pay a lifetime of dividends.” - Bill Walsh
WE BUILD ENDURING RELATIONSHIPS
Your financial success is our success. Since 1995, our objective has been to help clients reach their long-term financial goals with investment strategies handcrafted for their unique needs. While we believe our knowledge and expertise set us apart, it’s our dedication to delivering a remarkable experience that’s truly extraordinary.WE DELIVER RESULTS
At Holderness Investments, we craft customized wealth management solutions designed to create value for our clients. As a registered investment adviser, Holderness Investments is held to a fiduciary responsibility. We place our clients’ interests above all others by delivering strategies backed by our experience and investment philosophy.✦
Our Team
GET TO KNOW US
We continually strive to exceed our clients’ expectations and build enduring relationships—and we’re humbled by their patronage and referrals.We are Holderness Investments Company.
Richard Holderness, CFA
PRESIDENT
Trusted. Respected. Entrepreneur.
A native of Greensboro, Richard is a highly regarded investment professional. He is the founder, President and Chief Investment Officer of Holderness Investments. He excels at managing assets for an array of account types including high net-worth individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations.
Richard began his career in 1974 with the finance department of Durham Life Insurance Co. where he held the positions of Assistant Vice President, Member of the Finance Committee, and Vice President in charge of the Securities Department. He was directly responsible for managing a stock and bond portfolio in excess of $300M. In 1982, Richard returned to Greensboro and formed North Carolina Trust Company with two partners. At NC Trust, Richard served as President and Chief Investment Officer. In 1987, Richard co-founded the Registered Investment Advisory firm Trent Capital Management, Inc. where he served as President and a member of the Board of Directors until August 1995 when he founded Holderness Investments Company.
He and his wife Julie make their home in Greensboro where they enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren and visiting the NC coast and mountains.
Education Highlights:
- Phi Beta Kappa at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A. in History
- MBA in Finance, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
- Fellow Life Management Institute (FLMI)
Community Service Highlights:
- Served on the UNC Chapel Hill Medical Foundation
- Served on the UNC Greensboro Investment Fund committees
- Served on the UNC Greensboro Board of Visitors
- Vice President of Finance and Member of the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Tennis Foundation
- Board of Directors for the Holderness Distinguished Medical Scholars – UNC Chapel Hill
Kim Cummings Eder, CFA
VICE PRESIDENT & CCO
Experienced. Intuitive. Visionary.
A native of Greensboro, Kim has been an investment advisor since 1995 and currently serves as Vice-President and Chief Compliance Officer of Holderness Investments. She works closely with clients and their families to help them identify and reach their wealth management goals. She entered the field in 1993 at Trent Capital Management in Greensboro where she ultimately served as their Operations Manager. In 1995, she joined Holderness Investments to focus on investment analysis and portfolio management. As a Fiduciary Advisor at Holderness, Kim works in portfolio management, investment analysis, and financial planning. She is also responsible for all compliance functions and business management of the firm.
Kim and her two boys live in the Greensboro area. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends along with hiking, camping, quilting, and traveling.
Education Highlights:
- B.S. in Business Administration, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1998
Community Service Highlights:
- Member of the Women's Professional Forum (WPF)
- Currently serves on the WPF Foundation Board.
- Member of the NC CFA Society
- Member Greensboro Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
- Member of Greensboro Estate Planning Council
Gina S. Malone
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Knowledgeable. Organized. Innovative.
Gina is a native of Bristol, Tennessee and relocated to the Greensboro area in 1990. She joined Holderness Investments in March 2010 and currently serves as Operations Manager for the firm. Gina is responsible for all account activity and works closely with clients to ensure every aspect of their portfolios run smoothly. From the opening of new accounts to the movement of assets, Gina’s attention to detail is unwavering. She takes great pride in delivering high-quality service while providing an exceptional client experience. Gina’s professional experience includes office administration and management roles with Advanced Planning Concepts, Inc. and Ashby M. Cook, Jr. Financial Services.
Gina resides in Oak Ridge with her husband Drew. Together, they have three children – B. Harper Boyle, Justin and Deanna Malone. Outside the office, Gina enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, gardening and other outdoor activities.
Education Highlights:
- Attended Virginia Intermont College & East Tennessee State University
Community Service Highlights:
- Has volunteered in local schools for over 17 years and is an advocate for children with special needs
Ken Shahbaz,
CPA/PFS,CFP*
FINANCIAL ADVISER
Certified Public AccountantNC Certificate #8465
Professional. Strategic. Leader.
A multi-versed financial professional holding brokerage and insurance licenses, Ken is a managing partner of Shahbaz, Carothers & Company, P.A. Certified Public Accountants. Ken has practiced in Greensboro since 1973 and earned his CPA license in 1975.
*Securities offered through Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. ✦ Member SIPC and Finra
Education Highlights:
- MBA, Auburn University B.S. in accounting from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Active member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
Community Service Highlights:
- Volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America - Old North State Council at both the troop and council levels
Sheila May Falls, CPA/PFS, CFP*
FINANCIAL ADVISER
Certified Public AccountantNC Certificate #14588
Knowledgeable. Insightful. Focused.
In addition to being a certified public accountant, Sheila is also a Certified Financial Planner and a Personal Financial Specialist. With a focus on personal financial planning, she holds her brokerage license and specializes in the management of wealth accumulation, estate planning and retirement planning. Sheila has more than 20 years of public accounting experience in the traditional areas of taxation, accounting and auditing and has worked in the banking and insurance industries for more than five years.
Sheila and her husband live in Advance and enjoy spending time at Lake Norman with their children and grandchildren.
*Securities offered through Intercarolina Financial Services, Inc. ✦ Member SIPC and Finra
Education Highlights:
- Graduated magna cum laude from UNC-Greensboro in 1981 with a B.S. in Accounting
- Licensed CPA, 1984
- Member of the AICPA, Personal Financial Planning division of AICPA and NCACPA
Community Service Highlights:
- Volunteers with her church, Davie Community Foundation and Pearls of Empowerment
Madison McCormick
ADVISORY ASSISTANT
Resourceful. Inventive. Determined.
After growing up in Greensboro, Madi attended Appalachian State University in Boone. She then spent some time in Wilkesboro and in Winston Salem. She moved back home and joined Holderness Investments in August of 2021 and currently serves as Advisory Assistant for the firm. Madi welcomes clients with a friendly and professional demeanor, having had almost eight years of customer service experience prior to her employment at HIC. She is thorough, attentive, and devoted to learning new things every day.
Madi and her boyfriend, Caleb, reside in Greensboro. Madi enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her friends, family, and dog.
Education Highlights:
- Graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019 with a double B.S.B.A. in Economics and Finance & Banking
- ASU Walker College of Business Dean’s Club Scholar
Community Service Highlights:
- Volunteers with her church.
Our Approach
Private Wealth Management
Since our founding, we’ve been helping clients achieve their financial goals. As Fiduciary Advisors, we offer transparent solutions that seek to optimize your return potential within your unique risk parameters. We take great pride in our responsibility as financial stewards and recommend investments designed to serve our clients.
Over the years, we have become an integral part of our clients’ legacy investment planning and management. We help multi-generational families preserve their wealth and ensure the financial outlook of future generations.
As research-driven advisors, our portfolio management services are guided by strategic insights and backed by our commitment to delivering an exceptional experience. We design personalized solutions that are custom-tailored to your unique financial objectives and risk tolerance.
Some of Our Wealth
Management Services Include:
✦ Security Research and Selection
✦ Financial Planning
✦ Estate Planning
✦ Trust Management
Our private wealth management services are designed for accounts of $1M+
An Integrated
Partner
We are adept at working with Financial Advisors and other service providers—such as accountants, attorneys and CPAs—to provide comprehensive solutions.
Institutions
We partner with institutions and organizations to seamlessly design and manage their investment plans.
Qualified
Retirement Plans
From physicians and attorneys to corporations of various sizes, we help organizations provide high-quality plans.
Foundations
& Endowments
We provide investment management solutions for family foundations, nonprofit organizations and endowments.
CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST
While there are many designations used in the financial industry, we consider the Chartered Financial Analyst credential offered by the CFA Institute to be the premier global professional designation. With this highly respected, graduate-level credentialing, our Fiduciary Advisors are uniquely qualified to help you make the best decisions to reach your goals.
Earning the CFA designation requires the successful completion of three challenging levels of curriculum, a commitment to professional ethics and mastery of a comprehensive range of advanced practices and principles. The program is organized into three levels, each culminating in a six-hour exam. It includes:
✦ Ethics
✦ Economics
✦ Corporate Finance
✦ Equity Analysis
✦ Fixed-Income Analysis
✦ Financial Reporting
✦ Quantitative Methods
✦ Alternative Investments
✦ Derivatives
✦ Portfolio Management
CFA Program candidates report dedicating 300+ hours of study per level. And completing the program is a sizable challenge that typically takes two to five years.
Why Hire a CFA Charterholder?
Sample CFA Questions
CFA Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct
CFA Asset Manager Code of Professional Conduct
