Here's where we provide the most value.
Our team focuses on serving families that are nearing retirement, are recently retired, and/or own their own business. Often, when we meet with someone who is gearing up for retirement, we find they have had a great investment strategy, they own some insurance, maybe they have even had a great relationship with an investment advisor, but they have a lot of unanswered questions. What do I do if taxes go up? How will I create income when the stock market is down? How does the value I have built in my business translate to a reliable retirement income? How do I pass this business on to my kids, grandkids, or trusted employees? How do I leave a legacy behind that doesn't ruin my kids and grandkids?
You don't have to have unanswered questions like these about your financial future. Our team is here to help you achieve the peace of mind and confidence you need to work out a plan that provides for the people you care about, while still allowing you to live the life you want.
Financial Planning
Retirement Planning & Income Strategies
Multigenerational Planning
Estate Planning
Business Planning & Succession
Business Employee & Executive Benefits Planning
About James
When I began this career at 21, straight out of Texas A&M’s Mays Business School, I wasn’t sure if this was going to be my lifelong career, but I took a leap of faith. I never thought I would be in a job where you wear a suit and sit behind a desk. I am the guy who is always outside, looking for a new trail to wander in the woods, or getting my hands in the dirt to grow something. What drew me to Northwestern Mutual in the first place is what has kept me here for almost a decade, the people. When I interviewed with Northwestern Mutual it was completely different than the other interviews I was having. They didn’t talk to me about how much money I would make, they talked to me about how much impact I could have on the lives of my clients. I saw the possibility of a future where I could cultivate deep meaningful relationships with people by helping them care for their loved ones and achieve their goals, and I jumped at the opportunity. Almost a decade later, I can confidently say this isn’t a career for me, it is my calling. The fiery passion I had as a 21 year old has not dimmed over the years, it has served to refine my team and I to serve those who benefit most from the work we do and resources we have to offer.
If you see me outside of the office, you will almost always find me with my family. We greatly enjoy spending time in our garden (both the flower garden and the veggie garden), and cultivating deep relationships in our community. My wife Zoe and I and our 3 boys are very involved in our local church, Antioch Central Houston. Don’t ask me about healthy sustainable communities or investing in eternity or you probably won’t be able to get me to stop talking! I am also a huge nerd, so it is probably a good idea to stay away from Star Wars, LOTR, and gaming if you want to have a productive meeting.
Lending a hand in my community.
As part of Northwestern Mutual, I'm proud to help accelerate the search for better childhood cancer treatments while supporting families undergoing treatment, and survivors from late effects. Here are some of the organizations we partner with:
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF)
ALSF funds cancer research, raises awareness, and supports the families of children with cancer. Since 2012, Northwestern Mutual, its employees, and financial professionals like me have donated more than $20 million to support ALSF and fund over 400,000 research hours.
Beads of Courage
Beads of Courage is an art-in-medicine program that helps kids with cancer tell their unique treatment story through colorful beads that are symbols of their courage.
How Northwestern Mutual helps you live the life you want.
When people feel better about their money, good things happen—they become more confident and feel more secure. For more than 160 years, Northwestern Mutual has helped people achieve the financial flexibility they need to live more and worry less.
Being a mutual company means Northwestern Mutual reports to its clients, not Wall Street. They don't believe in chasing fads or taking undue risk for short-term gains. Instead, they take a long-term approach—both in the way we help people plan to reach their goals, and in the way they do business. This has served their clients (and mine) well through all kinds of economic ups and downs, including wars, recessions, even the recent pandemic.
It's why I'm happy to be part of a company that's in it for the long-haul and prioritizes clients over profit.
