Bethany Mc Donald

Richard Poirier is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He assists clients with integrated and custom wealth management strategies aimed at helping them pursue their financial goals, including retirement income planning, education funding, tax minimization strategies, and estate planning services. Richard's client focus areas include college education planning, equity compensation services, philanthropic planning, portfolio management, and socially responsible investing, among others. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a High School Diploma from The Bolles School. Richard has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Richard is involved in his community through organizations such as the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, the Pensacola State College Foundation Board of Governors, and has served on the board of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. He lives in Pensacola, Florida, with his wife Claire and their two children.

Bevin Countryman serves as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, Bevin works closely with clients to develop tailored strategies that address their short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals. Areas of focus include investing, retirement planning, tax minimization, legacy planning, family wealth management, and navigating transitions such as divorce or new wealth management. Bevin also provides access to specialized Bank of America resources in banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Bevin holds a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Illinois University and has earned professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Licensed under NMLS ID 1748530, Bevin is equipped to serve clients with a wide range of financial planning needs, including corporate executive services, college education planning, and retirement income strategies. Outside of work, Bevin enjoys various personal interests such as baseball, biking, boating, cooking, golfing, music, reading, traveling, volleyball, and spending time with family. Bevin’s approach emphasizes understanding clients’ values and vision to create personalized financial strategies aligned with their goals.

Bret Lomax is a Senior Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been advising clients since 1995. In his role, Bret and his team provide a broad range of financial services including customized investment management, retirement planning, trust and estate planning strategies, wealth preservation and insurance planning, liability management, strategies for concentrated equity positions, and business and retirement plan strategies. Bret graduated from the University of West Florida in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Minor in Finance. Before joining Merrill Lynch, he worked as a staff accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte Touche) in public accounting and as an insurance agent and investment advisor with Northwestern Mutual. His experience equips him to understand individual, family, and business financial needs and to develop long-term strategies aimed at growth, preservation, and asset transfer. Bret emphasizes collaboration with clients’ attorneys and CPAs to maximize tax efficiency and financial stability. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and is a member of The Rotary Club of Pace. A native of Pensacola, Bret resides in Pace with his wife, Susan. They have two grown children and are active members of their local church and community organizations. Bret's personal interests include baseball, basketball, camping, football, gardening, music, swimming, and spending time with his family.

Scott Hardie is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has focused his career on family wealth and liability management to support financial decision-making for family members. Scott has been with Merrill Lynch since 1996 after returning to New Orleans following his earlier banking career. Scott graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi and completed graduate studies at George Washington University. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, he spent 11 years in Corporate International Banking. His professional designations include Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). In addition to his professional work, Scott serves as a Board Member of the Metropolitan Crime Commission and the YMCA of Greater New Orleans. He is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Isidore Newman School.