How Bruce can help you
Since 1981, clients have relied on Bruce’s straightforward principals, solid decision-making and financial expertise to help them achieve their life goals and legacy dreams. Bruce and team strive to know clients better than they know themselves. They educate clients on the four major obstacles to wealth accumulation: taxes, inflation, investment fees and emotional investing. This allows them to construct investment portfolios to maximize wealth accumulation by achieving targeted rates of return with an emphasis on income tax efficiency. Because it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep that increases your wealth.


What makes him knowledgeable
After earning his bachelor’s degree in engineering from N.C. State University, Bruce began his career in 1971 with GTE in Durham, North Carolina. Upon completing the Executive MBA program at Wake Forest University in 1978, he moved to Dallas, Texas, to run a sales division for GTE. Bruce returned to North Carolina and entered the investment industry in 1981, joining E.F. Hutton and its successor firms as an investment advisor. When E.F. Hutton established a fiduciary fee-based portfolio management program, Bruce was name as one of the original 10 founding fiduciary members. Bruce earned his Certified Investment Management (CIMA®) designation through the Wharton School of Business in 2000. He and his team joined The Private Bank at Wells Fargo Advisors in 2011, offering clients access to one of the industry’s broadest ranges of financial products and services. He is proud to have built a multi-generation, forward thinking team of wealth management professionals who deeply care for clients.


Getting to know Bruce
Bruce and his wife, Janet, are Durham natives who met in high school. After retiring from IBM in 1997, Janet became an integral part of her husband’s team for nearly 15 years. They believe in giving back to their community and supporting the causes that matter most to them – and they do that through their family foundation. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with family and friends in Durham and Roaring Gap, North Carolina, where they have a second home. They also like riding horses, golfing and finding new ways to help people.

How Keith can help you
Keith strives to ensure his team caters its service and solutions to each client’s needs and perspectives. He focuses on a holistic approach that takes into consideration a client’s net worth, cash flow, tax situation, family dynamics and estate plan needs and then offers a comprehensive investment solution. When clients share their peace of mind following a discussion about unsettling geopolitical events or share the joy of taking a long sought after dream vacation or spending time with family at a new vacation home, he is energized by the impact of his trusted and seasoned guidance.


What makes him knowledgeable
In 1997, after his career as a CPA, international auditor and financial controller, Keith joined Smith Barney to harness his financial services experience and passion to serve individuals, executives and multigenerational families. He joined our team in 2000. In 2007, with a commitment to his clients, he deepened his knowledge of financial planning and portfolio management by earning the CFP® certification. With his attention to detail and balanced approach, Keith takes pride in being a client advocate who specializes in investment management for wealth accumulation, income strategies, risk mitigation techniques, charitable giving and transition strategies through both planned and unplanned life events. The Rhode Island native earned his bachelor’s degree in accountancy in 1989 from Bentley University in Massachusetts.


Getting to know Keith
Keith and his wife, Kay, have lived in North Carolina’s Research Triangle area for more than 25 years and are proud to support the community in the areas of healthcare, children’s education and child development. Keith has served on the board of Duke School, the Dispute Settlement Center and the Volunteer Center. In his free time, Keith, a fitness enthusiast, enjoys mountain biking and skiing with his wife, adult children – Christopher and Kate, as well as traveling, gardening and reading historical nonfiction.

How Carl can help you
Carl is dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve their guiding lights – their unique collection of goals, needs, dreams and priorities. He strives to build long-lasting client relationships grounded in mutual trust and respect and takes pride in helping clients reach their goals and live their best lives.


What makes him knowledgeable
Carl earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University and his MBA from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He worked in textile manufacturing before becoming a financial advisor in 2000. In 2006, he deepened his knowledge of financial planning and portfolio management by earning the CFP® certification. He and his team joined The Private Bank at Wells Fargo Advisors in 2011, offering clients access to one of the industry’s broadest ranges of financial products and services. Carl excels at investment management for wealth accumulation, income strategies, risk mitigation techniques, as well as designing charitable giving and transition strategies for planned and unplanned life events.


Getting to know Carl
The Virginia native and his wife, Dena, whom he met in the eighth grade, have lived in North Carolina for 30 years. They raised two daughters in the Tar Heel State and are proud to call Chapel Hill home. Carl and Dena are active in local community and civic organizations, including the Public School Foundation of Chapel Hill and Carrboro Schools, for which he is on the Finance Committee. In their free time, Carl and family enjoy spending time together in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, where they fly fish, hike, kayak and feed their local deer and turkey friends.

How Matthew can help you
Matthew delivers responsive, reliable service and proactive problem solving, all customized to each client’s needs and goals. He manages model portfolios and serves as the team’s global macro strategist and market strategist.


What makes him knowledgeable
Matthew joined our team in 2000, after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He earned his Certified Portfolio Manager (CPM^®) designation from Columbia University in New York. He has a diverse skill set and is well suited for working with individuals, families, business owners and executives.


Getting to know Matthew
Matthew has lived most of his life in North Carolina, and he and his wife, Venus, and sons, Isaac and Titus, split their time between Durham and Surf City. The Tapleys love to explore the outdoors – fishing, hiking, rock climbing, surfing, paddle boarding and scuba diving. Matthew is an active supporter of Surf City Middle School and Topsail High School, where his sons are students.

How Patrick can help you
Patrick believes collaboration is grounded in connection. He strives to build strong relationships that pave the way for him and his clients to be successful together. His focus: holistic, goals-based planning that considers how all the pieces of his clients’ lives fit together.


What makes him knowledgeable
Patrick earned his bachelor’s degree in financial management and economics from Florida Southern College in 2008. He entered the investment industry in 2011 when he joined Wells Fargo Advisors as a Financial Advisor. Patrick earned the Certified Financial Planner™ designation through Duke University in 2014. He joined our team in 2017 and has been focused on helping clients build, manage, protect and transfer their wealth ever since.


Getting to know Patrick
Originally from central Ohio, Patrick moved to Florida for college and met his wife, Leigh Anne, shortly after graduating. They moved to Durham, North Carolina, in 2010 and now have three daughters, Evelyn, Adelie and Noella. They are members of Christ Central Church in downtown Durham and Chapel Hill Country Club and are active supporters of Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill, where all three children currently attend.  Patrick enjoys experiencing all his daughters’ golf matches, dance recitals, swim meets and everything else being a ‘girl dad’ offers. In his free time, he loves being outside for the occasional round of golf, hiking and camping with his dog, Derby, reading biographies and other historical nonfiction, and collecting bourbons. 

What makes Cami knowledgeable
Cami entered the investment industry in 1989, when she joined Bruce Knott and served as a registered marketing associate. She earned her bachelor's degree in business management, with a concentration in marketing, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Cami is insurance licensed and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations.


Getting to know Cami
Cami and her husband, Skeen, have two daughters and are members of Bay Leaf Baptist Church. Cami enjoys volunteering at her church, reading, traveling and spending time with friends and family.

What makes Karen knowledgeable
Karen entered the investment industry in 2004. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors and our team in 2013, she spent nine years at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and UBS Financial in a variety of client servicing roles.


Getting to know Karen
Karen enjoys spending time with her three grown children, five grandchildren and three dachshunds. She also likes to read, shop and volunteer at Animal Resource and Friends Rescue

How Michael can help you
Michael is responsible for portfolio and security research and analytics. He interacts with clients when it comes to trading, portfolio management and leveraging financial planning and guidance tools.


What makes him knowledgeable
Michael entered the investment industry in 2011. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors and our team in 2014, Michael was a Registered Retirement Brokerage Specialist at Fidelity Investments. In 2010, he earned his bachelor’s degree – a double major in economics and history – from Wake Forest University. Michael is insurance licensed and holds FINRA series 7 and 63 securities registrations. He has been a CFA^® charterholder since 2021 and is a member of the CFA^® Society of North Carolina.


Getting to know Michael
In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with wife, Kate, daughter, Mary, and their black Lab, Sally. He also enjoys reading, golfing and watching sports. (Go, Deacs!)

What makes Ashley knowledgeable
Ashley entered the investment industry in 2004. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors and our team in 2019, she was a Consulting Group Analyst at Morgan Stanley. During her tenure at Morgan Stanley, from 2007-2019, she held many roles from Registered Client Service Associate to Financial Advisor. Prior to that, she worked at State Employees Credit Union and BB&T in the Raleigh-Durham area from 2004-2007. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2003.


Getting to know Ashley
Ashley enjoys playing and having fun with her son, Kai, and Maltichon, Malia. She also likes to cook, read and explore the world, with excursions to Peru and Tanzania topping her list of most memorable trips she’s taken so far.

What makes Renee knowledgeable
Renee entered the investment industry in 2000.  Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors and our team in 2022, she was a Senior Registered Associate at Morgan Stanley. She has a wide range of experience in investment banking, hedge funds and private wealth management. Renee earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996 and her master’s degree in history from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2000.


Getting to know Renee
Renee enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her husband, two daughters and two dogs. She also enjoys photography.