LEADERS OF COBB

Since its establishment more than 180 years ago, Cobb County has been defined by its people. Some of these individuals have made their mark by becoming pioneers of business, captains of industry and heads of state.

And if you’re reading this, you likely know why Cobb is attractive to so many. It hosts exceptional schools, is within close reach to the world’s busiest airport, has all of the convenience of proximity to the big city and is fertile ground for entrepreneurship. The list goes on, but it always comes back to the people who have built this county into what it is.

On the following page we have profiled an individual who is among Cobb’s premier leaders. We wanted to find out about his job, delve into his personal life, and gain some words of wisdom. And of course, we asked: Why have you picked Cobb County?

THE STORY: I grew up an Army brat and moved around often, having lived in California, New York, Kansas, Germany, and Texas, where I call home. I went to high school in San Antonio and graduated with a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. There I received an ROTC scholarship and commissioned as an officer in the Army upon graduation. I served four years on active duty. I served in the 82nd Airborne Division and deployed to Iraq for 15 months in 2007 during “The Surge.” I also served in the 75th Ranger Regiment with a special operations deployment to Afghanistan. After my military service, I moved to the D.C. area and worked in defense consulting while pursued an MBA from the University of Maryland where I also served as portfolio manager for the Global Equity Fund, a student-managed investment fund on behalf of the Maryland Endowment.

Upon earning my MBA, I moved to Atlanta and began a career in the investment industry, where I served six years at Merrill Lynch’s Private Banking and Investment Group, eventually becoming a vice president. I also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Then I joined NovaPoint Capital, an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) in Atlanta, as a managing director. In 2022, I launched my own RIA, Wright Wealth, LLC. People find and work with me when they are seeking expertise, integrity, initiative, and leadership. Often, I work with senior executives, military veterans, and special needs families because I am a member of all three of these focus groups.

Additionally, I am a co-founder of 550 Capital Partners, a veteran-owned venture capital firm that invests in veteran-led startups. I am active in the community; I serve as the president (as of July 2022) of the U.S. Army Ranger Association and as an elder at Piedmont Church in Marietta. I am a past director of the Northeast Cobb Business Association (NCBA) and was awarded Business Person of the Year in 2019.

WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: My wife is from Kennesaw, and my family lived in Marietta before moving to Woodstock. I love Cobb County, and Wright Wealth LLC is headquartered in Cobb County at The Battery Atlanta. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I love my job because I help people achieve their goals and dreams. Yes, financial planning and investing are a part of that, but money is a resource to enable living. My mantra is to serve others not as a task, but as a purpose. So, I take a servant leadership approach to financial management by helping people define their goals and providing the hope and direction for them to achieve them.

LEISURE TIME: In my free time, I am either spending time with my wife, Laura, and our two children, Kaitlyn and Jacob, or I’m working out in the gym or at a triathlon. BEST ADVICE: Know what your vision for yourself is and bet on yourself to get there. Almost every good life and career move I’ve made required somewhat of a step back to make three steps forward later on. WHAT’S NEXT? Next is to continue to build a team and culture of servant leadership in financial and investment planning at Wright Wealth.