which influenced her to move to the Nashville area after graduating. Since then, her career has been centered around client services and all things communication and marketing, including content development, event planning, media relations, social media, crisis communications, and reputation management. Some of her work has been recognized by the Nashville Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, including for the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee and Jack Daniel’s. She has also provided pro-bono communication services to a handful of nonprofit organizations.
Currently residing in Old Hickory Village, Maddie and her boyfriend Heath spend a lot of their free time fixing up their nearly 100-year-old historic home. They enjoy taking their yellow lab Neyland swimming in Old Hickory Lake, and recently started a new fitness journey with CrossFit. Maddie is obsessed with dogs, with a soft spot for Labrador and Golden Retrievers, making her nickname, Maddog, quite fitting. She also considers herself an unofficial advocate for the Oxford comma.
