Meet Our Team

John has more than 35 years of experience providing consulting services to families and institutions including foundations, endowments, and retirement plans. Prior to serving as Managing Director - Investments for The Armillary Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, John spent four years as President and Co-Founder of Captrust Financial Advisors, a national consulting and brokerage firm. He also served as Director of Wachovia Securities Consulting Services Group (a predecessor of Wells Fargo Advisors) for six years. Before Wells Fargo Advisors, John served as a Director of the Managed Accounts Group for Paine Webber and started his career as an analyst with E.F. Hutton & Company.

John graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. A firm believer in the value of education and staying abreast of industry trends, John is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business Securities. He has obtained numerous certifications, including Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and Certified Portfolio Management Program.

John is a past member of the Investment Advisory Board, The Salvation Army - Southern Territory, and Past Chair and Board Member -Investment & Wealth Institute (formerly Investment Management Consultants Association).

Ed is a Managing Director – Investments for The Armillary Group of Wells Fargo Advisors and has worked in the investment and financial services industry for over three decades. He joined Interstate/Johnson Lane in 1981 as a financial consultant and subsequently held various management and executive positions with the firm and its successor, Wachovia Securities, Inc., which ultimately became Wells Fargo Advisors. Ed also served as Managing Principal of CAPTRUST Financial Advisors and as President of Wachovia Securities, Inc.

Ed is a graduate of Wake Forest University and holds an MBA from Duke University. He is also a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Away from the office, Ed currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Central Piedmont Community College, and he also serves on the Executive Committee of the Mecklenburg County Boy Scouts of America. In addition, he has previously served in the following capacities:

• Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) Foundation and Chair of the Finance Committee

• Chairman of the Board of the Community School of the Arts in Charlotte

• The Board of the Middle Atlantic District of the Securities Industry Association (now SIFMA)

• The Regional Firms Committee of the Securities Industry Association

• The Sales and Marketing Committee of the Securities Industry Association

• The Board of Visitors of the Wake Forest School of Business

• The Business Advisory Council of the Belk College of Business Administration of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

He and his wife, DeeDee, live in Charlotte and have three children, Elizabeth, Carolyn, and Eddie.

Backed by more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry, Julie Jones joined our team in 2021 after spending nine years as an Investment Strategist with Wells Fargo Private Bank. In her new role, Julie enjoys the perfect mix of working with people to solve their problems while also using her analytical toolset to research markets and build portfolios.

In her own words, Julie is excited to join the Armillary Group of Wells Fargo Advisors because of our “unrelenting focus on the client and clear vision for the team’s future.” Julie always puts her clients’ needs first and is proud to be part of a team that does the same. Her primary areas of focus are asset management, estate planning strategies, and retirement planning. She also has a goal of working with successful female executives and young, affluent professional women.

Prior to beginning her career, Julie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from North Carolina State University. A proponent of continuing education, she also graduated with an MBA from the Kogod School of Business at American University in 2012, and has completed the necessary coursework to earn the Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the CFA Institute.

Julie lives in Charlotte with her husband, Kevin, and their three children, David, Bill, and Dorothy. Away from the office, she has given back to her community through charitable causes such the Women’s Impact Fund – Charlotte, as a previous board member for the First Presbyterian Church Schools, and as a participant in Leadership Charlotte. She also enjoys doing small DIY projects throughout the house and loves any time she can spend with her kids in the great outdoors. As a family, they look forward to traveling any chance they can.

Matthew joined The Armillary Group in 2019 and has served as the team’s analyst. His responsibilities include performance reporting, manager and fund research, asset allocation analysis, duration and yield analysis, and other various institutional reporting tasks. He attended Miami University’s Farmer School of Business and earned his B.S. in Finance. While at Miami University, he served as the CFO for Miami Business Consulting, a student-run consulting organization. He also interned at the University’s Treasury Office, where he worked alongside the Chief Investment Officer overseeing the Endowment.

Away from the office, Matthew enjoys giving back to his community and has volunteered with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, South Carolina Ocean Restoration and Enhancement Program, and numerous food banks.

Phyllis began her career at Wells Fargo Advisors (formerly Interstate Johnson Lane) in
1997 as an operations coordinator and has more than 27 years of experience in the
financial services industry. She is responsible for all chief administration, services, and
operational support. By leveraging her financial knowledge and service background,
she is able to positively influence client satisfaction and to assist advisors in dealing
with a wide variety of client needs. Phyllis is committed to client satisfaction and has a
vast array of knowledge and best practice skills. She is a graduate of Kings College and
was recognized as a Wells Fargo Advisors Platinum Council Client Associate every year
from 2012 to 2017. The Wells Fargo Advisors Platinum Council Client Associate
(previously Premier Client Associate) distinction is held by a select group of
Registered Client Associates with Wells Fargo Advisors nominated by their management
for their consistent display of professionalism, integrity and core leadership values.

Lisa has over 27 years of experience in the financial industry beginning back in 1996. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of South Carolina, she began her career with A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc.  She moved through various roles within the company and became the Operations Manager of the Charlotte-Ballantyne branch.  Over the years, Lisa worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and eventually was a key component to creating a new Independent financial firm with her team and serving as the Director of Operations.  Lisa has come full circle to Wells Fargo Advisors as the original firm of A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. was ultimately merged into Wachovia Securities which became Wells Fargo Advisors.  Lisa has experience in all aspects of exceptional client relations, operational procedures and account maintenance and transactions. Lisa holds her General Securities and Combined State Law registrations.

Lisa has called Charlotte, NC home for 23 years but is originally from South Carolina. When she is not working, Lisa loves to travel with her husband to different countries and locations. She is involved in various ministries through her church home of St. Matthews Catholic Church including being a catechist instructor in the youth Faith Formation Program for the past 5 years and Pastoral Care duties to a local assisted living facility. She also is an active participant in the Serving Charlotte’s Homeless ministry.

Hunter is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) and Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional and has been serving clients since joining The Armillary Group in 2014. He leads the team's high-net-worth consulting practice and provides comprehensive planning to clients and their families, which includes retirement and investment planning, risk management, and education planning. Though our team members cannot provide tax or legal advice, Hunter can work with clients' outside professionals and is happy to coordinate estate and tax-efficient strategies.

Hunter graduated magna cum laude from Furman University with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. While at Furman, he served as a member of the investment club and was a four-year letterman on the varsity baseball team.