Ernie entered the financial services business in 1974 in Starkville, MS after graduating from Mississippi State University. He has served as a board member of the Mississippi Estate Planning Council, Northeast Mississippi Planned Giving Council, The Society of Financial Services Practitioners (formerly the American Society of CLU® and ChFC®) and the Financial Planning Association (formerly the International Association for Financial Planning).

Ernie was recently named to the 2021 edition of the Forbes list of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors for Mississippi for the third year in a row.

Vickie began her career in financial services in 2018. Prior to joining Mercer Advisors, she worked at ET George Investment Management, LLC. As Client Services Coordinator, she is an integral part of our ongoing commitment to deliver quality service to our clients. Vickie received her paralegal degree in Virginia before moving to Mississippi where she worked as a paralegal for Moore Law Office in Starkville for 28 years.

Katie began her career in financial services in 2014. Prior to joining Mercer Advisors, she worked at ET George Investment Management, LLC As Director of Operations, she is an integral part of our ongoing commitment to deliver service to our clients by providing proactive and efficient support. Katie graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, with an emphasis in Public Relations. After graduation, she worked as Assistant Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid at Mississippi State University for eight years.

Danielle began her career in the financial services industry in 2005, working at large RIA firms such as Washington Mutual and JPMorgan and at a local asset management firm in Houston. She’s passionate about providing high-quality, detailed customer service to support the Mercer Advisors team and its clients. Danielle graduated with a BA in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. She serves on the steering committee of the Mercer Advisors Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiative and leads the financial literacy-community outreach division. She’s also the partner-firm executive sponsor for 3rd Decade as well as a liaison to Junior Achievement. In her spare time, Danielle volunteers with Houston Dress for Success, offering financial literacy classes to veterans. She loves traveling with her husband, going to the theatre, and reading.

Josh joined Mercer Advisors in 2010, after beginning his financial services career in 2007. He serves as managing director for the firm’s southern division, overseeing nearly 20 offices. Josh also manages large client relationships, providing customized financial planning, investment management, and estate planning to help meet their distinct objectives. Josh is a member of the firm’s executive leadership council and investment committee. He has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors (2021), the Best-In-State Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors (2023), and the Best-In-State Wealth Advisors (2024). Josh graduated from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California with degrees in economics and Spanish. A native of Phoenix, he resides there with his wife and three boys and works out of our Scottsdale office.

The Forbes Next-Gen Wealth Advisors rankings, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criterion—mostly gained through telephone, virtual, and in-person due diligence interviews—and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of four years’ experience, and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass the highest standards of best practices. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings.

Forbes: Josh DeForest (forbes.com)