Neal joined Edge as a Director and Portfolio Manager on the Strategy Team.  He collaborates with the firm’s Senior Financial Advisors in determining the appropriate asset allocation, overseeing portfolios, generating investment recommendations, and communicating frequently with clients.  As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Neal is a senior member of our team and not only involved with its strategic direction, but also intimately involved with the holistic financial planning process – from goal-setting to retirement planning to estate planning reviews. Neal has spent the majority of his career (over 20 years) in the financial services industry, with the initial portion of his post-MBA career in Equity Research as a Stock Analyst, a background which provides him a unique perspective on our team with regard to performing manager due diligence and evaluating different public and private investment strategies.  He then transitioned into wealth management in 2012, desiring to impact the lives of individuals and families by helping them achieve their long-term objectives.

Prior to joining Edge, Neal served as an Associate Advisor for two smaller independent firms and as a Portfolio Manager for Parsec Financial. Neal earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from The College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business, where he served as an Analyst and Portfolio Manager on the student-managed Frank Batten Investment Fund.  He completed the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING™ certificate program at Queens University’s McColl School of Business. Neal is a member of the Financial Planning Associate (FPA), the Charlotte Economics Club, and the Charlotte Estate Planning Council (CEPC).

In his free time, Neal enjoys spending time with his wife Clarence and son Parker. As an Eagle Scout, Neal has always been an outdoor enthusiast and loves to go hiking and camping as much as possible. Neal also enjoys playing tennis and watching UNC sports.

As for community involvement, Neal is very engaged at his church (Myers Park Presbyterian), where he serves as the “Cubmaster” of the Cub Scout Pack (grades K – 5th) and recently served on the Board for the Weekday School.  Over the years, Neal’s primary volunteer focus has been on poverty alleviation. He has been a member of the church’s Shelter Team, volunteering locally with Habitat for Humanity, Loaves & Fishes and the Men’s Shelter, and serving globally on a World Vision mission team in El Salvador.