There was never really any doubt that I was going to wind up in the financial services business. When I was 15, I started an after-school job with the Royall National Bank of Palestine, where I learned the ins and outs of the banking industry. Upon my graduation of Palestine High School, I left home to start my college career at Tyler Junior College, and took on a job at Nations Bank. I then transferred to The University of Mississippi, in Oxford, Miss., where I earned my degree, a Bachelor’s of Business Administration majoring in Banking and Finance.
After college, I entered a bank management training program for the National Bank of Commerce in Memphis, Tenn., before returning to Texas with my wife, Shelly, to start our family. For a number of years, I was with Regions Bank in Palestine, where I ultimately became Vice President and Commercial Banker. In 2009, I had an opportunity to shift from banking to investments and became a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones in Palestine.
In that role, I discovered my true passion: helping people address their financial challenges, manage their wealth and plan for the retirement they envision. In order to live that passion with the independence that lets me do what I believe is in the best interest of my clients, I founded Parsons Wealth Management in 2017.
When I’m not working, I love spending time with wife, Shelly, and our three children, MacKenzie, Addison and Rowan. I also enjoy traveling, hunting, and spending time with friends.
I believe strongly in giving back to the community that has given so much to me, so I’m involved in a number of organizations in town. I’m a member of Rotary International, which performs a number of community-service projects throughout the year. I’ve served as a mentor to teams of local high school students representing Palestine in district-wide and statewide business competition, and I’ve been a reading buddy for local elementary-school kids. In addition, I’ve served on the board of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce, and am currently a commissioner on the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals.