Gaddis Premier Wealth Advisors (GPWA) is a leading regional wealth management firm, with almost 100 years of combined experience in quality client service. The firm was formed on June 1, 2022 through the merger of Gaddis & Gaddis Wealth Management (GGWM), based In Ada, Oklahoma and Premier Investment Advisors (PIA), based in Denison, Texas. GPWA maintains full-service offices in Denison, Texas and Ada, Durant and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and satellite offices in Ardmore and McAlester, Oklahoma.
About Gaddis & Gaddis Wealth Management
Gaddis & Gaddis Wealth Management was founded in 1995 by Roger and Leigh Gaddis in Ada, Oklahoma. Roger Gaddis, has more than 35 years of wealth management services experience. He holds credentials as a CPA (Certified Public Account) and as a CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™). Leigh Gaddis, who has 27 years of experience as wealth advisor, was instrumental in the early growth and expansion of the firm and its community service programs.
The early success of the firm led to expansion into additional markets in Oklahoma. In 1998 the firm added satellite offices in Ardmore and McAlester. In 2005, the firm acquired an existing practice in Durant, which became a full-service office in 2016 under the direction of Gaddis Partner and Wealth Advisor Derek Hines AIF ®. Derek Hines, who has more than six years of wealth management experience, now serves as COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Gaddis Premier Wealth Advisors. In addition to operational staff, the Durant office also includes wealth advisor Jordan Haddox.
In 2018, the firm formalized and introduced its proprietary PRIME 360O Process and Principles system, based on decades of experience in delivering quality client service.
Two years later, in 2020, GGWM celebrated its 25th year anniversary of serving clients throughout Oklahoma and other markets throughout the U.S.
While client service has always been the primary mission of Gaddis & Gaddis Wealth Management, the firm also has emphasized the importance of community service. All the principals of the firm have been active in community service at the local level, while both Roger and Leigh Gaddis have served on state-level boards. For 10 years, Roger served on the board of the Oklahoma Teachers’ Retirement System. Leigh is currently Chairwoman of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.
About Premier Investment Advisors
Premier Investment Advisors (PIA), led by Partners and Wealth Advisors Dave Reed, AIF® and Teresa Adams, traces its history to the individual practice of Premier Investment Advisory Services, Inc., (PIAS)* founded by Patricia (Patty) Laramore* in Ada, Oklahoma in 1988.
Laramore served many clients over the years, in North Texas and markets throughout Oklahoma. She built a successful practice, with a special focus on AT&T employees in retirement and pre-retirement status.
In 2017, Reed and Adams formed the partnership of Premier Investment Advisors, combining their 28 years of financial services experience to serve clients throughout North Texas.
Dave Reed, who now serves as President & CEO of Gaddis Premier Wealth Management, has over 16 years of experience in the financial services industry. He began his career with Edward Jones, where he worked for five years before joining Landmark Bank as a financial advisor for almost eight years.
Like Reed, Teresa Adams also began her career with Edward Jones, serving as a Branch Office Administrator for 11 years before becoming a registered financial advisor in 2010 and opening a practice in Pottsboro, Texas.
In 2018, Reed and Adams acquired Laramore’s practice and Ada office, thereby increasing their firm’s client base and geographic service area. The Ada office, located in Arbuckle Federal Credit Union, is staffed by Tresha Reyes, a former PIAS employee since 2008. In 2021, PIA acquired Hulsey Financial Services, which is housed in Communications Federal Credit Union in Oklahoma City. Tracie Clark, a former PIAS employee for 20 years, manages the Oklahoma City office
About the Gaddis Premier Wealth Advisors Merger
The merger of Gaddis & Gaddis Wealth Management and Premier Investment Advisors began with an informal meeting between Derek Hines and Dave Reed in May of 2021. During that initial meeting, Hines and Reed recognized the commonality in their respective firms, including: client service orientation; corporate philosophy; professional experience and staffing; and geographic service area. Following internal discussions within GGWM, Hines approached Reed about the possibility of a merger between the two firms.
Thus began a series of meetings among principals of the two firms including: Hines and (Roger) Gaddis of GGWM and Reed and Adams of PIA. These discovery and planning meetings revealed the many opportunities and advantages of the proposed merger.
With each firm having multiple offices (both full-service and satellite service), the merger offered a synergy to increase both client service capacity and operational efficiency. Also, with its deep-bench of financial advisor experience, Gaddis Premier Wealth Advisors can leverage this experience to benefit clients and the potential for growth of the firm. Finally, the merger of the two firms created the opportunity for Gaddis Premier Wealth Advisors to achieve its stated goal of maintaining its leadership as a trusted, multi-generational wealth advisory firm for clients today and tomorrow
*Premier Investment Advisory Services, Inc. was a business name utilized for the provision of investment advisory services through other investment advisory firms. Personnel of Premier Investment Advisory Services, Inc. were investment advisor representatives of such other investment advisory firms during these referenced prior periods.
