Bud is a founding team member of Ellison Kibler & Associates. He began his career with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1982, and has conducted extensive training to Merrill financial advisors at the request of local directors. In his previous role as a Financial Advisor, Barron's named Bud to its 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Top 1,200 Financial Advisors list, ranking him in the top ten advisors in South Carolina(Published annually in February-March. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year). Barron's also recognized Bud as one of the Top 1,000 Financial Advisors in the country from 2009 through 2013, and ranked him the number two financial advisor in the state in 2013(Published annually in February. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year). In 2016, Bud was named to the Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors (FT 400) list(Published on March 30, 2016. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2015).  A native of South Carolina, Bud served on the boards of the Historic Columbia Foundation, ETV Endowment and previously served on the board of Waller Capital Partners NY. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance from the University of South Carolina.

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State” list, published annually in February-March. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year.

The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years financial services experience and who have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. This is a list of the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Other quantitative and qualitative measures include assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State” list, published annually in February. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year.

Advisors considered for the “America’s Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State” ranking have a minimum of seven years of financial services experience and have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. Quantitative and qualitative measures used to determine the Advisor rankings include: client assets, return on assets, client satisfaction/retention, compliance records, and community involvement, among others. Barron’s does not receive compensation from Advisors, participating firms and their affiliates, or the media in exchange for rankings. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. The ranking or ratings shown here may not be representative of all client experiences because they reflect an average or sampling of the client experiences. These rankings or ratings are not indicative of any future performance or investment outcome.

*Source: Financial Times “400 Top Financial Advisers” list, published on March 30, 2016. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2015.

The Financial Times “400 Top Financial Advisers” (FT 400) is an independent listing produced by the Financial Times. The FT 400 is based on data gathered from firms and verified by broker-dealer home offices, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. The listing reflects each adviser’s performance in six primary areas, including assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials and accessibility as identified by the FT. Neither the brokerages nor the advisers pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 400. The ranking or ratings shown here may not be representative of all client experiences because they reflect an average or sampling of the client experiences. These rankings or ratings are not indicative of any future performance or investment outcome.

Rick began his career with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1994.  He serves as the managing partner of Ellison Kibler & Associates.  He focuses on financial strategies for high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans and endowments and foundations.  He has trained Merrill Financial Advisors through the Peer-to-Peer National Faculty Program and has been a lecturer for Barron’s.  He holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst CIMA and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor CRPC designations.  Rick was named to Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021(Published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year). Rick also was named to Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors list in 2018, 2019 and 2020(Published annually in February-March. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year). He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Finance.  He serves on the charitable board for the Cutler Jewish Day School. He previously served on the board for the Heath Hall Episcopal School and the Humane Society.   He is originally from Buffalo, NY.

*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Jan - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State” list, published annually in February-March. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year.

The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years financial services experience and who have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. This is a list of the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Other quantitative and qualitative measures include assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Gordon is Managing Director, Wealth Management Advisor, and Merrill Sports and Entertainment Advisor.  He began his career at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2003 following two-years at another brokerage firm. He serves as co-managing partner of Ellison Kibler & Associates, the number 26 Private Wealth Management Team in the country for 2022 as named by Barron’s in their Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams list (Published on April 15, 2022. Rankings based on data as of December 31, 2021). His areas of focus includes the implementation of complex financial strategies for high-net-worth individuals including athletes and successful professionals. He has trained financial advisors across the country through the Peer-to-Peer National Faculty Program and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. as well as the Sports and Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor designation from The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. Gordon has been named to the Forbes “Best -in-State Wealth Advisors” list in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 (Published annually Jan-April based on data as of June 30 of the prior year) as well as the 2022 Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors list (Published on March 11, 2022. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2021). Gordon attended the University of Colorado and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He resides with his wife, fellow team member Angie Whittaker, and their family outside of Charlotte and is originally from Brandon, VT. Aside from helping clients and spending time with his family, Gordon enjoys exercise and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams” list, published on April 15, 2022. Rankings based on data as of December 31, 2021.

The Barron’s “Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams” list is a ranking of wealth management teams that specialize in serving individuals and families. The teams are ranked on a variety of factors, including their size and shape, the regulatory records and credentials of their members and the resources they have at their disposal to serve their client bases. The Barron’s “Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years financial services experience and who have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. Quantitative and qualitative measures used to determine the advisor rankings include: client assets, return on assets, client satisfaction/retention, compliance records, and community involvement, among others. Rankings are based on the opinions of Barron’s and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s does not receive compensation from advisors, participating firms and their affiliates, or the media in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Jan - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State” list, published on March 11, 2022. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2021.

The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years financial services experience and who have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. This is a list of the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Other quantitative and qualitative measures include assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.