Team
Investment Management Team | Sales and Marketing | Administration

Investment Management Team
Smith Group Asset Management has a strong portfolio management team and supporting professionals. Our team averages more than 20 years of experience in the business. Senior team members have made investment decisions based on Smith Group’s philosophy and process for more than 15 years.


Stephen S. Smith, CFA
Founder and CEO

Mr. Smith founded Smith Group Asset Management, a Dallas-based investment management organization, in 1995, and serves as the company’s Chief Investment Officer. He began his career in the late 1960’s as an engineer with NASA in the lunar landing program. He joined Wachovia Bank as a computer systems analyst in the mid-1970’s, and transitioned to the bank’s investment management division in order to help design and implement a portfolio management system. Mr. Smith left Wachovia and joined what is now known as Bank of America in 1983. He held a number of senior investment positions at Bank of America until he departed in 1995 to found Smith Group. Mr. Smith has an engineering degree and an MBA, both from the University of Alabama, and he was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1981. Mr. Smith is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth. Mr. Smith is an active volunteer in his community, and serves on the board of directors for a number of charitable organizations.


John D. Brim, CFA
Portfolio Manager

Mr. Brim joined Smith Group Asset Management in March 1998 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining Smith Group, he was a Manager within the Institutional Investment Consulting Group of Deloitte & Touche, LLP from 1997 to 1998. From 1990 to 1997, he held a variety of positions, including Senior Client Manager, with NationsBank Asset Management in Dallas. He earned his BS in Economics from Texas A & M University. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1998. Mr. Brim is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth.


Royce W. Medlin, CFA
Portfolio Manager

Mr. Medlin joined Smith Group Asset Management in January 2006 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining Smith Group, he was President and Portfolio Manger of Belmont Wealth Management from 2002 to 2005. From 1991 to 2002, he served as a Portfolio Manager at U.S. Trust in Dallas and Team Bank Trust Investments in Fort Worth. He earned a BS in International Trade from Texas Tech University and an MBA from Texas Christian University. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1994. He is past President of the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth and is a member of the CFA Institute.


Bradley J. Baker, CFA
Quantitative Research and Trading

Mr. Baker joined Smith Group Asset Management in May 2002 and is a member of the quantitative research team and is responsible for portfolio trading. Mr. baker earned a BBA from the University of Texas at Arlington, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2004. Mr. Baker is a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth.

Darren A. Bodenhamer
Portfolio Trader

Mr. Bodenhamer joined Smith Group Asset Management in June 2007 and is responsible for portfolio trading. Prior to joining Smith Group, Mr. Bodenhamer was the Head Trader for JMP Asset Management from 2003 to 2006. He also served as a Trader for RS Investments from 2000 to 2003 and for Standard Pacific Capital from 1999 to 2000. He earned his BBA in Finance from Texas Christian University.

Jay M. Grabeklis
Quantitative Research

Mr. Grabeklis joined Smith Group Asset Management in October 2005 and is a member of the quantitative research team. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Grabeklis was a Quantitative Equity Analyst at Discovery Management, a long/short equity hedge fund, from 2002 to 2005. From 2000 to 2002 he was a Software Engineer with Business Threads, Inc. and from 1996 to 2000 he worked in derivatives risk management at JP Morgan and Integral Development Corporation. He earned his BS and Master of Engineering degrees in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.


David E. Hoener
Portfolio Manager

Mr. Hoener joined Smith Group Asset Management in February 2006 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining Smith Group, he served as President and Senior Portfolio Manager for Belmont Asset Management from 1994 to 2006. He previously served as Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager of Wertheim Schroder Investment Services. Mr. Hoener was affiliated with Interfirst (currently Bank of America) Investment Management, Inc., in Dallas for over 14 years, serving as its President before joining Wertheim in 1988. Mr. Hoener attended MacMurray College for a portion of his education and earned a BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He is a member of the CFA Institute, CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth and Dallas Security Dealers Association.


John D. Ingle, Jr.
Portfolio Manager

Mr. Ingle joined Smith Group Asset Management in June 2004 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining Smith Group, he was Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Bank of Texas from 2002 to 2004. From 1991 to 2002 he served as Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Bank of America, where he managed portfolios for institutional and high net worth clients. Mr. Ingle received a BBA from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance. He is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth.


William C. Ketterer, CFA
Portfolio Manager

Mr. Ketterer joined Smith Group Asset Management in January 2007 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining Smith Group, he served as Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager with The Private Bank at Bank of America from 1999 to 2007. From 1993 to 1999, he worked in corporate development within the healthcare industry. Prior to 1993, he was Vice President and General Manager of a west coast startup. He earned his BS in Economics from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio and has completed course work at a number of universities including the University of California, San Diego, the University of Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. Mr. Ketterer was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001. Mr. Ketterer is a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth and the DFW Association for Business Economics.

Eivind Olsen, CFA
Portfolio Manager

Mr. Olsen joined Smith Group Asset Management in May 2008 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining Smith Group he was a Portfolio Manager with Brazos Capital Management/John McStay Investment Counsel from 1998 to 2008. From 1994 to 1996, he did equity research as an Associate Analyst with Rauscher, Pierce, Refsnes, Inc. He earned a BBA in Accounting and Finance from Texas Christian University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Texas. Mr. Olsen was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001. He is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth.


A. Michelle Pryor, CFA
Portfolio Manager

Mrs. Pryor joined Smith Group Asset Management in April 1998 and is a member of the Portfolio Management team. Prior to joining the company, she was a Trading Associate for Bell Fundamental Futures, L.L.C., in Memphis, TN. She earned a BS in Accounting from the University of Mississippi. She was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001. Mrs. Pryor is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth.


Rick C. Villars, CFA
Global Strategist

Mr. Villars joined Smith Group Asset Management in July 2008 and as a global strategist. Prior to joining Smith Group he ran an independent investment strategy firm in Australia from 2004 to 2008. From 2002 to 2004 he was a strategist for HSBC Asset Management in Melbourne, Australia. From 1986 to 2001 he served in various roles at Wells Capital Management (including merged Norwest Investment Management) including portfolio management and investment strategy. He earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Nebraska. Mr. Villars was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1989. He is a member of the CFA Institute.


Christopher M. Zogg, CFA
Quantitative Research

Mr. Zogg joined Smith Group Asset Management in November 1997 and is a member of the quantitative research team. Prior to joining Smith Group, Mr. Zogg served as an Independent Computer Consultant, specializing in network design and systems integration. Prior to that, he held the position of Account Executive at Spaeth Communications, a public relations firm. He earned his BBA from the University of Texas at Dallas. Mr. Zogg was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2006. He is also a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Ft. Worth.

Sales and Marketing

Travis Briggs
Director of Business Development

Mr. Briggs joined Smith Group Asset Management in October 2005 and serves as Director of Business Development. Prior to joining Smith Group, he worked as Chief Operating Officer for Discovery Management, a long/short equity hedge fund. From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Briggs served as Investor Relations Director and Assistant Treasurer for Triton Energy. He also spent several years in banking, primarily healthcare finance. Mr. Briggs earned his BBA with double majors in Accounting and Organizational Behavior & Business Policy as well as an MBA from Southern Methodist University.


Sara E. Mongerson
Business Development Officer

Mrs. Mongerson joined Smith Group Asset Management in October 2003. Prior to joining Smith Group, she was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sustainable Asset Management, USA from 2002 to 2003. From 2000 to 2001, she worked as the Vice President of Public Fund Sales for Columbia Management Company. From 1995 to 2000, she worked on a variety of sales and marketing positions for Loomis, Sayles, including Vice President of Public Funds. In 1992, Mrs. Mongerson began her career with Van Kampen Merritt in marketing. Mrs. Mongerson earned her BS in Finance from Illinois State University and her MBA from DePaul University. She is an advisory board member of Women in Pensions, and is the President ex-officio of the auxiliary board of the Field Museum of Chicago.

Ty Sanders
Business Development Officer

Mr. Sanders joined Smith Group Asset Management in September of 2006. Prior to joining Smith Group, he was Vice President and Director of Advisory Services of Envestnet Asset Management from 2004 to 2006. Prior to joining Envestnet, he led the sales and marketing efforts in the Southwest region as Regional Director at Lochwood Financial Services, Inc./Bank of New York. Mr. Sanders earned his BS in National Resources Development from Ohio State University and his MBA in Finance from Texas State University.

Kenneth W. Smith
Business Development Officer

Mr. Smith joined Smith Group Asset Management in December of 2004. Prior to joining Smith Group, he was Director of Marketing for Ranger Capital Group from 2002 to 2004. From 1999 until 2002, Mr. Smith was Director of Marketing for John McStay Investment Counsel. From 1993 until 1999, Mr. Smith was a Vice President for Smith Barney. Mr. Smith was a member of the 401(k) Advisory Board and the Blue Chip Council. Mr. Smith earned a BBA in Finance from Dallas Baptist University.


John. L. Wright, Jr., CIMA
Business Development Officer

Mr. Wright joined Smith Group Asset Management in October 2005. Prior to joining Smith Group, he was Senior Investment Consultant with Channer Darmour Yanari, from 2002 to 2005. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President and Regional Marketing Director with Strategy Asset Managers and Lexington Management Corp., Vice President and Head of Sales for Portfolio Management Consultants, and he was Regional Marketing Representative for Schwab Institutional. Mr. Wright began his investment career with JMB Realty Corp. as a development and construction specialist. Mr. Wright earned a BA in Economics, and a BED in Architecture from the University of Kansas. He also earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst designation bestowed by the Investment Management Consultants Association for study at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania..

Administration

Blake H. Estess
Managing Director

Mr. Estess joined Smith Group Asset Management in August 2004 and serves as the firm’s General Counsel. Prior to joining Smith Group, he served as a senior client service and new business development representative for John McStay Investment Counsel. Prior to joining McStay, Mr. Estess was an institutional salesman with Frost Securities, Inc., a boutique investment bank and a wholly owned subsidiary of Cullen Frost Bank. From 1994 to 1998, he practiced transactional law with the firm Donohoe, Jameson & Carroll, P.C. in Dallas. Mr. Estess earned his BA in African History from Washington & Lee University, a law degree from St. Mary’s University, and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.

Susan deLarios
Office Manager

Susan deLarios, Office Manager, is responsible for office management, human resources, and operations.

During her career, Ms. deLarios has served as an administrative assistant and office manager for several CPA firms. She also was office coordinator in Dallas County Probate Court and was responsible for setting the docket. Ms. deLarios owned a service business for six years.

She earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Southern Methodist University.


Rebecca S. Andrews
Investment Associate

Rebecca Andrews, investment associate, helps with client service and marketing efforts. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.





Rhonda Norris
Investment Associate

Rhonda Norris is an investment associate. Her responsibilities include private client operations and client service. Prior to joining Smith Group, Ms. Norris was an administrative assistant for two Dallas area churches. She also has managed a day care business.

Lena Sanchez-Palomo
Investment Associate

Lena Sanchez-Palomo, investment associate, helps with client service and operations. Prior to joining Smith Group, she was a teller with Bank of America.

Ms. Sanchez-Palomo earned a bachelor of science degree in sociology from Texas Woman’s University. 
 

Angela Ramsey
Investment Associate

Angela Ramsey is an investment associate whose responsibilities include client service and marketing efforts. Ms. Ramsey has seven years of industry experience. Previously, she was a client service specialist at Diversified Investment Advisors and an investment assistant at Bank of Texas, N.A.

Ms. Ramsey earned an associate degree in legal administrative assisting from Executive Secretarial School.

Kim Redmond
Investment Associate

Kim Redmond, investment associate, is responsible for Private Client Group trading. Prior to joining Smith Group in April 2008, she worked as an analyst for SSR Capital Partners, LP. Kim holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from Southern Methodist University.

Phillip E. Smith
Investment Associate

Phillip Smith is an investment associate with responsibility for sales and marketing support and office management. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Jacksonville State University, Mr. Smith was a finance administrator for SCI, Inc., an aerospace company. He held a similar position at Martin Marietta, a major defense contractor. Mr. Smith also has served in various management positions for social services organizations.

 Kate Terry
Investment Associate

Kate Terry, Investment Associate, joined Smith Group Asset Management in September 2006. She is responsible for the Private Client Group trading. She also performs marketing and client service functions for the Private Client Group. Prior to joining Smith Group, she worked in the wealth management services group at Morgan Keegan. She earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin.