It is with heartfelt gratitude that we thank Sharla Jessop for over 31 years of exceptional service. We named the conversation room the “Sharla J. Jessop Conversation Room” on May 9, 2025, at the Women’s Conference. This popular conference event was initiated and shepherded by her for over 10 years. We truly wish Sharla and her family all the best that life has to offer in her retirement.
In the book Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman states, “The real measure of any time management technique is whether or not it helps you neglect the right things.” With Sharla’s retirement, we have neglected nothing.
James Derrick is the new President of Smedley Financial Services. James started with Smedley in January 2000. He has been the Chief Investment Strategist since 2004 and will continue in this vital role. James graduated from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Business Management. He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Utah in 2006. In 2009, James completed the rigorous testing and certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®). His passion is delivering private wealth portfolios for you, our treasured clients.
Mikal Aune began his career with Smedley in April 2006 and is the new Executive Vice President. He earned his BS degree in Psychology and his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Spanish in 2000, and completed his MBA in 2005, all from the University of Utah. He has been a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) since 2012 and earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certification in 2024. Mikal is laser-focused on delivering the best financial advice for you with over two decades of experience.
Jordan Hadfield is the Vice President of Private Wealth Management. Jordan started his career with Smedley seven years ago in January 2018 after graduating with a BS degree in Personal Financial Planning in 2017 from Utah Valley University (UVU). Jordan earned his CFP® designation in 2017 and earned the Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA™) designation in 2019. He is also the new editor of the Money Moxie® newsletter. Jordan focuses on your lifecycle of wealth, including accumulation, preservation, and distribution. He is dedicated and passionate about your financial success.
Shane Thomas is the Vice President of Technology. Shane started in July 2003 as an Information Technology (IT) Specialist. He earned his BA degree in Information Systems from the University of Utah in 2002. Shane is the glue that holds us together—keeping our information and systems secure, producing our podcasts, printing all of our materials, and tackling countless projects big and small.
Parker Thompson began his career with Smedley in 2022 as a Financial Paraplanner and is now a Private Wealth Consultant. Parker graduated from BYU in 2020 with a BS degree in Entrepreneurial Business Management. Parker earned his CFP® designation in February 2024. His wide-ranging knowledge of business, technology, investing, and insurance helps him find the right solutions for your financial questions and challenges.
Lynette Watts is a Client Service Specialist and also our Marketing Manager. Lynette started her career with Smedley in November 2000. That’s 25 years of institutional knowledge. Lynette knows many of you by heart. She knows hundreds of helpful details about your individual financial situations. Lynette also manages our accounting and financial recordkeeping. Her ability to connect with each of you and understand your unique circumstances makes her an invaluable part of your team at Smedley.
Brandi Romero is a Client Service Specialist and joined Smedley in April 2024. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the team with over 17 years of key experience in the financial industry and real estate banking. Brandi has a genuine commitment to empowering you on your financial journey with boundless energy and unwavering enthusiasm to ensure you receive a personalized and positive experience.
Between all of us at Smedley, we have one CFA® and four CFP® professionals. Three of us have MBA degrees, five have BS degrees, and one has a BA degree. We have four who speak Spanish and one who speaks Malay. With our collective education and experience, we focus on you and your financial needs and wants. Our objective is to plan for you and your surviving spouse, if applicable, throughout your life and at all of life’s major and minor events.
At Smedley, your financial success is our passion. We strive to understand your financial situation. Then, knowing what we know, we seek to offer our best financial advice on what we would do if we were in your exact position. Thank you for letting us serve you.
YOU are the best part of Smedley Financial.
