Renée is a Retirement Plan Advisor and Special Projects Coordinator at Meridian Trust. She handles many of the behind‐the‐scenes administrative work for retirement plan clients and serves as a contact point for plan participants. In addition to her daily 401(k) work, Renée is Meridian’s principal content creator and can be found coordinating special tasks and projects as needed within all areas of the firm.

 

Renée was born and raised in Knoxville and loves her hometown for its seasons and vicinity to family. She enjoyed a brief stint away from home in Nashville during her undergraduate years, during which time she attended Vanderbilt University and competed on the women’s track and field team. She enjoys many hobbies spanning music performance, visual arts, and participation in any and all recreational sports. Her favorite role is that of mother to her son Angelo, with whom she loves to play and read.

 

Renée began her career by interning at Meridian during her last year of college. She has now been with Meridian fulltime for 2 years.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

• QuickBooks Online® Certified ProAdvisor

• Masters of Accountancy with Tax concentration from University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• BA in Accounting with Finance collateral from University of Tennessee, Knoxville summa cum laude

 

Memberships:

• Junior Achievement of East Tennessee volunteer instructor

Pam Watson is a retirement plan specialist who is responsible for the daily administration of Meridian’s retirement plans. This role includes processing contributions, distributions, and loans, as well as preparing tax forms for the plan.

 

Pam is a Knoxville native along with her four brothers and sister. Her parents have now left us, but Pam has fond memories of football Saturdays spent with the whole gang at their home, nicknamed “Campbell Stadium,” enjoying football, food, and fun. In her spare time she enjoys music, movies, and shopping with her sister and niece.

 

Pam attends Ridgeview Baptist Church and is a vocalist in the choir. She is married to Dan, a Camaro enthusiast, and together they devote much of their time volunteering. They are active members of “Muscle Car Ministries,” a Christian organization devoted to sharing Christ with others through a connection to muscle cars.

 

Pam has over 35 years of financial services experience, 18 years of which she has shared with Meridian.

 

Memberships:

• Finance Committee of Ridgeview Baptist Church

Susanne is Meridian’s Vice President of Retirement Plan Design. She is primarily responsible for designing and preparing plan documents as well as overseeing that our retirement plans remain compliant with applicable rules and regulations. She is a true retirement plan expert and serves as Meridian’s encyclopedic resource for retirement plan and IRA research inquiries.

 

Susanne grew up alongside her four brothers and sister in Jefferson City, Tennessee, where her parents were active members of the community and her mother still resides. She is married to Charles with whom she has raised two wonderful children. Their son Jamie completed law school at the University of Tennessee and is currently a Governor’s Management Fellow in Nashville. Their daughter Kerres also graduated from the University of Tennessee, and now serves excited brides-to-be as Lead Bridal Stylist for a boutique shop in Knoxville. In her spare time, Susanne can be found helping others, spending time with family, swimming, reading, and working jigsaw puzzles.

 

Susanne has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been with Meridian since its inception in 1997.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS)

• BA in Accounting from Tennessee Technological University – summa cum laude

 

Memberships:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) member

• Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants member

• Knoxville News‐Sentinel Charities (Empty Stocking Fund) board member

• Premier Athletics gymnastics meets long‐time volunteer

• Former Treasurer of Knoxville Football Club, competitive youth soccer organization

Lisa Morgan supervises Meridian team members who service our 401(k) plans. This department is responsible for administering retirement plan contributions, distributions, and loans, as well as disseminating all annual reports and notices. Each year she audits year end reports prepared by the plan specialists. Additionally, her calm and mediating personality serves her well in her role as a liaison between Meridian and our 401(k) recordkeeper and website provider, EPIC Retirement Plan Services.

 

Lisa grew up in a small town in Indiana, which reflects her personal “All‐American” values and character. She was the middle of three daughters born to her mother, a talented artist, and father, a decorated WWII and Vietnam War Air Force pilot. Lisa is an avid traveler and enjoys visiting various locales around the country with her friends and family. An annual ski trip to the Rockies in the spring and a fall trip to the beach with her sisters and their families are highlights of her vacation schedule. She cherishes her relationships with her many nieces and nephews. In her free time, Lisa enjoys walking and hiking with her beloved rescue dog. Her other hobbies include gardening, reading, history, and music.

 

Lisa has over 32 years of experience in financial services, 16 of which she has shared with Meridian.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS)

• BA in Business Administration from University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• Johnson Bible College

Memberships:

• User Group Committee of EPIC Retirement Plan Services

Barbara Parrish is Retirement Plan Advisor and relationship manager to many of Meridian’s 401(k) plan participants. Her career longevity has allowed her to personally assist some individuals quite literally from 401(k) start to finish; from enrolling them upon plan entry to approving their distributions well into retirement. By consistently reviewing participant accounts and offering investment advice servicing each phase of life, Barbara has had a hand in many of our retirement success stories.

 

It is Barbara’s personal goal that through encouraging savings and providing financial education, she help participants accumulate sufficient funds for an enjoyable retirement. In addition to retirement plan administration and financial planning, Barbara has decades of experience in both income tax and financial statement preparation. Over the years she has served as treasurer for many organizations, including her church, PTA, and the Knoxville Chapter of the Financial Planning Association.

 

Barbara graduated from the University of Tennessee on June 8, 1973, and married her husband Doug the following day. Over the next 45 years they would raise a family that brings them great pride and joy. Their older daughter Jennifer married Jason, and Kimberly married Nathan. Each now has 3 children of her own, ages 6 through 16. Barbara has an incredible 41 years of experience in the financial services industry, 20 of which she has shared with Meridian.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)

• BA in Accounting from University of Tennessee, Knoxville – honors

 

Memberships:

• Financial Planning Association (FPA)

• Financial Planning Association of East Tennessee (FPAET)

• Tennessee Immigrant Empowerment Solutions board member and Treasurer

• Former Treasurer for the Knoxville Chapter of the Financial Planning Association

Ashley Thomas is a Retirement Plan Advisor and Financial Planner for Meridian Trust. Her dual responsibilities include serving in both the Advisory and 401(k) Retirement Plan departments. As a Retirement Plan Advisor, Ashley is the main contact for both participants and employers. She conducts enrollments, educational meetings, and account reviews for the benefit of hundreds of retirement plan participants. As a Financial Planner, she works closely with personal clients, helping develop holistic plans that best suit investors’ needs and goals.

 

Ashley began her career in finance as a Customer Service Representative at First

Tennessee Bank in 2004. She soon after transferred her skills to Clayton Bank and Trust, working her way from Customer Service Representative all the way to Branch Manager before joining the Meridian Trust family in 2008.

 

Ashley is happily married to David Thomas, and together they are raising three young children, Mackensie, Mason, and Cooper. She is a proud alumnus of the Delta Zeta sorority Beta Lambda chapter and a member of First Farragut United Methodist Church. Ashley has been with Meridian over 10 years.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)

• BA in Business Administration with Finance concentration from University of

Tennessee, Knoxville

 

Memberships:

• Junior Achievement of East Tennessee volunteer instructor

• University of Tennessee Delta Zeta Finance Advisor

Will Coulter has a passion for serving clients and utilizing technology, which led him to join Meridian Trust in 2019. He serves retirement plans and financial planning clients.

 

Will graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he participated in the Haslam College of Business honors program, Global Leadership Scholars (GLS). He graduated with honors in Accounting with a collateral in International Business in 2013, and earned a Masters in Accounting and Information Systems in 2014.

 

Out of school, Will joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Atlanta, first working with privately owned businesses in the audit practice. Next he joined PwC’s New Ventures, a technology group concentrating on software development. As a Manager at PwC, he worked with professional services companies, developing technology solutions customized for their operations.

 

Will enjoys spending time with his family and friends, exploring the Knoxville area, cheering on his favorite sports teams, and enjoying the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. He is always eager to have fun playing cards, backgammon, or board games. In his spare time, Will enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, and cooking.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

• Masters of Accountancy with Audit concentration from University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• BA in Accounting with International Business concentration from University of Tennessee, Knoxville honors

 

Memberships:

• National Eagle Scout Association

• Junior Achievement of East Tennessee

  volunteer instructor

Emmy Bellingrath is a Retirement Plan Advisor at Meridian Trust. She administers retirement plans in compliance with ERISA by acting as a point of contact for the Plan Sponsor and its participants. Emmy provides them quality service by assisting with questions and holding enrollment and education sessions to ensure participants understand the importance of their active involvement in the retirement plan. She advises participants throughout their journey to reach their financial goals.

 

Emmy is the newest member of the Meridian family and brings with her a background in financial statement preparation, review, and auditing. She became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 2017 while working as a financial statement auditor for KPMG in Washington, D.C., where she stayed for 5 years. Emmy thoroughly enjoys providing quality client service.

 

Out of the office, Emmy enjoys spending time with her husband, family, friends, and dog Rosey. Her family drew her back to the great city of Knoxville where her roots will always be. The Smoky Mountains were calling, and the Volunteers were there to cheer for. You will catch her around Knoxville trying out the new spots in town. She also has a longtime passion for playing games of all types: board, lawn, sports, etc.

 

Education and Certifications:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

• Masters of Accountancy with Audit concentration from the

   University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• BA in Accounting with Finance collateral from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville – honors