The IPA Team

Pat Paxton, Managing Director & Financial Planner

Pat Paxton has over 30 years of professional experience in the Financial Services Industry. After gaining 18 years of experience in all aspects of Financial Planning, Pat established Investment Planning Advisors in 2003. He has successfully built a thriving practice and a team of professionals to provide comprehensive Wealth Management & Financial Planning advice to families of Northern Georgia.

As a fiduciary, Pat does provide his clients with independent and objective advice as a fee based wealth manager and financial advisor. Pat does have an established client base where most of his high net worth clients are either retired or preparing for their retirement. As a result, Pat’s clients are primarily concerned with retirement planning and more specifically Retirement Income planning after they retire. Pat also works on an hourly or on flat fee basis for those who may need general consultation, portfolio evaluation or overall financial planning. Pat has been a SmartVestor Pro for the Dave Ramsey show since 2003 for Investments and Long Term Care. For the past three years(2015-2017) Pat has earned the title of “Best of Forsyth” for Financial Planning.

Pat and his wife Wendy have been happily married for over 26 years.Pat and Wendy are both active in various civic organizations. Pat is a member of Rotary, The Knights of Columbus, and a graduate of Leadership Forsyth Class of 2008 and a member of the Cumming Forsyth Chamber. He has recently joined the Stewardship Committee for his parish: St. Brendan the Navigator.

He is a member FINRA holds seven securities and insurance registrations.

Wendy Paxton, Operations Manager

After a successful career in Property Management for twenty years, Wendy joined Investment Planning Advisors in 2008 as the Operations Manager.

Wendy manages the Client Services division for IPA. She is often the first voice you will hear when in contact with us. She provides the training and back office support for the staff and all of the Financial Advisors. Wendy also provides vital support for the Dave Ramsey program for her husband, Pat Paxton, who has been endorsed by Dave Ramsey since 2003. She facilitates Financial Peace University for her church at St. Brendan the Navigator in Cumming, GA.

Wendy has always been active in the community. She has been on the board for her neighborhood Homeowners association. She is a graduate of the 2013 Leadership Forsyth class and is serving on the Board of Directors for the 2016-2019 term. Additionally, she is serving on the Membership Advisory Board for the Cumming Forsyth Chamber of Commerce.

Ken Bellavance, Financial Planner

Ken has a clear and natural passion for financial planning. He recognizes an individual’s values, personal experiences, and life goals are vital to implementing the optimal plan. Ken provides a thoughtful and thorough approach to planning and places a major emphasis on maintaining great client relationships through consistent communication. Ken’s process of financial planning focuses on forming a true partnership with clients to help them reach their financial goals. Every individual brings a unique set of goals and circumstances and the optimal plan only develops if both parties work together.

Ken utilizes the latest technology to help the investors set-up, track, and maintain their investment portfolio. His financial plans weigh the technical aspects of planning along with the behavioral elements. The end result is a modern and efficient financial plan coupled with ongoing support and guidance.

Ken takes pride in being a Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro Associate by placing a special emphasis on investor education. A series of articles and videos can found on our website. The article and video series attempt to explain current events and investing fundamentals in plain language. Check out the most recent article by visiting the Client Resources tab.

Ken studied Finance at the University of North Georgia as a student/athlete. Prior to graduation from the Mike Cottrell School of Business, he received the Excellence in Finance award for his academic efforts within the field. After four years of college baseball, Ken ended his playing days as a Capitol One Academic All-American.

Ken and his wife, Danielle live in Cumming, GA with their daughters Brynn and Emory. They take full advantage of the beautiful North Georgia mountains by kayaking, hiking, and fishing. Originally from Stone Mountain, GA, Ken is a Georgia Bulldawg, Atlanta Braves, and Atlanta Falcons fan.

Andrew Castleberry, CFP®, Financial Planner

Andrew is very passionate about partnering with his clients and guiding them on their financial journey. He enjoys the opportunity to review his client’s full financial picture, so he can develop a complete financial plan. Andrew partners with clients to help his clients determine and achieve their goals as efficiently, effectively and simply as possible.  He pride himself on always acting with complete integrity and as a trusted partner and fiduciary. As a Certified Financial Planner® he is held to the highest fiduciary standard of care, and puts his client needs above all else.

Andrew has experience with two other brokerage firms working in both retirement and tax planning as well as the active trading side of the industry. Using his experience, he take’s pride in providing efficient and quality service to all clients. Additionally, he feels that educating his client’s on all aspects of their financial plan is key to their success. 

Felicia Lane, Client Service Representative

Felicia joined our team in 2019 to provide support to the Managing Director and Operations Manager. Her strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and warm personality are a great asset to IPA. She has multiple years of experience in an office setting assisting in many different industries.

Her background in business administration and marketing serve as a great base for providing excellent customer service and support to ensure a great client experience. Felicia and her husband, Jimmy, reside in Cumming with their twins Cameron & Blakley.

Felicia is a graduate from North Georgia College and State University with an associates in Business Administration & Bachelors in Marketing.

Kelsey Fredriksson, Client Service

Kelsey joined our team in 2018. She is assisting Ken Bellavance with scheduling, client communications, and new client on-boarding. She has multiple years of experience in front and back office operations within the healthcare field.

Kelsey is exceptionally organized and takes pride in ensuring each client has a productive and enjoyable experience at IPA.

Kelsey is a graduate from North Georgia College and State University with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice. She played soccer while at North Georgia, earning multiple athletic and academic honors along the way. She and her husband, Alan, live in Braselton with their sons Jase and Eli.

Danielle Taormina, Financial Planner

Danielle has a passion for ensuring every client at IPA has an exceptional experience. She enjoys working with clients through the financial planning process and helping them implement recommendations to reach their financial goals. Danielle builds remarkable rapport with our clients and enjoys helping them every day.

Danielle’s professional experience includes her time at Lanier Federal Credit Union as a Member Service Representative. She focused on assisting members with deposits, loans, withdrawals, and in-person problem resolution. Similar to IPA, Lanier Federal Credit Union thinks of their members as family and gets to know them on a personal level. Her time at LFCU influenced her to always put the client first for optimal success!

Danielle is a graduate from the University of North Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in finance. She graduated with honors and received an Excellence in Finance award. Danielle resides in Hoschton, GA. In her free time, Danielle enjoys fitness and spending quality time with friends and family.