Michael R. Smith, CLU
President

Michael R. Smith is president of The Financial Partners. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1983 and began working in the financial services industry that same year. Mike became a John Hancock general agent in 1994 and built that business to over 60 registered representatives operating in five states. The agency split in 2005, making Mike the general agent of the Atlanta and Virginia branches. The Virginia agency was sold in 2009 and the remainder was sold in 2011. Mike brings vision, leadership and executive level expertise to The Financial Partners, a multiple shareholder retail and wholesale financial services firm.

Michael F. Becher, CFP, CLU, ChFC, AIF
Executive Vice-President

Michael F. Becher is the executive vice president of The Financial Partners. Mike graduated from Clemson University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in Financial Management. He began his career in 2000 with Northwestern Mutual in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2004 Mike became one of the youngest Certified Financial Planners in the country. In 2005 he moved to Atlanta to become the investments specialist for The Financial Partners. Today Mike has assumed an executive management role with TFP and continues to build a successful individual practice.

W. Austin Knowles
Chief Financial Officer

Austin Knowles is the Chief Financial Officer of The Financial Partners Brokerage. He graduated from the University of Florida in 2000 with a degree in business administration, where he was a letter-winner on the men’s golf team from 1996-2001. He was a member of the 2001 NCAA and 1999 SEC championship teams. Austin started in the insurance business with Northwestern Mutual in 2003 focusing on Estate and Retirement Planning. He then moved to Atlanta in 2004, where he joined The Financial Partners.  Austin is responsible for the financial aspects of The Financial Partners, as well as the handling of operations of TFP Brokerage.  He also serves as a resource to insurance brokers from a wholesale capacity by helping them compare, illustrate, manage and place cases in the most efficient manner possible.

Kathleen M. Donnelly, CFP, ChFC
Vice President

Kathleen M. Donnelly is Vice President of The Financial Partners. After graduating from college Kathy moved to California and began her financial services career with John Hancock Financial Network. She came up through the ranks starting as a financial sales representative, was promoted to sales manager and then assumed the role of regional manager.

Kathy became the Managing Partner of the Orange County California Agency, performing in that role for 10 years. After relocating to Atlanta, Kathy joined The Financial Partners Brokerage in 2010. She brings an experienced and successful producer’s eye to the role a brokerage agency plays within an individual producer's business.

Meredith Walters
Director of Operations

Meredith Walters is the director of operations for The Financial Partners. She joined Michael R. Smith John Hancock General Agency in Roanoke VA in 1997 as the operations manager. She moved to Atlanta in 2004 to help set up the John Hancock Atlanta general agency. Merdie has served on numerous committees for John Hancock while working as operations manager for the John Hancock general agency.  In addition to handling Operations, Merdie also heads up TFP Brokerage’s new business department.