As a Founding Partner and CEO of Venturi Private Wealth, Russ Norwood leads a team of 35 professionals who manage over $2 billion in assets for ultra-high-net-worth clients across public and private markets. He leverages his expertise in financial planning, wealth transfer strategy, concentrated stock management, and alternative investments to create sustained generational prosperity for entrepreneurs and executives who are typically first-generation wealth creators. Russ has been a trusted advisor and financial services entrepreneur for over 30 years. He spent 24 years as a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor at Merrill Lynch, where he served clients with complex and concentrated wealth needs. He co-founded Venturi in 2015 with a vision to create an independent firm, built on trust, that offers a comprehensive and collaborative approach to wealth management. He is a member of Tiger 21, a peer network of successful wealth creators, and an advisory board member of the University of Texas McComb’s Wealth Management Center, a program that prepares future leaders in the industry.
Chris Creed is a Senior Lead Advisor for Venturi Wealth Management. Chris partners with new clients to organize, plan, and manage all aspects of their family’s financial life. Chris is a Certified Financial Planner® professional and holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certification, which is the only advanced certification designed for wealth managers who advise ultra high-net worth clients. Chris creates customized wealth planning strategies unique to highly affluent clients, often helping clients with concentrated stock positions. With 30 years of experience in the industry, Chris brings a unique perspective to the role. Prior to Venturi, Chris was a principal at AFAM Capital, as Director of Private Client Group Business Development. For the seven years prior to joining AFAM, he was Regional VP, Southeast for Fisher Investments Private Client Group. He was the owner of an independent wealth management practice, Creed Capital Management (2003-2006), through Wachovia Securities Financial Network, which he later sold to another advisory firm. From 1994 to 2003, Chris was an investment representative with Edward Jones, where he also held roles in both the hiring and training of new advisors. Chris holds a B.A. in Marketing from Southeastern Louisiana University. Chris enjoys tennis, skiing, golfing, and spending time with his family.
Joey Sager is a Managing Director for Venturi Private Wealth. His career began in 1985 at Merrill Lynch, where he became a Certified Financial Manager. Joey was recognized by Wells Fargo Advisors as a Premier Advisor each year from 2002 through 2017. He was honored by The Winners Circle LLC in Oklahoma Magazine in 2008 and Barron’s Magazine in 2009 as a top 1,000 Advisor, including being ranked the Top Financial Advisor in Oklahoma. Joey is active in his church, serving on leadership and ministry teams. He has been a speaker at Christian events for over 25 years and has traveled regularly with mission teams in Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. He volunteers with children’s group homes, coordinated a children’s eye clinic at a local mission center, and served as a volunteer and director at a clinic that offers free medical and counseling services. He leads a community development project called Shared Success, which helps aspiring leaders develop sustainable, income-producing businesses in Nicaragua, Uganda, North Africa, and Oklahoma City. Past service includes director or leadership positions with Integris Health, Friends of the Oklahoma History Center, Ethnographic Media, Southwest American Livestock Foundation, the Sirloin Club of Oklahoma, INFO (a statewide support group for those with an incurable genetic disorder), Ministries of Jesus, Oklahoma Youth Expo, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University Foundation. Joey serves on numerous boards, including Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma Pilot’s Association, One World, and the Christian Clinics Cooperative of Oklahoma (CCCO). He and his wife, Danielle, both pilots and musicians, enjoy many hobbies together, including cars, boating, scuba diving, traveling, reading, and relaxing at the lake with their daughter and son.
Alex specializes in helping high-net-worth families address the multi-faceted challenges surrounding estate planning, liquidity management, concentrated investment positions, and philanthropic giving. As an expert in multi-generational planning, Alex strives to understand the unique needs and aspirations of families in order to provide personalized guidance and strategic insights.
Previously, Alex was a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch where he provided comprehensive wealth management services for high-net-worth families in the Austin area. Alex attended The University of Southern California, where he earned his BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.
He is a Certified Financial Planner™, Certified Private Wealth Advisor®, and working towards a Master’s degree in Financial Planning with a concentration in Legacy Planning. Alex’s wife Lina is a dentist in northwest Austin and a fantastic chef. Outside of work, you can find Alex cheering on his boys at t-ball or exploring new restaurants and live events around Austin with his wife. Alex is also active in volunteering with The Missy Project, a local non-profit.
Kent Mitchell is a Senior Lead Advisor at Venturi Wealth Management. Kent focuses on a comprehensive approach to wealth management for clients with significant net worth, including complex tax and estate planning needs. Kent believes that understanding family dynamics is essential to superior wealth management and that effective planning helps clients maintain financial independence and the ability to pursue what is important to them. Looking beyond clients’ portfolios – and helping them look forward – is critical to helping clients achieve their most cherished goals and is the basis behind Kent’s approach. Kent joins Venturi with 16 years of industry experience serving individuals, families, and institutions. Most recently Kent was a Vice President at Merrill Lynch and in addition to his Advisory responsibilities Kent also served in leadership roles in Austin, Texas. Kent recently earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation, which is the only advanced certification designed for wealth managers who advise ultra high-net worth clients. Kent was born and raised in Kinnelon, New Jersey and is a graduate of Gettysburg College with degrees in Business Management and Political Science. At Gettysburg, he participated as a member of the football team and continues his involvement by volunteering to mentor recent Gettysburg graduates. He is also involved in the community as a board member of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Kent currently resides in Lakeway with his wife Ann and children Andrew and Vivian.
Grant Kinchen is a Senior Lead Advisor for Venturi Wealth Management. Grant concentrates his efforts on working with affluent individuals, families, and institutions that seek financial well-being. He focuses on simplifying all aspects of clients’ financial lives and helps them to articulate and prioritize goals for their wealth. Grant is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) which allows him to create unique and meaningful strategies for sophisticated and highly affluent clients. Grant began his career in Houston as an energy commodities advisor focusing on natural gas and electricity derivatives. Grant earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and is a passionate supporter of his alma mater. Grant is active in the local community through Habitat for Humanity and is on the board of the Coastal Conservation Association’s Austin Chapter. Grant lives in Bee Cave with his wife Brandy, and his two daughters, Madison, and Presley. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, fishing, hunting, and spending time with family and friends.
Senior Director of Development
As Senior Director of Development at Venturi Private Wealth, Rachael helps business owners, corporate executives, high-net-worth families, and foundations identify optimal financial solutions. With a career spanning nearly three decades, including a long tenure as Senior Vice President at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Rachael has managed client assets totaling $2 billion.
Her expertise is backed by a B.B.A. from Texas Tech University and a wealth of specialized designations, including Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®), Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), and Certified Divorce Financial Advisor (CDFA®). Rachael’s holistic approach ensures personalized support tailored to the evolving needs of her clients.
Active in the Austin community, Rachael has served as President of the Austin/San Antonio Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. She’s also committed to supporting women through her past board roles at Austin Recovery and SAFE (Stop Abuse for Everyone).
Beyond her professional life, Rachael cherishes time with family and friends on Lake Austin or the coast in Port A, with her Boston Terrier, Jack, by her side.
Emily McCracken is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Lead advisor with Venturi Private Wealth. Emily partners with business owners and executives to create strategies that optimize and protect their wealth. As a fiduciary advisor, Emily delivers unbiased, objective advice you can trust. She has dedicated herself to organizing, planning, and managing all aspects of her clients’ complex financial lives so they can focus on doing the things that matter most to them. Emily prides herself on providing fulfillment, confidence, and peace of mind to her clients.
Prior to joining Venturi, Emily was a Financial Advisor at Northwestern Mutual in Southern California where she provided comprehensive wealth management and financial planning services to high-net-worth families.
Emily is deeply involved in the Austin community through her volunteer work with the Association for Corporate Growth as Vice President of Women’s Initiatives for the Austin chapter. She is co-chair of the ACG Women’s PODs (Professionals Opening Doors) program that brings together local industry leaders for collaboration, meaningful relationships, and mentorship. She is also on the board of the Texas international Education Consortium – a local nonprofit that builds international partnerships to bring opportunities to Texas universities and shares Texas expertise around the world.
Emily and her husband, Jesse, currently live in Liberty Hill with their daughters Remington Luna (3) and Raelynn Rhea (2). Outside of work, Emily enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, snowboarding, and serving at her church.
Cole Edmiston is a Lead Advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. Cole works with families and individuals to create strategies to allow their wealth to achieve their aspirations. Cole’s primary goal is to put clients’ interests first, and then work tirelessly to ensure their goals are the drivers of their long-term strategy and investments. Cole attended Baylor University where he played four years on the football team. A strong supporter of his alma mater, you can still find Cole in Waco on a fall Saturday watching the Bears play. He earned his Bachelor of Business degree in Finance and Marketing. Cole lives in Lakeway with his wife Emory and daughter Claire. Away from the office, Cole and Emory are active in their church and community. During his time at Baylor, Cole was very involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes program, as well as the Humane Society. During his free time, Cole loves to play golf, spend time at the lake, visit with friends and family, and travel with Emory.
Matthew Maxcy is a Lead Advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. He helps business owners and high-net-worth individuals & families assess, define, and realize their goals with personalized strategies designed around their unique needs and values. Matthew’s commitment to collaborative service and leading individuals stems, in large part, from his previous career as a US Army officer. During that time, Matthew gained invaluable experience coordinating people and resources to achieve common goals for his fellow soldiers and families, the Army, and society. Having traveled or worked in over twenty countries, Matthew has developed a profound appreciation for the value of deep relationships with people of varied backgrounds and life experiences. He is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and Certified Financial Planner, with an undergraduate degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin. He resides in Marble Falls with his wife Christine and two daughters. When not working to serve his clients, Matthew is an active volunteer at his church and mentors other veterans pursuing business careers. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, reading history, and spending time with his family exploring central Texas.
Rodney Gamble is a Lead Insurance Advisor for Venturi Wealth Management. Rodney is passionate about providing his clients with the best plan tailored for their unique situation. He is consistently learning about their needs and the options that will best accomplish their goals. He has significant experience in working with individual clients and business owners in providing individual life insurance for estate planning and business needs. Prior to joining Venturi Wealth Management, Rodney worked for over 35 years in providing strategic financial planning for corporations, government entities, privately owned businesses and individuals. From 1991-2016 he had his own firm in providing life insurance and group benefits. Before starting his own firm, Rodney was a business manager at Lockheed Missiles and Space. He was responsible for managing budgets of over $200 million dollars in funds. He has multiple awards and honors including; Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Round Table, Jefferson-Pilot Sales Leadership Recognitions, New York Life Associate of the Year, Lockheed Performance Incentive Award and Lockheed Productivity Improvement Program Award. Rodney is a native Austinite and received his BBA in Finance from The University of Texas. He has been married to his wife Debbie for over 37 years and they have 3 adult sons. They currently reside in Lakeway and attend Lakeway Church. They continue to be actively involved in the Lake Travis and Austin communities. In his spare time Rodney enjoys camping, hunting, tennis and golf.
Blake Willcox is a Lead Advisor at Venturi Private Wealth. Blake focuses on working with institutions, affluent individuals, and their families to define and articulate what financial success means in their unique situations. As a Certified Financial Planner ® (CFP®) practitioner, he specializes in helping individuals and business owners customize a comprehensive financial plan and the corresponding strategies to help them visualize the steps they can take to work toward those goals. Blake enjoys using his skills and experience to help clients gain confidence in their financial future as he helps them navigate from concern or uncertainty to excitement as the path to their goals gains focus and clarity. Blake is a native of Edmond, OK. He, his wife, and their five children enjoy being outdoors, often taking family trips to the lake. He also reserves time for coaching Little League and swinging a golf club when he gets the chance.
Nico Zinsmeyer is an Advisory Analyst at Venturi Private Wealth, where he collaborates with the Wealth Management team to deliver comprehensive financial planning and investment strategies to clients. He also supports the firm’s Operations, Client Services, and Investment departments. Nico earned his BBA in Finance with a minor in Wealth Management from the University of Texas. Nico is originally from San Antonio, he now lives in Austin. Outside of work, Nico enjoys playing pickleball and sand volleyball, hitting the gym, and spending time with his family at the lake.
Co-Founder & Director of Investments
Jim Kozlowski is a Senior Managing Director of Private Equity at Venturi Wealth Management. Jim leads our private equity effort with Venturi Investment Partners. Prior to joining Venturi, Jim was a Co-Founder and President of TGF Management Corp., one of the most active and successful middle market investment firms in the Southwest. Under the Texas Growth Fund and Southwest Opportunity Partners banners, he managed a series of funds totaling more than $700 million dedicated to investing in companies located in Texas and throughout the Southwest. TGF acquired or invested in 47 middle market companies in a variety of industries. Prior to TGF, Jim was a Managing Director at Fortis Private Capital in New York, a Vice President at Merrill Lynch Venture Capital in New York and Director of New Business at Tenneco Ventures in Houston. He has also worked in the Corporate Finance Group at Credit Suisse First Boston and the Commercial Lending Division of Chemical Bank in New York. Jim received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his BA degree in economics from Harvard University. He also was a Fellow in the Harvard Advanced Leadership Program in 2014. Jim is an alumnus of the Texas Lyceum, the Texas Business Hall of Fame, and the Association of Corporate Growth. He is actively involved in the Young Presidents’ Organization. Jim is the past Chairman and Life Trustee of the Children’s Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas and current Chairman of The Comfort Crew for Military Kids. He also mentors and assists military officers in their transition from the military to the civilian workforce.
George is a Portfolio Manager with Venturi Private Wealth. George helps formulate Venturi’s investment outlook, asset allocations, and market views. His focus will be developing Venturi’s alternative investment offerings and ensuring alignment with client’s wealth management goals. George holds a Bachelor of Science in Computational Engineering, and a Master of Science in Finance, both from the University of Texas. He is currently working toward his Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. George lives in Central Austin with his black lab, Reggie. In his free time, George enjoys dove hunting, weightlifting, and training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Director of Family Office Services & Education
Sisi Provost is the Director of Family Office Services and Family Education. She brings almost 20 years of experience in the ultra-high net worth space advising clients on estate planning and advanced wealth transfer strategies and facilitating family meetings designed to achieve family wealth education, effective communication, next-generation stewardship, business and wealth succession, and formal family governance. In 2020, she co-founded Succession Advisors, a media company that produces and curates educational content on a variety of topics such as family legacy planning and luxury lifestyle connections. Sisi spent her early career as an estate tax attorney practicing at national law firms, including Proskauer and Katten. She later transitioned into wealth management where she held executive and senior management positions at Cresset Asset Management, Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank, and Convergent Wealth Advisors, and as a subject matter expert for Wealth Strategy and Family Office Services, delivering her expertise to multi-generational families.
Director of Accounting and Family Office Services
Christopher Stout is the Director of Accounting and Family Office Services at Venturi Private Wealth. Christopher has coached and managed highly productive teams in the sector of accounting and family office services in the UHNW wealth management arena over the last decade and brings this wealth of knowledge into his role at Venturi. At Venturi, his goal is simplifying the complex when it comes to a client’s family enterprise, in a CFO driven capacity. His aim is to empower clients with the knowledge required to make strategic long-term decisions as it relates to family wealth, enhancing the advisory relationship. His focus is providing ease of process in the management of a client’s family enterprise as well as increasing visibility into their comprehensive net worth and cash flow. He graduated summa cum laude in 2004 from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. Earlier in his career, he served six years managing in the retail banking/financial services industry followed by three years functioning as a controller/director of stewardship in the non-profit/ministry sector for a mega-church. In 2016, he transitioned to the wealth management/family office space, building out a scalable service line at Tolleson Wealth Management in Dallas, TX, focused on client-based accounting and consolidated reporting and geared towards empowering UHNW clients to meet their financial goals. He was a part of the NEXT Leadership Forum hosted by BNY Mellon from 2023-2025, gaining insights into the advisory space which further aided his ability to enhance the family office services offering in his current role. Christopher has been married for 20+ years to his wife, Summer Stout, and has the fortune of co-raising two amazing sons, Dexter and Desmond Stout. He enjoys supporting his son’s athletic endeavors at the baseball field, volunteering at his local church, learning to cook under the expertise of his wife, and reading fiction novels by his favorite authors for leisure.
Associate of Family Office Services and Wealth Strategy
Alexis is an Associate of Family Office Services and Wealth Strategy at Venturi Private Wealth. Alexis recently earned her law degree from Baylor Law School, where she concentrated on business planning and served as the President of the Moot Court Society. She previously studied finance and entrepreneurship at Baylor University and worked in private equity analytics.
Mike Sanders is a Senior Managing Director of Venturi Wealth Management. For over 25 years, Mike has built and overseen sales, marketing and research organizations for companies in the financial services industry. He also brings operational expertise through his prior roles. Mike spent 24 years at Goldman Sachs Group, Equities Division, where he was the Partner and Managing Director responsible for the US Shares Institutional sales force and founding of the Hudson Street initiative in 2006. Mike has also served as Executive Director and Head of Sales at Potomac Research Group Holdings, LLC. Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive Officer at Davis, Mendel & Regenstein, Inc. and Executive Director of Ned Davis Research. His primary role was establishing a longer-term strategic direction for the firm. He was instrumental in business development, client relationships, new sales and marketing initiatives, product development, and profitability. Mike received a Bachelor of Business Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He has served as a Board Member of Wall Street on Demand (Markit). Mike enjoys spending time with his wife, Natalie, traveling and visiting with friends in Telluride, Boston and Austin. They have four children and two grand children.
Dave Swann is Chief Compliance Officer and the General Counsel of Venturi Private Wealth. Utilizing more than 20 years of industry experience, he is responsible for the administration, direction, management, and oversight of the compliance and legal functions at Venturi. Prior to joining Venturi, Dave served as the Chief Compliance Officer at Meritage Capital, an Austin based firm that specialized in hedge fund investment solutions. Meritage Capital was acquired by Brown Advisory in 2018. Prior to Meritage Capital, Dave served as the Regulatory and Legal Officer at the Virginia Retirement System. He also served as the Chief Compliance Officer for nine years for an investment advisory firm located in Austin, Texas. Prior to his career in investments, he served as an Assistant City Attorney providing legal guidance to the San Antonio Local Development Company and the City’s Economic Development Department. He received a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.B.A. from Jacksonville University and a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law. Dave is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas. Dave enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, and fishing.
Jessica is the Office Manager at Venturi Private Wealth. She is committed to providing a welcoming environment and ensuring seamless coordination between team members and clients. Prior to joining the Venturi team, Jessica worked as an Office Manager at a medical clinic. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Oregon State University and is continuing her education through the Nutritional Therapy Association to become a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. In her free time, Jessica enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and playing Gaelic Football.
Kathleen (Kat) is a Client Associate at Venturi Private Wealth. She is passionate about finding new ways to provide high client service and making life easier for our clients. Originally from Dallas, TX, Kat graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Business Administration. After a few years away, she moved back to Oklahoma City in 2022. During her free time, Kat loves catching up on the newest movies, series and documentaries, trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
