Brian received a degree in Engineering from Marion Military Institute followed by a degree in Business Management from the University of West Florida. Growing up the son of an Air Force General, Brian has lived in many places, but considers Niceville, Florida as home.
Following college, Brian served with the 82nd Airborne Division, the US Army Rangers and the Special Forces (Green Berets). Brian entered the financial services industry in 1993 and in 2009, Brian and his partners formed ‘Emerald Coast Wealth Advisors of Raymond James in Destin, Florida where Brian is a Senior Vice President - Investments. Brian has earned several credentials throughout his successful career to include: Wealth Management Specialist (WMS), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS®); and Certified Estate Planner (CEP®).
Within the community, Brian serves as the immediate past-Chairman of the Board for the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce; the Board of Directors for the University of West Florida Foundation; and the Board of Directors for the Marion Military Institute Alumni Brigade. Formerly, Brian served as the Chairman of the Board for the American Red Cross of Northwest Florida; the Board of Directors for the Arts Council of Northwest Florida; the Board of Directors for the Niceville-Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce; and Florida Bar’s Grievance Committee (district one). Additionally, Brian regularly emcees at community events and fund-raisers for several charitable organizations within the region.
A retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, Brian's unit was mobilized in 2002 and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, where he commanded a Special Forces Company.
Brian is married to the former Kathy Taylor of Louisa, KY for 21 years. Out of love for their community, Brian and Kathy created the Taylor Haugen Foundation (taylorhaugen.org) in honor and memory of their son, Taylor. Brian and Kathy are members of the Niceville United Methodist Church.
Dave started his business life working for Werner Erhard & Associates in Atlanta, Georgia in 1979. By 1981, he was leading public seminars in Atlanta, Charlotte North Carolina and Charleston South Carolina. The public seminars were about communication effectiveness, money management and self awareness. Some of these participants were in the financial services industry and they suggested that he would make a great financial advisor.
In 1982, he was hired by Interstate Securities, a regional Brokerage firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. While in training with his first firm, Waddle worked in New York City on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as a runner for a brief period of time. He noticed that the specialists kept point and figure charts on the companies that they traded. This started his career long fascination with the movements of markets. For years he kept hand charts on over 250 stocks, sectors and indexes, before the dawning of the internet. After securing his Registered Commodity Advisor and General Securities Licenses, he built his business in Atlanta and rose to the position of First Vice President-Investments in 1987. In October of 1987, Dave appeared on CNN's Moneyline with Lou Dobbs the week of the 1987 stock market crash. Later that year he was featured in Registered Representative Magazine, the top national trade magazine for financial professionals.
In 1988, Dave moved his family and his business to Destin, Florida signing on with Shearson Lehman-Hutton Inc. Two years later the entire office was acquired by PaineWebber. Waddle spent the next 19 years with PaineWebber, which was acquired by UBS Financial Services Inc. In January 2009, he and his partners Brian Haugen and Steve Cann formed Emerald Coast Wealth Advisors of Raymond James and Associates, opening their new office overlooking the Destin Harbor. Waddle now designs personalized portfolios for high net worth investors and retiring individuals who seek the advice of a seasoned professional who understands the markets.
Dave has been happily married to his wife Trish for 30 years. They have two children, Reed and Alison. Dave is an active member of Corpus Christie Catholic Church for 20 years and plays guitar and sings in the choir. He enjoys attending college football games with his family, going to his son Reed's shows and playing a round of golf with his daughter.
Steve joined the financial services industry after 10 years' active duty as a C-17 pilot, flight instructor, and combat veteran in the United States Air Force. An Orlando native, he holds a Bachelor's degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
He and his partners founded "Emerald Coast Wealth Advisors of Raymond James and Associates" in Destin, Florida, in January 2009. Steve is an Associate Vice President, Investments, and holds the Series 7, 9, 10, 31, and 66 securities licenses along with insurance licenses for life, health, and annuity lines.
As a Financial Advisor, Steve enjoys sharing his specialized knowledge and expertise to help protect portfolios of high-net-worth investors and institutions. He believes that an honest and transparent assessment of absolute risk, measured against portfolio objectives, is crucial to the foundation of a successful long-term investment strategy.
Steve resides in Destin with his wife, Beth, and their two sons, and enjoys spending free time on the water with his family.