Careers at Hardy Reed

“Through CEFEX’s independent assessment, the certification provides assurance to investors, both institutional and individual, that Hardy Reed has demonstrated adherence to the industry’s best fiduciary practices. This indicates that Hardy Reed’s interests are aligned with those of investors. The certification, which must be earned annually, verifies that an organization is using fiduciary best practices in the investment process they apply to manage their client’s assets.”

Carlos Panksep, General Manager of the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence.

This prestigious certification highlights our commitment to providing clients and prospective clients with independent objective fiduciary guidance. We believe that the Center for Fiduciary Excellence certification of a firm’s investment process is rapidly becoming a beacon of light for the investing public.

Using the protocol developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the framework developed by the Center for Fiduciary Studies, the CEFEX designation is considered by many to be the top certification for financial services firms adhering to fiduciary best practices. Hardy Reed, LLC is proud to be one of the first firms globally to receive CEFEX Certification according to CEFEX.

Hardy Reed received the CEFEX certification as an Investment Advisor for its services to high net worth individuals, personal trusts, foundations, ERISA Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution plans, 403(b) plans, and non-qualified plans.

The Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX) fiduciary assessment of Hardy Reed was to determine whether our practices in providing investment advice to clients conform generally to the fiduciary standards of excellence (referred to as the Fiduciary Practices) as defined by the Prudent Practices for Investment Advisors (U.S. Edition) handbook as published by Fiduciary360. CEFEX’s assessment process is based on ISO 19011 and is conducted in accordance with ISO 17021.

Click here to view or download a full copy of the standard.

The standard is substantiated by legislation, case law and regulatory opinion letters from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA), Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) and the Uniform Management of Public Employee Retirement Systems Act (MPERS) in the U.S.

CEFEX keeps accountable and serves as the certifying organization for firms who act as:

Investment Stewards

An organization with the legal responsibility for managing investment decisions.

Investment and Fiduciary Advisors

An organization with the responsibility for providing comprehensive and continuous investment advice.

Investment Managers

An organization which makes investment decisions and selects the securities to implement a specific investment mandate.

Retirement Plan Service Providers

An organization which specifically provides record keeping and administration services to qualified retirement plans.

Like Hardy Reed, the overall goal of CEFEX is to increase trust and improve outcomes for investors.

AIFA, PPC, CEFEX Analyst

Ken Mathis

senior advisor

Ken serves as Senior Advisor at Hardy Reed. In addition he works with retirement plan and nonprofit clients. He brings over twenty-five years of executive level financial services experience and institutional experience to the firm.

Ken served as Chairperson of the first CEFEX Foundation Committee. He has written numerous whitepapers on fiduciary best practices for institutional organizations. In addition, he has been a speaker at national conferences on fiduciary best practices, fiduciary assessments and CEFEX Certification. Ken has also contributed to CEFEX’s Consultant’s Assessment of Fiduciary Excellence for Nonprofits and fi360’s fiduciary training program for foundations and endowments.

Prior to joining Hardy Reed, Ken founded Ken Mathis & Associates, providing value-added, in-depth management consulting to financial services firms to maximize that firm’s potential. Prior to that, he co-founded Valhalla Capital Partners in Louisville, KY and served the institutional fixed-income asset management firm as President/COO. Ken joined Hilliard Lyons in 1999 as Director of Investment Advisory Services before becoming Director of Institutional Asset Management.

Ken has completed the Pension and Investment Management Program at Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. He has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® (AIFA®) professional designation from fi360 through the Katz School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. He has also received the Professional Plan Consultant® (PPC®) professional designation from fi360 through the Robert Morris University. Ken is also a CEFEX Analyst, having received formal training in investment fiduciary responsibility and met the criteria established by the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX). He received a B.B.A. from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis.

Civic Interests: Ken is past Chairperson of Neighborhood Housing Opportunities, part of The Memphis Leadership Foundation. He has also been a volunteer, summer staff and club leader for Young Life (British Columbia, Canada, Tennessee and Colorado). Ken has been an active volunteer in youth sports for over thirty years.

Privacy Policy

Hardy Reed, LLC has adopted this policy with recognition that protecting the privacy and security of the personal information we obtain about our clients is an important responsibility. We also know that you expect us to service you in an accurate and efficient manner. To do so, we must collect and maintain certain personal information about you. We want you to know what information we collect and how we use and safeguard that information.

WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect certain non-public personal identifying information about you (such as your name, address, social security number, etc.) from information that you provide on applications or other forms as well as communications (via e-mail, telephone, facsimile, written or in person) with you or your authorized representative (such as your attorney, accountant, etc.) We also collect information about your brokerage accounts and transactions (such as purchases, sales, account balances, inquiries, etc.)

WHAT INFORMATION WE DISCLOSE
We do not disclose the nonpublic personal information we collect about our clients to anyone except: (i) in furtherance of our business relationship with them and then only to those persons necessary to effect the transactions and provide the services that they authorize (such as broker-dealers, custodians, independent money managers, etc.); (ii) to persons assessing our compliance with industry standards (such as professional licensing authorities; (iii) our attorneys, accountants, and auditors; or (iv) as otherwise provided by law. We are permitted to disclose nonpublic personal information about you to governmental agencies and other third parties in certain circumstances (such as third parties that perform administrative or marketing services on our behalf or for joint marketing programs). These third parties are prohibited to use or share the information for any other purpose. If you decide at some point to either terminate our services or become an inactive client, we will continue to adhere to our privacy policy, as such may be amended from time to time.

SECURITY OF YOUR INFORMATION
We restrict access to your nonpublic personal information to those persons who need to know that information to service your account. We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with applicable federal or state standards to protect your nonpublic personal information.

CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY OR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU
Our policy about obtaining and disclosing information may change from time to time. We will provide you with notice of any material change to this policy before we implement the change.

Disclaimer

Important Disclosures

Hardy Reed is a Mississippi-registered investment adviser located in Tupelo, Mississippi. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply any level of skill or training. Hardy Reed may only transact business in those states in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Hardy Reed’s website is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of Hardy Reed’s website on the Internet should not be construed by any client and/or prospective client as Hardy Reed’s solicitation to effect or attempt to effect transactions in securities or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation over the Internet. Any subsequent, direct communication by Hardy Reed with a prospective client will be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides.

Hardy Reed does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to the Hardy Reed website or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility therefor. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only, and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.

Certain portions of Hardy Reed’s website (i.e. newsletters, articles, commentaries, etc.) may contain a discussion of, and/or provide access to, Hardy Reed’s (and those of other investment and non-investment professionals) positions and/or opinions as of a specific prior date. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions, such discussion may no longer be reflective of current positions and/or opinions. Moreover, no client or prospective client should assume that any such discussion serves as the receipt of, or a substitute for, personalized advice from Hardy Reed, or from any other investment professional. Hardy Reed is neither an attorney nor an accountant, and no portion of the website content should be interpreted as legal, accounting or tax advice.

Each client and prospective client agrees, as a condition precedent to his/her/its access to Hardy Reed’s website, to release and hold harmless Hardy Reed, its officers, directors, owners, employees, and agents from any and all adverse consequences resulting from any of his/her/its actions and/or omissions which are independent of his/her/its receipt of personalized individual advice from Hardy Reed.

Personnel of Hardy Reed hold the designations or educational experience referenced in the website. In addition, Hardy Reed itself is a member of certain organizations referenced in the website. You may request a copy of the Brochure Supplements for the personnel of Hardy Reed for additional information regarding the education, business experience and professional designations of the investment adviser representatives of Hardy Reed.

Terms & Conditions of Use

These Terms & Conditions of Use are between you and Hardy Reed (“we,” “us,” and “our”). Your use of the www.hardyreed.com website (the “Website”) constitutes an acknowledgment that you have read the most recent version of the Terms & Conditions of Use and that you agree to adhere to its terms. If you do not agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions of Use, please cease all further use. We reserve the right to amend these Terms & Conditions of Use at any time.

1. Access to Website

Limited License. We grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable limited license to access and make personal use of the Website and not to download (other than page caching) or modify any portion of the Website without our prior written approval. You shall not use any robot, spider or other device to monitor the Website in any manner. We may terminate this license at any time.

2. Policies Governing Use of the Website

Links to the Website. You are expressly prohibited from framing or linking or otherwise using or displaying the Website or any portion thereof in such a manner so that it appears to be part of your own or someone else’s website.

Links to Other Websites. We may place links on the Website to other websites on the Internet that are owned or operated by third parties. You acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible for, nor do we endorse or support, the operation of or content located on any such website, and we cannot and do not warrant that the content of such websites is accurate, complete, legal and/or inoffensive. By linking to these third-party websites, you acknowledge and agree that you may not make any claim against us for any damages or losses of any kind arising from the third-party website and/or the link.

3. Disclaimer of Warranty; No Consequential Damages; Limitation of Liability

Disclaimer of Warranty. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE IS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. The Website is provided as is, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of title or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or warranties of non-infringement. To the fullest extent permissible by law, we make no warranties and shall not be liable for the use of the Website, including, without limitation, any interruption of or error in the services under any circumstances, including, but not limited to, our negligence.

Limitation of Liability. Under no circumstances shall we be liable for any special or consequential damages that are directly or indirectly related to the use of, or the inability to use, the Website, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.

4. Miscellaneous

Prohibited Uses. You expressly agree not to use the Website in a manner that is prohibited by any law or regulation, or to facilitate the violation of any law or regulation. You acknowledge that prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, use of the Website to invade the privacy of third parties, impersonation of our personnel or other parties or entities, transmitting abusive, profane, libelous, slanderous, threatening, or otherwise harassing material via e-mail or your personal Web page(s). You also agree not to use the Website to violate the security of the Website or attempt to utilize another user’s account name or persona without authorization from that user.

Choice of Law; Jurisdiction. These Terms & Conditions of Use shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the substantive law of the State of California without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within Lee County, State of Mississippi.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms & Conditions of Use is deemed invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions.

Survival. Any section of these Terms & Conditions of Use which by its terms and nature is meant to survive the termination of these Terms & Conditions of Use, shall survive such termination.

Entire Agreement. These Terms & Conditions of Use set forth the entire understanding and agreement between us with respect to the subject matter hereof.

CEFEX Certification

“Through CEFEX’s independent assessment, the certification provides assurance to investors, both institutional and individual, that Hardy Reed has demonstrated adherence to the industry’s best fiduciary practices. This indicates that Hardy Reed’s interests are aligned with those of investors. The certification, which must be earned annually, verifies that an organization is using fiduciary best practices in the investment process they apply to manage their client’s assets.”

Carlos Panksep, General Manager of the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence.

Click here to view or download a full copy of the standard.

CEFEX keeps accountable and serves as the certifying organization for firms who act as:

Investment Stewards

An organization with the legal responsibility for managing investment decisions.

Investment and Fiduciary Advisors

An organization with the responsibility for providing comprehensive and continuous investment advice.

Investment Managers

An organization which makes investment decisions and selects the securities to implement a specific investment mandate.

Retirement Plan Service Providers

An organization which specifically provides record keeping and administration services to qualified retirement plans.

Like Hardy Reed, the overall goal of CEFEX is to increase trust and improve outcomes for investors.

News

Mortgage Rates – What a difference a year makes!

– Ken Parkinson

One of the key parts of a financial plan is successfully controlling expenses. Since the majority of people’s most expensive purchase in their lifetime is their home, reducing mortgage costs can be a key component in reducing spending. Now may be a great time to possibly reduce your mortgage costs with mortgage rates at historic lows.

Mortgage rates have dropped over 25% over the past 365 days. Most conventional 30 year rates are now under 3%… this is historic!

Does that mean you should run out and refinance? Perhaps not.. You should be sure to calculate the breakeven in how long the decline in your monthly payment will take to cover the mortgage closing costs. Typically, if you plan to continue living in your house more than two years and you can break even within 24 months, then it makes good sense. Otherwise, it is likely just the mortgage folks will benefit.

You should do the calculations for possibly shortening your mortgage duration to a 15 or 20 year note if you have a 30 year mortgage. By doing this, more of your payments will go towards principle sooner and you will pay much less in interest over time.

Do the math and if your mortgage balance is 80% or less of your home’s current value, it likely makes sense to start the due diligence process on refinancing your mortgage. SmartAboutMoney.org has a great calculator to help you with this process…. click here: Mortgage Calculator

To learn more about this or other financial planning questions, contact Hardy Reed at 866.701.7002 or info@hardyreed.com.

Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Hardy Reed and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Hardy Reed unless a client service agreement in place. Hardy Reed does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such.

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Steven Hyland Keen

Client Services Representative

Anthony Savage

Financial Analyst

Mike Mitchell

Chief Operating Officer

Decision Tree for Foundations and Endowments

Decision Tree for Wealth Management

Decision Tree for Retirement Plans

Careers at Hardy Reed

Brandon Blinson

Trading and Research Analyst

Questions for Yourself and Your Advisor

Uncovering the differences is more important than ever, and here are some questions to help you do that:

Stacey Raper

Client Services Associate

Frank Riley, Jr.

Financial Adviser

CFP®, AIFA, CEFEX Analyst

Rick Hill

senior Wealth Manager

Jackie Armstrong

Director of Client Services

AIFA, PPC, CFS, CEFEX Analyst

Ken Parkinson

Vice President of FIDUCIARY MANAGEMENT

AAMS

Anita Giglio

Vice President OF CLIENT SERVICES

AIFA, PPC, CEFEX Analyst

Ken Mathis

senior advisor

CIMA, CPWA, AIF

John Hardy

President

Rachel Morgan

Client Services Associate

CFP®, CDFA, AIF

Medora Justus

Vice President of Wealth Management

J. Wesley Webb

Financial Adviser

Brandy Stanford

Senior Financial Advisor

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