James is a Wealth Manager at Blue Maple Financial, founded and wholly owned by Wes Barnett in Houston, TX. He has been a Certified Financial Planner® professional since 2012 and holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 credentials with LPL Financial. James has been a Certified College Planning Specialist® and can work in all aspects of the practice. His current areas of focus are insurance, annuities, and 401(K) plans, as well as Social Security and Medicare education for clients.
James graduated from LeTourneau University in Longview, TX in 1994 with a Bachelor of Business Management degree. He has a career history that includes 28 years in senior management positions at various manufacturing companies throughout the U.S. James entered the financial services industry in April 2008, right in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis. He started his career at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and later spent time with MassMutual. He had his own practice with Thrivent for 7 years in Taylor, TX. James was delighted to join Blue Maple Financial in February 2018.
James has been married for 49 years to Kathie and has two sons, one grandson (age 9), and twin granddaughters (age 7). He enjoys traveling (favorite place so far is Alaska), gardening, Sugar Land Space Cowboys, and Houston Astros baseball – all after his primary focus, shared with Kathie, on their grandchildren. Before moving to Katy, James served three years as the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce; one term as President of the Lions Club, and three years as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church – all in Taylor, TX. James and Kathie had an alpaca ranch for 6 years while in Taylor.
James is a native Austinite and since 2016 a resident of Katy, as his three grandchildren live in Houston. He is here to provide Wes’ clients with the same outstanding experience to which they have become accustomed.