Our History

West Paces Advisors traces its roots to the mid-1980s when John Viani and John Oglesby, along with Phil Larkins (Emeritus), led the Wealth Management Group of Bank South. Serving as investment professionals in a bank trust department infused in our founders a fiduciary mindset that remains with us today—30 years later.      

In 1996, the trio founded Legacy South, a Registered Investment Advisor established to serve the investment and legacy planning needs of affluent families. Operating on the institutional custody platform of Charles Schwab, we delivered customized wealth management solutions with a focused orientation on superior service.    

In 2003, the firm merged with the Northern Trust Company to access Northern’s fiduciary and private banking capabilities. Andrew Crews joined the team and over the next 12 years, we helped build Northern Trust into a major presence in the Atlanta market. But over time, being captive to a corporate entity constrained our flexibility and impacted our ability to deliver customized solutions to our clients.

Following Phil’s retirement at the end of 2013, John, John, and Andrew formulated a business plan that would lead us back to our roots as independent financial advisors. Thus, West Paces Advisors was officially born in the summer of 2015. With the addition of Geoff Gober, Ryan Floyd, and Andrea Thompson, our team has over 140 years of combined experience in generational wealth management.     

Operating on the institutional custody platform of Charles Schwab Bank and in partnership with independent trust companies, West Paces Advisors offers its clients a comprehensive suite of investment advisory, private banking, and legacy planning services.