John Swanson

Meet John

John is a Sr. Wealth Advisor based in Bend, Oregon. He joined Mercer Advisors in 2025 through the acqusition of Sheppard Wealth Management, LLC, which he founded and ran since 2014. John’s career began in 1998 at Merrill Lynch Private Client Group. He earned his B.A. degree from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

John’s specialties

At Mercer Advisors, all of our wealth advisors provide a highly personalized approach, backed by a team of specialists that ensure every part of your financial list is addressed. Additionally, John has focused experience in these areas:

Multi-generational planning that aligns with your values and minimizes tax impact
Support for business owners, from growth and succession to liquidity events and legacy planning
Life changes after the loss of a spouse, from estate transitions to long-term planning
Private markets, including fund due diligence, liquidity planning, and portfolio integration
For corporate executives, guidance on equity comp, concentrated stock, and evolving financial complexity

His working style

My working style is grounded in building deep, trusted relationships, simplifying complex wealth strategies, and collaborating closely with the talented team at Mercer Advisors to serve each client with clarity, care, and intention.

John in real life

What makes you tick?

I love human interaction and community.

What keeps you busy outside of work?

I enjoy all things outside: running, mountain biking, hiking, backcountry skiing, riding motorcycles, camping, and all water sports.

Any words you try to live by?

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

John’s snapshots

Career highlights

Joined Mercer Advisors through the acquisition of Sheppard Wealth Management, LLC
Founded Sheppard Wealth Advisors in 2014
Began career in wealth management in 1998

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