Meet Kathy

For Kathy, trust comes first. She takes time to get to know their clients and believes it is equally important for them to know her. This relational mindset is central to her approach, as it allows clients to share openly, so she can provide guidance that reflects what’s truly important to them.

Kathy also wants to make sure the work being done for a client serves its intended purpose. As such, she often coordinates with clients’ CPAs, attorneys, and other professionals to ensure her own recommendations align with other strategies a client may already have in place.

Kathy works especially well with people who want help carrying the burden of financial planning. Her clients value having someone they trust to do the heavy lifting and provide the information they need to make thoughtful decisions.

To Kathy, financial planning isn’t about writing a client’s story for them—it’s about giving them the direction and tools they need to live their desired life. If a client is passionate about giving back, she helps them maximize their resources for charitable giving while remaining mindful of their other goals. If legacy planning is important to someone, she helps them prepare their heirs and financial life for a smooth transition. Whatever a client’s goals, Kathy helps them understand what’s possible so they can pursue their passions with confidence.

Kathy started her career in banking, and after spending several years at home raising her sons, she returned to work in 1988 as a receptionist at J.C. Bradford. At the time, she had little knowledge of the investment industry, but with the encouragement of an early mentor, she took on more responsibility and learned the business from the ground up. Within a year, she was a wire operator and cashier, and by 1994, she had earned her securities license and become a stockbroker.

In 1999, Kathy helped establish an independent practice and in 2006, she earned her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation. As someone who had long viewed financial services as work that deserved intentional planning (rather than mere transactions), this milestone was key in developing her approach to client service. When her son Eric joined the firm in 2014, he helped solidify this planning-first vision for the practice, and today, Ellis Financial Planning focuses on helping clients meet their goals through custom financial plans and strategies.

• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®)

Kathy has supported a number of organizations throughout her career both financially and with her time. She currently serves on the Austin Peay State University College of Business Advisory Board and on the finance committee at her church, allowing her to contribute her experience in areas that are meaningful to her.

For Kathy, the most important things in life are faith, family, and friends. She and her husband Rusty were high school sweethearts and married in 1981. Their two sons and daughters-in-law live nearby, and Kathy and Rusty are blessed to be closely involved in the lives of their seven “grands” (five girls and two boys). Kathy—aka Gigi—especially loves cheering them on at games, recitals, school events, and whatever else they have going on.

Home is just outside Clarksville, where Kathy and Rusty enjoy the quiet of country life with their rescue dog Bizzy, an Australian Cattle Dog mix. Kathy’s mother also now lives with her and Rusty, and Kathy treasures the opportunity to spend more time together and share family stories. On the weekends, they enjoy visiting their lake house, taking out their pontoon boat or relaxing by the water. Kathy is also an avid reader, but more than anything, she is happiest simply being with the people she loves.