Ray Padrón, CPA, CFP®, CIMA®, PFS
Shareholder, President and COO
Ray's extensive experience working with business owners, entrepreneurs and executives provides a unique perspective of how wealth is created, preserved and deployed for its greatest impact.
Ray is Brightworth's President and Chief Operating Officer. As a personal Wealth Advisor to high net worth families, Ray provides comprehensive financial and investment advice to help clients achieve their financial goals and dreams. Ray focuses on working with senior executives and business owners who need assistance working through complex transition and succession strategies for their businesses and the development of comprehensive wealth transition strategies for families who are intentional in how they transfer their wealth to the next generation(s).
Ray began his financial career with what is now PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has worked for the Marriott Corporation as a Tax Manager and served as Vice President of Accounting Operations and Financial Reporting for Finalco Group, Inc. In 1986, Ray became a Principal and Senior Vice President of Finance for Capital Associates, Inc., a regional venture capital firm that provided both capital and funding services for portfolio companies.
In 1988, Ray created ARC Financial Services, a financial planning firm that focused on the unique needs of business owners. He later merged ARC Financial Services with Ronald Blue & Co. (RB & Co.), a national wealth advisory firm. Ray’s career at RB & Co. included the starting of the Washington, D.C. branch office, the incubation and creation of their Baltimore, Md. branch, and eventually becoming the Vice President of Practice Areas and Chief Financial Officer at the RB & Co.'s national headquarters in Atlanta.
He is a Certified Public Accountant, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and Personal Financial Specialist. Ray completed the Investment Management Consultants Association's Investment Analyst Program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Investment Management AnalystSM. In addition, he is an Accredited Estate Planner®, a Chartered Life Underwriter and a Chartered Financial Consultant. Ray has been named several times in Atlanta magazine's list of Five Star Best in Client Satisfaction for Wealth Managers.
Ray is a past member of the board of directors of the Financial Planning Association of Georgia and also a past chairman and current board member of an international faith-based ministry. Ray is currently a member of the Atlanta Junior Achievement Fellows Advisory Council. Over the years Ray has been a frequent speaker to executives on retirement planning and to business owners on exit strategies. He has also spoken on operational excellence within the financial planning and wealth management industry for many years.
Ray and his wife, Sharon, have four grown children and are active members at Perimeter Church in Johns Creek, Ga. His hobbies include international travel, scuba diving, golfing with friends, reading and exercise.
