HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americana Partners, LLC announced today that Phillip Knight, Amy Lawler, Charles Bailey, and J. Tom Snelson have joined the firm from Morgan Stanley. Previously known as The Fidelis Wealth Management Group, the team managed $715 million in client assets while at Morgan Stanley. The four advisors and their team will drive the creation of Americana Partners’ new Permian Basin office in Midland, Texas.
"Our clients need financial advice and services that go beyond traditional investment management to providing a holistic, family-office approach to managing their wealth," said Phillip Knight, CFP®, newly appointed Managing Director and Partner of Americana Partners. "We will leverage the leadership and business connections of Americana Partners, the platform and industry knowledge of Dynasty Financial Partners, and the expertise of our Permian Basin team to further develop our multi-family office experience for our clients."
For Jason Fertitta, CEO and Partner of Americana Partners, the new office underlines Americana Partners’ commitment to the communities it serves. "While other large firms shy away from the oil and gas industry, we are a Texas-based firm that recognizes the Permian Basin's importance to our economy and national security,” he said. “We know that the oil and gas industry will fuel this country’s growth far into the future, and we are excited about working with Phillip and his team to deliver a unique set of services that we offer as a fiduciary firm."
The team is comprised of eight team members.
- Phillip Knight CFP®, Managing Director / Partner
- Amy Lawler CFP®, CPWA®, Senior Vice President / Partner
- Charles Bailey, Senior Vice President / Private Wealth Advisor
- J. Tom Snelson, Associate / Private Wealth Advisor
- Nick Perez, Associate Vice President / Private Wealth Services
- Anna Reed, Associate / Private Wealth Services
- Tori Eaton, Associate / Private Wealth Services
- Kaitlin Fossen, Associate / Private Wealth Services
Americana Partners is an independent RIA headquartered in Houston, Texas, with as much as $6 Billion in assets under management. Dynasty Financial Partners, LLC acted as an exclusive advisor to Americana Partners on this transaction.
Bios
Phillip Knight, CFP®
Managing Director / Partner
Phillip Knight is Managing Director/Partner with Americana Partners. Prior to joining Americana in 2023, he was a Financial Advisor, Family Wealth Director, Senior Portfolio Management Director, Alternative Investments Director, and Managing Director of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley.
Phillip’s financial services career began in 2003 at Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith where he focused on market, portfolio, security and investment fund analysis. In March of 2007 Phillip moved to Morgan Stanley to form The Fidelis Wealth Management Group, a team of advisors providing wealth management and advanced planning services to a private group of families. Phillip developed and managed the team’s global macro-economic outlook, investment strategy, and portfolio design process. He also oversaw the team’s discretionary asset management program and alternative investment selection process.
Phillip earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and is a CFP® professional. He currently serves as Treasurer on the board of High Sky Children’s Ranch, is a member of the MCRC Endowment Fund Board, and is President of the Camron Stotts Foundation. He has previously served on the boards of Midland Community Theater, Healthy City, and is past president of the Midland Children's Rehabilitation Center board.
Amy Lawler, CFP®, CPWA®
Senior Vice President / Partner
Amy Lawler is Senior Vice President/Partner with Americana Partners. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Amy was a Financial Advisor with The Fidelis Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley for more than seven years.
Amy joined the wealth management industry with experience in public accounting and healthcare financial management and consulting, serving in roles that have included Director of Analytical Reporting and Controller at Medical Center Health System. She also previously worked as a manager in Accenture’s Digital Health practice, using technology to create practical solutions for the struggles facing healthcare clients.
Amy holds her CPA designation, a BBA in Accounting, an MS in Finance, and an MHA in Health Policy and Management from Texas A&M University. Amy actively volunteers with Midland Children's Rehabilitation Center (MCRC) after completing two terms on the Center’s board of directors and has also served as a CASA advocate for CASA of the Permian Basin.
Charles Bailey
Senior Vice President / Private Wealth Advisor
Charles Bailey, Jr. is Senior Vice President/Private Wealth Advisor with Americana Partners. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Charlie was a Financial Advisor with The Fidelis Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley. He also previously served as an advisor to a group of private clients at Edward D. Jones.
Charlie earned a BBA in General Business from McMurry University. He is passionate about serving his community through the children’s department at Mid Cities Community Church and past service on the board of Midland’s Community Theatre.
J. Tom Snelson
Associate / Private Wealth Advisor
James “J. Tom” Snelson is Associate/Private Wealth Advisor with Americana Partners. Prior to joining the team in 2023, J. Tom was a Financial Advisor with The Fidelis Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley. Before joining the wealth management industry, he spent much of his career serving with ministries in Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Midland. He has served as a missionary, church-planter, program director, and pastor; and continues to serve as a pastor at Mid-Cities Community Church.
J. Tom received his BA in History from Texas A&M University and his JD from Texas Tech University School of Law.
Disclosures
CFP®
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”).
CPWA®
The Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) designation signifies that an individual has met initial and on-going experience, ethical, education, and examination requirements for the professional designation, which is centered on management topics and strategies for high-net-worth clients.
About Dynasty
Dynasty is a provider of technology-enabled wealth management solutions and business services for financial advisory firms primarily focused on serving high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients. Dynasty provides access to a comprehensive platform of software and technology tools, business services and holistic investment management capabilities through an open-architecture platform delivered via a suite of proprietary and third-party technologies. Dynasty’s technology, tools and services provide advisory firms the supported independence to launch their business, scale their operations and grow their firms — both organically and inorganically — while also allowing them to be more focused on and better equipped to serve their clients.
For more than a decade, Dynasty has championed the benefits of independent wealth management for high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients and has contributed to the movement of assets from traditional brokerage channels to the independent channels of wealth management. As Dynasty is becoming a recognized industry leader, Dynasty has differentiated itself by developing competitive strengths, including a deep understanding of and strong relationship with its clients, a comprehensive offering of services and technology-enabled solutions, the ability to leverage its size and breadth to invest, the flexibility and seamlessness enabled by a modular technology solution, the entrepreneurial culture and experienced and committed management team. Dynasty is committed to continually growing its business by facilitating existing advisory firm clients’ growth, onboarding new clients, increasing the clients’ use of its broader capabilities, launching additional solutions and carrying out complementary acquisitions.
For more information, please visit www.dynastyfinancialpartners.com.
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