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The Porter & Johnson Group

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The Porter & Johnson Group is a wealth management advisory team of skilled professionals with more than 50 years of combined industry experience. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, we work with large corporate retirement plans across the country.

We start with what’s important to you

We take the time to listen and learn about the needs and goals of your institution and the people it serves – it’s these real-world insights that guide our strategies and personalized service.

About Us

Broad knowledge and deep resources to serve clients’ varied needs

Drawing on the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America, and our own extensive knowledge and skills, we are well equipped to:

  • Assist employers with the design and maintenance of their plans
  • Provide on-site education and personalized guidance to help employees take full advantage of their benefits and pursue their long-term goals
Duke Porter is among a select group of Merrill financial advisors who hold the Retirement Benefits Consultant title, to offer consulting services to clients with complex defined-contribution investment needs. He is highly credentialed, holding the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) designation and the Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P®) designation. These involve rigorous training that he draws on in working with corporate executives and benefit plan sponsors and participants.

The Porter & Johnson Group also engages affluent families and thriving nonprofit organizations in a sophisticated wealth management experience designed to help them address the complex challenges of growing, preserving and managing their wealth and pursuing their goals and missions.

Our team members are dedicated to continually honing our skills and deepening our knowledge in an effort to provide clients with informed and insightful guidance. We routinely take courses on a wide range of wealth management and financial topics and have earned many professional credentials.

We work hard to stay abreast of new ideas, innovative approaches and important trends. We believe this better prepares us to assist clients in addressing their particular wealth management needs.

Our Service Approach

  • We are committed to personal, in-depth involvement with retirement plan sponsors and participants, providing them with insightful guidance tailored to their needs and aligned with their interests, values and goals.

  • We routinely travel across the country to conduct education meetings and seminars with plan participants.

  • We truly care about clients and are committed to forging and maintaining close long-term relationships with them.

  • We maintain frequent contact with clients to share investment insights and keep them abreast of our market views.

  • To help clients make informed decisions, we try to explain issues that may affect their financial well-being in easy-to-understand language.

  • We hold several client-focused events each year that are both social and educational, addressing such subjects as long-term-care insurance, market updates and investment trends.

Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor

As a Bank of America Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor[s] (RAFA), The Porter & Johnson Group  is one of a select group of Merrill advisors specialized in defined contribution plans who can add value to your plan by:

  • Offering access to 3(21) fiduciary services1
  • Helping you shape your investment strategies
  • Offering thoughtful advice without a proprietary investment requirement
  • Providing periodic reporting and helping you understand results and measurements to assist you in managing your plan over time
  • Working with you to create a plan that is designed to drive employee engagement and positive participant behavior
  • Assisting in the delivery of employee financial wellness programs and education
  • Educating employees on connecting their life priorities with their finances to help them pursue what matters most to them

1 Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp. MLPF&S. MLPF&S offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. Please refer to the Fiduciary Advisory Services Brochure for information on the program including a description of the series and related fees.

Resources for retirement plan sponsors

Duke Porter is one of a group of Merrill financial advisors designated as a Retirement Benefits Consultant, and also among those designated as a Defined Contribution Investment Consulting (DCIC) financial advisor, and he works to assist defined-contribution plan sponsors with their complex needs. He also holds the Certified 401(k) Professional® (C(k)P®) designation. He is qualified to help retirement plan sponsors design:

  • Defined-contribution plans, including 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans
  • Supplemental executive retirement plans
Duke, supported by the professionals on his team, can also assist municipalities with the crucial task of helping employees invest for their retirement through 457 and 401(a) plans in a way that makes sense—strategically, operationally and financially—for both the employees themselves and the municipality.

The Porter & Johnson Group can assist you with:
  • Needs assessment—Evaluating business requirements and thinking through what the retirement plan should achieve
  • Plan benchmarking and best practice analysis—Helping keep the plan current while comparing it with others in the industry
  • Investment analysis and menu selection—Assisting with the construction and monitoring of investment menus and creating a review schedule for funds
  • Cost analysis—Identifying plan costs and potential savings
  • Sponsor support—Providing resources and education to help sponsors understand their fiduciary responsibilities and offering access to administration and record-keeping services
  • Employee education— Communicating with plan participants through in-person enrollment meetings and educational seminars, to help motivate them to take full advantage of the benefits and services available to them
Nonprofit Institutions
Not-for-profit organizations operate under numerous laws, rules and standards. Our team understands the issues involved. Working in conjunction with the Global Institutional Consulting Group, we are able to provide nonprofits with access to a broad spectrum of capabilities to assist them with their 403(b) retirement plans and help support their mission. Our team can:
  • Assess your organization’s goals, objectives and mission
  • Suggest an appropriate asset allocation model
  • Leverage Merrill’s thorough due diligence process to deliver investment options
  • Use Merrill portfolio construction techniques to create strategies based on your specific objectives
  • Conduct performance reviews and identify opportunities to refine your strategy relative to your IPS
  • Help with employee education and communication  


*Global Institutional Consulting, operating under the name “Bank of America,” is a business offering products and services for the benefit of institutional and ultra‐high net worth clients and is part of Global Wealth and Investment Management (GWIM), the wealth and investment management division of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). Global Institutional Consultants mentioned herein are registered representatives with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S“ or “Merrill”) and may assist you with investment products and services. The nature and degree of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and clients’ rights and Merrill’s obligations will differ depending upon the products and services actually provided. Banking activities may be performed by wholly owned banking affiliates of BofA Corp., including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Brokerage and investment advisory services are provided by wholly owned non-bank affiliates of BofA Corp., including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”), a dually registered broker-dealer and investment adviser and Member SIPC.

Committed to enduring relationships

Our team was founded on the principle that every client deserves exceptional, highly personalized care. You are our primary focus, and we strive to deliver top-quality service, insightful advice and guidance, and disciplined wealth management.

We are committed to making a positive difference in the social and environmental well-being of our community and serve on the boards of a number of organizations, including the American Red Cross and Reaching 360.

Additional Resources

The Porter & Johnson Group is supported by talented specialists who have experience working with institutions and share a strong commitment to guiding investment programs and strategic decision making.

Andrea Baugh

Andrea Baugh

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Jeremy Rumpf

Jeremy Rumpf

Employee Benefits Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

Craig Camp

Craig Camp

Market Linked Investments Specialist

Bank of America, N.A.

Michael Harper

Michael Harper

Wealth Management Lending Officer

Bank of America, N.A.

NMLS #1325576

Solutions for Institutions

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Supporting a strong retirement plan and helping to keep it on track

The retirement and financial needs of your employees, as well as the responsibility those needs create for you as an employer, are important to you. We offer the solutions your employees may need to help pursue their financial goals and maintain financial wellness. Our array of resources and experience is designed to help meet your employees’ financial needs in ways that make sense for your company — strategically, operationally and financially. You and your employees will have a team of experienced and passionate advocates for financial wellness on your side. Our team will make your priorities their own so you can focus more on your business.

For Plan Sponsors

Your role as a plan sponsor is more challenging than ever, and it’s not something to face alone. We bring the resources and thought leadership from Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates to bear in helping you provide a strong, healthy and fully compliant program that runs smoothly, engages your employees and makes your job easier. We can help you focus on the areas that may be helpful to plan success, including Fiduciary Advisory Services 1 and Education and Plan Services 2 appropriate for your plan.

Fiduciary Advisory Services1

Through Fiduciary Advisory Services, we can help you design and maintain an investment menu.
  • Investment Policy Statement (IPS)3
  • Comprehensive due diligence processes to identify appropriate investments 
  • Proactive delivery – online and by your designated advisor – of investment performance reporting every quarter 
  • Report providing fund analysis and market trends.

1 Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”). Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. Please refer to the Fiduciary Advisory Services Brochure for information on the program including a description of the series and related fees.

2 Education and Plan Services are non-fiduciary services required for Advisor Alliance clients and optional for MLII clients.

3 IPS service is not available for FAS Discretionary. The plan sponsor is responsible for the approval and final adoption of the IPS.

For Employees

All our efforts revolve around helping your employees pursue their goals. With Bank of America Corporation’s long legacy of service excellence, we take a holistic approach to helping your employees connect their life priorities and financial priorities—in and beyond their benefit plans. By broadening our view to include an employee’s entire financial picture, both in and out of plan, we believe we can help your employees better manage and gain control of their finances.

  • Holistic approach to helping improve overall financial wellness
  • Online investment advisory programs that offer participant advice; Personal Retirement Strategy that provides online advice and guidance to help participants pursue their retirement income goals through a recommended asset allocation and, if the participant elects, a discretionary managed account, Merrill Managed, for an additional fee or Advice Access that helps participants by providing asset allocation recommendations and ongoing investment management through its optional PersonalManager® service, for a fee.
  • Comprehensive employee education program

Personal Retirement Strategy is an online investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. (“MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) that uses a probabilistic approach to determine the likelihood that participants in the program will accumulate sufficient total assets to achieve their annual retirement income goal. The recommendations provided by Personal Retirement Strategy may include a higher level of investment risk than a participant may be personally comfortable with. Participants are strongly advised to consider their personal goals, overall risk tolerance and retirement horizon before accepting any recommendations made by Personal Retirement Strategy. Participants should carefully review the explanation of the methodology used, including key assumptions and limitations, as well as a description of services and related fees, which is provided in the Personal Retirement Strategy Brochure (ADV Part 2A). It can be obtained through Benefits OnLine or through the Retirement Benefits Contact Center.

Advice Access is an online investment advisory program sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. (“MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) that uses a probabilistic approach to determine the likelihood that participants in the program may be able to achieve their specified annual retirement income goal and/or to identify a potential wealth outcome that could be realized. The recommendations provided by Advice Access may include a higher level of investment risk than a participant may be personally comfortable with. Participants are strongly advised to consider their personal goals, overall risk tolerance, and retirement horizon before accepting any recommendations made by Advice Access. Participants should carefully review the explanation of the methodology used, including key assumptions and limitations as well as a description of services and related fees, which is provided in the Advice Access disclosure document (ADV Part 2A). It can be obtained through Benefits OnLine or through the Retirement Benefits Contact Center.

Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select.

IMPORTANT: The projections or other information shown in the Advice Access program regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. Results may vary with each use and over time.

Additional resources for your organization

When you work with The Porter & Johnson Group, you benefit from the experience and knowledge we’ve gained from working with many institutions across the nation. We’ll bring all the latest thinking, insights and research from across Bank of America Corporation:

Bank of America Global Commercial Banking (GCB) provides a full range of commercial banking services to help your organization meet today’s challenges head- on and fuel sustainable growth. Bank of America specialists are committed to providing institutions like yours with banking solutions, including cash management and lending while investment solutions are provided by Merrill. GCB offers institutions solutions designed  to help increase cash flow, streamline benefits plans and expand geographically. GCB brings clients the full capabilities of Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates paired with local service.*

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management (MLWM) provides access to market knowledge and financial experience. Merrill  can help your organization make decisions that are appropriate for its needs and goals. Our education and insights can help your organization understand what’s driving today’s markets and tomorrow’s potential global opportunities. MLWM serves clients across the wealth spectrum, with personal advisor relationships that helps each individual investor plan for and pursue their unique financial goals.

* “Bank of America” is the marketing name used by certain Global Banking and Global Markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, other commercial banking activities, and trading in certain financial instruments are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC.

“Bank of America Merrill Lynch” is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., both of which are registered as broker-dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA.

Workplace benefits website – Our insights

Learn about effective ways to help assess whether you’re getting the most from your benefits plan

Solutions for Individuals

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With you every step of the way

What’s important to you? What would you like to accomplish with your wealth? Our disciplined goals-based wealth management process begins with in-depth conversations to discover the answers to those questions. What we learn allows us to help you set realistic goals, prioritize your objectives and develop and implement sophisticated, thoughtful strategies to pursue them. A key element of our investment approach is asset allocation. We believe that designing a balanced portfolio, diversified among different types and styles of investments, has a greater potential influence on results than stock selection and market timing. Our goal is to buffer the effects of market swings while pursuing a predictable level of income.

After you have established your strategy, we will check in with you periodically—to stay informed about events in your life that could affect your financial situation and to help you anticipate potential challenges and prepare for future opportunities. We will meet with you in person to review your progress and discuss investment performance and market trends. And at least once a year, we will reexamine your overall strategy with you and help you make any necessary adjustments to keep it aligned with your goals, risk tolerance, liquidity needs and time horizon. Costs are also taken into consideration when making recommendations.

Helping you prepare for the future
No matter how much wealth you have accumulated, you may be concerned about making it last through your lifetime, and beyond. We can use sophisticated retirement income planning analysis to help evaluate your situation. This analysis may include conversations about the important role Social Security can play as a source of retirement income. Once you have retired, we can assist you in developing strategies designed to generate income and help you track your spending with the goal of reducing your risk of outliving your resources and eroding your legacy. We can also provide access to services to help you move assets efficiently as part of a lifetime transfer to family members or charities you care about.  

Philosophy

Life is always changing and growing more complex. In the same way, your priorities and needs around your family, work, health and home are always evolving. And since your finances are so deeply connected with the rest of your life, an investment approach that is specific to your unique situation can be helpful. Even if you’re accustomed to managing your finances on your own, you may find value in having a relationship with someone who understands your priorities and who has the knowledge and resources to help you make more informed decisions, no matter where you are in life.

Staying on Track

We understand that both your life and the financial markets can change over time. By checking in to discuss changes in your life and revisiting your financial approach, our goal is to help you stay on track to achieve what’s most important to you.

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Reviews to help you stay on track

We’ll meet with you to review your goals and the progress you’ve made toward reaching them. We’ll also discuss any adjustments needed to your financial approach to help you stay on course.

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Changes in your life and to your goals

Your life and goals change. As these changes occur, we can update your approach to reflect them.

Wealth Management Your Way

MyMerrill is your online destination for access to your financial information, secure communications, and a robust offering of tools and capabilities.

Your advisor is a click away within our site or mobile apps

You can manage account security with our customizable security capabilities such as touch ID, one time passcode, and other security features

Access to your complete financial life is available with My Financial Picture, Merrill’s asset aggregation tool

Your Financial Approach

We offer you access to the investing insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking convenience of Bank of America to help you pursue your goals. We will work to help you stay on track, regardless of what the markets are doing.

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FAMILY
Taking care of your family and other people in your life
  • Trust & Estate Services4
  • Education Funding1
  • Insurance3
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HEALTH
Planning for healthcare expenses now and in the future
  • Long-term Care Insurance3
  • Health Savings Account2
  • Disability Insurance3
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HOME
Upsizing, downsizing, remodeling or buying a vacation home
  • Home Loans2
  • Home Equity Lines of Credit2
  • Securities-Based Lending2
  • Credit Cards2
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WORK
Working in retirement, selling or starting a business
  • Bank of America Business Banking2
  • Exchange Funds1
  • Concentrated Stock Management1
  • Succession Planning1
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LEISURE
Spending your free time in meaningful ways
  • Credit Cards2
  • Securities-Based Lending2
  • Structured Lending2
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GIVING
Volunteering, mentoring others and giving to charities
  • Donor-Advised Funds4
  • Private Foundations4
  • Charitable Trusts4
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FINANCE
Using your finances to bring it all together
  • Merrill Investment Accounts1
  • Investment Advisory Accounts1
  • Alternative Investments1
  • Exchange-Traded Funds1
  • Mutual Funds1
  • Closed-end Funds1
  • Fixed Income Products1
  • Options1
  • Annuities3
  • Impact Portfolios1
  • Market-Linked Investments1
  • Securities-Based Lending2
  • Margin1
  • Home Loans2
  • Bank of America Checking and Savings Accounts2
  • Credit Cards2
  • Online Account Access1,2

¹ Investment products are offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.
² Banking, mortgage and home equity products offered by Bank of America, N.A.
³ Insurance and annuity products offered through Merrill Lynch Life Agency Inc.
4 Trust and fiduciary services are provided by Bank of America Private Bank.

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