NICKELS WEALTH MANAGEMENT AND IFG ADVISORY - Key Persons


Danette W. Starks

Job Titles:
  • Senior Wealth Manager

Ernest M. Blackburn

Job Titles:
  • Senior Wealth Manager

Leroy Nickels - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through IFG Advisory, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Nickels Wealth Management and IFG Advisory, LLC are separate entities from LPL Financial.

Lucy Nickels Rhett - COO

Job Titles:
  • Director of Operations
Lucy is no stranger to this business. Her father, Leroy, started this business long before she was born. She was officially employed in 2011. Lucy quickly became passionate about seeing our clients become financially successful. The relationships she has built over the years has had the biggest impact on her career. She has the ability to hold a client's hand from start to finish in any task set forth with a gentle, joyful spirit. Behind the scenes, she conducts research for client cases and ensures all procedures are smooth and effortless for our clients.

Suzette Bates

Job Titles:
  • Relationship Manager / Senior Financial Administrative Associate
Suzette joined Nickels Wealth Management in 2017 after a 28 year career in financial planning, an industry that is truly her passion. She has an extremely strong and extensive investment background as well as a history of integrity working with clients to embrace the wealth management process. Originally from Meridian, she spent most of her career in Jackson where she focused on portfolio design and management, qualified retirement plans, marketing and business analysis. In addition to holding her FINRA Securities Series 7 through LPL Financial and her Series 66, she also holds her Mississippi Insurance License for life, health and annuities, as well as being a Notary Public for the state of Mississippi. "To me, the best part of financial planning has always been helping people. I started working in financial planning over 30 years ago, and what has kept me in this industry is the desire and the ability to impact people's lives in a positive way. We often deal with people at vulnerable times in their lives, and I find great joy in knowing that I've been a small part of helping them move forward to a better future. We all have times in our lives where the most help comes from a listening ear, an encouraging word, and knowledgeable advice." Suzette and her husband, Brandon, live in West Point where Brandon is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church. They have two children, Jackson and Abby. Suzette has been instrumental in establishing a grief share group within the church that will serve the extended community. She actively volunteers for the Clay County Community Christian Children's Choir, Clay County Animal Shelter and Mississippi State University's Homeward Bound Project. While Suzette focuses primarily on family, she enjoys early morning walks with her dog, Millie, interior decorating, design projects and dabbling in coin collecting.