Our Team
Jeff Hudson
Co-Founder and Principal
As Co-founder and Principal of Hudson Pendleton Financial Group, and with over 20 year’s experience in financial planning, Jeff works with passion and a high level of energy to help folks figure out how to achieve the ultimate success in their life. Jeff is passionate in his belief that if people take the time and energy to work with a compassionate, qualified, and empathetic financial advisor, they will improve almost every aspect of their life, well beyond finances. He truly believes a great financial and life planning experience will help people become better fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, and business people. For this reason, Jeff works with his clients and their other advisors in the areas of income tax strategies, business succession and retirement income planning in an effort to see them reach their highest levels of personal success.
Jeff enjoys working with those who have complex and unique financial needs, including physicians and medical professionals, business executives, and those in the entertainment industry.
Prior to entering the financial services industry, Jeff graduated with a BBA degree from the College of Business and Industry at Mississippi State University, where he played collegiate golf for the Bulldogs. He went to work right out of college into the golf business as a golf professional, and toyed around, playing in mini-tour events. Alas, he realized that was not where he was meant to be. “It didn’t take me long to realize that I couldn’t compete at the level of those guys and then the good Lord led me to my calling…helping people improve their lives both financially and emotionally by getting them organized and focused on a simple plan designed to move them from where they are currently to where they want to be.”
When Jeff is not in the office, he can be found:
- Traveling the world with his wife Libby, daughters Ridley and Carter, and his son Mercer
- Performing as an actor in local film productions
- Playing golf or fishing with family, friends, and clients
- Watching his kids compete in football, tennis, basketball, and baseball games
- Volunteering with local charitable organizations
Nolan Pendleton, MBA, CFP®
Co-Founder and Principal
I have enjoyed jigsaw puzzles for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would spend hours at a time working on them with my father. It’s something that we enjoyed doing together, but I know that my puzzle building technique drove him a bit crazy. I would simply begin wherever my eyes were drawn, which was usually in the middle where the more attention-grabbing parts of the pictures were. Each time my Dad would try to explain to me that beginning with the edges was not only an easier place to start, but that is also made a simpler task of ordering and positioning everything in between. He just couldn’t understand the lack of logic and efficiency.
What do jigsaw puzzles have to do with financial planning? Everything.
Prior to becoming a financial planner, I was in banking for nearly a decade. I cut my teeth making calls for a stockbroker and learning about the world of investments. I transitioned to mortgage lending and later to commercial lending. As a lender, my job was to have a thorough understanding of the customer’s finances to ensure they would have the means to repay the loan. In reviewing their finances, I found the overwhelming majority of people’s financial picture had no semblance of order. They had numerous assets and multiple products (and even advisors) but no logical or efficient plan that coordinated everything. They had started with the middle puzzle pieces. I found that the process of ordering their finances and educating on them on how to best do so was what I was truly passionate about. My father’s lesson had finally taken hold; I was starting with the edge pieces.
I left banking in 2012 to become a financial advisor. In 2015, I earned my CFP® designation and became a partner at Hudson Pendleton Financial Group. I am in the fortunate and trusted position of educating and helping people in all aspects of their financial lives. The magnitude of that responsibility is never lost on me. Combining the work of crafting and implementing a comprehensive plan, the relationships I develop with my clients and the sense of accomplishment we share as their goals are realized is what makes me love my job.
What does the picture on your puzzle box look like? Whether you started in the middle or already have your edges in place, I would love to help you piece together your financial picture.
When I’m not in the office, I can be found:
- With my wife Kelly, trying to corral our three young children
- Asleep (three young children, remember??!!)
- Beating Jeff on the golf course
- Coaching whatever sport(s) my kids are currently playing
Karen Durham
Director of Client Services/
Licensed Service Associate
Karen serves as Director of Client Services and assists with all aspects of client service. During her day, she tracks implementation of various cases, including processing of new business for investments, as well as underwriting for insurance and other risk based products. She has over 24 years of experience in the business and has been with the Hudson Pendleton Financial Group since 2007. She has 2 perfect grandchildren, a 10 year old grandson and a 6 year old granddaughter, who consume her life in a good way. Outside of work you can find Karen spending time with her grandbabies, soaking up some sun at the beach, painting, and craftwork for children’s parties, and working in her yard. You can usually tell she is in the office with her loud and cheerful laugh.
Donna Hightower
Director of Client Experience
Donna Hightower joined the Hudson Pendleton Financial Group team in early 2020 and serves as the Director of Client Experience. Donna is usually the first person you see smiling when you walk in the office. Other than trying to keep Jeff and Nolan straight, she focuses on the client’s overall experience from the beginning of a new relationship, such as onboarding your engagement with the firm and getting you set up to begin your journey to financial freedom, all the way to administering new applications and creating your consolidated viewer of all your accounts in one place. Donna just loves people. She is a Licensed Service Assistant and is currently working to become a Registered Service Assistant.
Prior to joining the financial industry, Donna earned a B.A. in Christian Education from Presbyterian College in 2003. Straight out of college, she served as Director of Children’s Ministry for twelve years. The heart of Donna’s career is serving others. When you stop by the office, get ready to smile, because she will be there to welcome you.
When Donna is not in the office, you'll find her spending time with her husband, Roy, and two sons, Whit and Sawyer. She also enjoys playing golf and tennis, gardening, and volunteering at church and school.
Our Strategic Resources
As a Member Agent of The Nautilus Group®, a service of New York Life Insurance Company, Jeff Hudson works hand-in-hand with Nautilus specialists experienced in taxes, estate law, life insurance, accounting, and charitable giving. This relationship helps ensure you benefit from some of the most sound thinking when it comes to your estate.
The Nautilus Group® is an exclusive resource accessible to Member Agents working with affluent, high net worth and business owner clients. Nautilus provides a range of consultative services and technical case design to support its Member Agents in presenting estate, business, charitable, insurance and retirement strategies to their clients and their clients' advisors in these key areas: Family Protection, Estate and Legacy Planning, Business Succession and Exit Planning, Executive Benefits, and Philanthropy.
Since every client has unique requirements, The Nautilus Group® staff and its Member Agents employ an individualized case development strategy, working on a team basis with the clients' professional advisors.
Member Agents of The Nautilus Group®, through their expertise and commitment to this team approach, can provide resources, services and solutions that help their clients work with their own professional advisors to attain clarity on their financial situation and also help achieve their business and estate planning objectives.
This consultative process fosters an understanding between the client, the Nautilus Member Agent, and the client's circle of advisors. Working hand in hand with the Nautilus staff, Member Agents present their clients with state-of-the-art planning strategies and customized case analyses designed to meet the clients' complex objectives. The one-on-one case design process used by Nautilus is tailored to the unique requirements of each client, achieving a better understanding of the complex needs and goals of each individual.
The Nautilus Group® is located in Dallas, TX and is staffed by an elite team of professionals experienced in law, taxation, accounting, business, insurance, finance and philanthropic planning. This team provides dedicated support for Nautilus Member Agents, an elite group of experienced insurance and financial industry leaders, firmly committed to a team planning concept.
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