Bright Investment Team
JOHN F. BRIGHT
Founder, President and Chief Investment Officer, Bright Investments
John serves as the portfolio manager for each of Bright Investments, separately managed accounts. His 30 plus years of experience spans Wall Street to Auburn as both an analyst and portfolio manager.
Prior to Bright Investments, John was a director and senior research analyst with Avondale Partners for eleven years, business development manager with Laitram for one-year, senior research analyst at Johnson Rice for three years, associate vice president and analyst with Morgan Keegan for two years, and associate analyst / portfolio manager for W.H. Reaves & Co. for five years.
John has been quoted in various national and industry specific publications such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Barron’s, Smart Money, Forbes, and Business Week. In addition, he has appeared on various news outlets including CNBC, Fox Business and Bloomberg.
John earned an MBA from Auburn University and a BS from the University of Tennessee at Martin.
THEODORE "TED" R. DAVIS
Partner, Vice President and Wealth Advisor, Bright Investments
Ted joined Bright Investments in 2020. Prior to joining Bright Investments, he served as a Wealth Advisor for Regions Financial Corporation for 11 years. Ted has 30 plus years of financial experience with companies such as Unilever, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and General Motors Acceptance Corporation Commercial Mortgage (GMACCM).
Outside the office, Ted has served on the Humane Society of Memphis/Shelby Co (Board President – 2018), Kosten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer, Metal Museum Board of Directors, and City of Memphis Pension Board.
Ted earned a BA from Rhodes College.
THOMAS M. KUCERA, CFA
Co-Founder, Executive Vice President, Analyst and Portfolio Manager, Bright Investments
Tom serves as co-portfolio manager and analyst covering equity investments across Bright Investments’ five core sectors.
Prior to co-founding Bright Investments, Tom served as Director of Financial Analysis at ATP Oil & Gas in Houston, TX, where he worked on billions of dollars of financial transactions in support of petroleum production and infrastructure on three continents.
Prior to his position at ATP, Tom was a Senior Research Analyst covering the Media Technology sector at Avondale Partners, with previous experience covering the Communications Technology sector.
Tom is a CFA Charterholder. He holds a BA in Economics, summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in Finance also from Vanderbilt University.
STACY J. MILLER, CFP®
Partner, Vice President and Wealth Advisor, Bright Investments
Stacy joined Bright Investments in 2016. Prior to joining Bright Investments, Stacy served as the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer for a national non-profit honoring the service and sacrifice of the American military. Stacy has over 25 years of diverse professional experience leading and advising organizations through strategic, operational, and financial success.
Stacy’s passion is helping clients with their financial security. She has been quoted in national, local, and industry specific media to include Yahoo! Finance, CNBC, U.S. News & World Report, and Money Magazine.
Stacy is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional. At Auburn University, she graduated #1 in her MBA class with a minor in Finance while serving as a graduate teaching assistant in Statistics. Stacy earned her BA in Sociology from Boston University.
Stacy serves as a Director on the Boards of ZooTampa Endowment Foundation and wear blue: run to remember.
JOEL D. OERTLING
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Bright Investments
Joel joined Bright Investments in 2019. Previously, Joel served as CFO for Avondale Partners for 18 years, was a limited partner and controller for 9 years at J.C. Bradford & Co., and served as an audit manager at Deloitte & Touche. Joel received his BS in accounting from Louisiana Tech University and his MS in finance from Louisiana State University.
RICHARD T. SALE
Fixed Income Advisory Consultant, Bright Investments
Richard joined Bright Investments in 2019. He brings over 30 years of industry experience, having held senior level positions in municipal bond trading, underwriting, institutional sales, investment banking and management. Prior to Bright Investments, Richard was a managing director at Avondale Partners and launched the municipal bond department there. Before that, Richard was a vice president at Ross Sinclair & Associates in Brentwood, Tennessee. His career also includes 11 years at J.C. Bradford & Co. where he co-managed the municipal bond department. He also served as the president of ValueBond Securities, an online fixed income trading platform. Richard graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in finance and management science. Outside the office, Richard has been active in the Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee and was named volunteer of the year in 2009.
SARAH J. ZINK
Partner, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Bright Investments
Sarah joined Bright Investments in 2015. She has been working in capital markets for 30 years. During that time, she was Chief Compliance Officer for the investment firms of Avondale Partners, Powell Johnson, Midwest Research and First Analysis Securities. Sarah was also Managing Director of Equity Research at Avondale Partners for 8 years, and provided leadership as part of Avondale’s Operating Committee.
Sarah has worked closely with financial industry regulators, having served as a district representative for FINRA’s District 5 Committee for three terms. As an industry expert, Sarah has presented at various financial industry events in Washington DC.
Sarah earned her BA from the University of Chicago and graduated cum laude from Culver Academy. Sarah also completed the Scarlett Executive Leadership program through Belmont University. Sarah serves on the boards of directors for Adopt a Golden Nashville and Phoenix Rising KY.
Avondale Futures Team
HILARY "HIBBIE" T. BARRIER, III
Vice President, Avondale Futures Group, subsidiary of Bright Commodities
Hibbie joined Avondale Futures Group in 2005 which was acquired in 2019 by Bright Commodities. Prior to joining the firm, he was Vice President of Trading at the Jernigan Group, a commodity trading and research firm. In conjunction with this role he worked with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Fimat and Rosenthal Collins. Hibbie has contributed numerous articles for various cotton industry publications on futures and options trading for the National Cotton Council. He grew up in the Mississippi Delta where he was involved in the production of cotton, soybeans, corn and livestock as well as the cotton merchandising business. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
SHARON K. BOYD
Assistant Vice President, Avondale Futures Group, subsidiary of Bright Commodities
Sharon joined Avondale Futures Group in 2005 which was acquired in 2019 by Bright Commodities. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in the same capacity with The Jernigan Group for 19 years in conjunction with several clearing firms including Prudential, Thomson McKinnon, Paine Webber, Dean Witter, Fimat and Rosenthal Collins. Sharon began her career in the futures industry and became licensed at E. F. Hutton. She is a graduate of Austin Peay State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in the dual majors of business administration and marketing.
Bright Investments, is a registered investment advisor (RIA) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). More information about Bright Investments is available on the SEC's website here.
Bright Investments
info@brightinvestments.com
Phone: (334) 321-2321
Auburn, AL
Nashville, TN
Tampa, FL
Memphis, TN