Expanding Our Team

Four years ago, I reached out to Kelly Hughes when she was working as a specialist in the Asset Management Department of Raymond James at the home office in St. Petersburg, FL about joining my team. I wanted to improve the investment part of my practice and found someone whose ideas I always liked and who had the attitude and personality that I was looking for in a partner—someone with the investment knowledge I wanted but also with the caring personality of always wanting to get the job done right.

This experiment worked so nicely that I am “going back to the well” and repeating the process with another bright, talented, home office employee who will be joining our team in July. Solitaire Dasher-Smiley has worked for Raymond James since 2010, spending the last seven years in the Alternative Investments Group. Her expertise has been educating advisors, clients and prospects on the firm’s alternative and structured investments as well as concentrated equity solutions. Kelly and I always enjoyed our interactions with Solitaire—her investment knowledge and diligence were always top-notch, as was her immaculate attention to detail. When we heard that she had aspirations of being a financial advisor, we pounced and began the process of wooing her out to Scottsdale.

Solitaire graduated with honors from Florida State University, receiving a B.A. in both Finance and International Business and minors in Economics and Spanish. She earned an MBA with honors from the University of South Florida. She is a Financial advisor that holds FINRA series 66 and 7 licenses. She also holds the Chartered Alternative Investments Analyst (CAIA®) designation. She is also a Candidate for CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) designation and expects to sit for the exam in 2021.

The Dasher-Smiley family is taking a big leap of faith in our team as well. Solitaire moves here with her husband, Jeff, her two young children, Telaiyah (5) and Elijah (almost 4) and her in-laws who will be joining her on this adventure!

We are beyond thrilled to have Solitaire on our team…please join us in welcoming her!

–Gary Weiss, July 2020