Patrick Poling joined the industry in 2006 after working as an efficiency engineer out of graduate school. Over the years, he built a loyal client base by taking a personal interest in their lives and financial well-being. As a founder of Southern Oak Wealth, Patrick is still very hands-on when it comes to portfolio design and asset management. He believes in an open and transparent method of managing his clients’ portfolios. He focuses on tailored, tax-efficient investment strategies that minimize risk to help the clients of Southern Oak Wealth achieve their goals. In addition to his professional experience, Patrick also has an extensive educational background. From the University of Tennessee, he holds a Master of Science in Engineering, with a concentration in Business Operations and Product Development, as well as a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance. He has also completed the High Net Worth Investing program at The Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Family-Run Business program at the University of California at Berkeley. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC) designation, the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) certification, and the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) accreditation. Patrick was named to the Forbes* Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list for 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Patrick was also recognized by AdvisorHub on their Advisors to Watch lists in both 2022 and 2023. He and his family reside in Brentwood