Headquarters:

Nashville, TN

Year founded:

2020

Number of employees:

Phone:

(615) 359 1825

Email:

info@wealth.com

Website:

creativeinvests.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/ci-g

“We hear time and time again from defence counsel and mediators that our lawyers and their files are the most prepared for mediations and pre-trials. That reputation matters when it comes to achieving top settlements” 

Brenda Hollingsworth, Auger Hollingsworth Accident & Injury Lawyers

Skye Mejia

Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer

Michael Fowler

Director

Alex Bars

Vice President

Leadership

Skye Mejia is co-founder and chief investment officer of Creative Investment Group. Originally from Lafayette, LA, he began his financial services career in 2016 at Merrill Lynch, where he gained foundational experience working with high-net-worth families and individuals. In 2020, he launched Creative Investment Group on LPL Financial’s independent platform, allowing for truly personalized advice and broader planning opportunities. Over the course of Mejia’s career, he developed a deep knowledge in providing sophisticated strategies to HNW families in the areas of investment management, financial planning, and wealth transfer. His approach is grounded in delivering thoughtful, comprehensive guidance that aligns with each client’s vision, values, and long-term goals. Mejia earned a BS in finance from Mississippi College, where he was a four-year letterman on the golf team. He holds a series 66 designation. Outside of work, he’s a devoted husband and father. He is also an avid golfer whose love for the sport dates back to his days as a college team player.

Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer

Skye Mejia

Brad Bars brings a unique combination of discipline, strategic thinking, and executional excellence to the world of public and private investments. A native of Nashville, he combines local market expertise with national-level insight, often collaborating with family offices, executives, and institutional partners on both public and private ventures. His leadership is defined by integrity, resilience, and an ability to build strong teams around shared vision and results. After graduating from Penn State with a degree in finance, where he was also a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Bars spent time with the New York Giants before transitioning into business. He has been instrumental in the acquisition and redevelopment of several high-profile properties, including the historic Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway, the WH Davis Building, and major mixed-use developments along Jefferson Street. Known for his analytical rigor and hands-on approach, Bars specializes in sourcing undervalued opportunities in equity and bond markets, delivering long-term value for clients. He holds a Series 66 designation.

Co-Founder and President

Brad Bars

Alex Bars is a dynamic addition to the world of financial advising at Creative Investment Group. He was a standout athlete and scholar at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a BS in finance and was captain of the football team. Bars brings a winning combination of leadership and strategic prowess to his new role. With a distinguished five-year career in the NFL, including three years with the Chicago Bears and two years with the Las Vegas Raiders, he has seamlessly transitioned his competitive spirit and dedication to excellence into the realm of finance. Today, he leverages his experience and passion to guide clients through the complexities of investing, offering insightful strategies tailored to their financial goals. Bars holds a Series 66 designation.

Vice President

Alex Bars

Brad Bars

Co-Founder and President

With 20 years of experience at Acorn Financial Services, Michael Fowler has developed a comprehensive understanding of the firm’s operations through a variety of leadership roles. Currently serving as director of estate services and compliance, he focuses on maintaining rigorous standards of oversight and ensuring the seamless delivery of complex client services. A graduate of George Mason University, Fowler also holds a Master’s in Sports Analytics and Management from American University. This academic background provides him with a structured, data-informed approach to management and strategic planning – skills that translate effectively into his daily professional responsibilities and the oversight of firm compliance. After many years in the Virginia area, Fowler and his family relocated to the Philadelphia suburbs, where they currently reside. Outside of his professional life, he is a dedicated family man.

Director

Michael Fowler

Cindy Flores

Client Service Manager

Cindy Flores is client service manager at Acorn Financial Services, where she has built a reputation for precision, reliability, and exceptional client care. Functioning as a vital bridge between the financial advisory team and the daily needs of Acorn’s clients, she ensures every interaction is handled with meticulous attention to detail and proactive follow-through. A graduate of George Mason University with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Information Technology, she uniquely blends leadership principles with modern tech solutions to streamline the client experience. With an established tenure at the Acorn team, she remains dedicated to fostering long-term relationships rooted in trust and operational excellence. When she isn’t busy fostering long-term client relationships, Flores can be found exploring local hiking trails or scouting out the area’s best hidden restaurants.

Client Service Manager

Cindy Flores

Creative Investment Group is an independent, SEC-registered wealth management firm serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families nationwide. Headquartered in Nashville, TN, the firm was founded in 2020 on a simple observation that as wealth grows, financial lives become more complex, and managing that complexity requires more than traditional investment advice. Creative Investment Group delivers a modern family-office experience, coordinating investment management, financial planning, tax-aware strategy, and multigenerational estate planning within a single framework built around each family. Technology is central to that model. Creative Investment Group has integrated artificial intelligence across its platform – from research and meeting documentation to planning workflows – reducing administrative burden so advisors can devote more time to the decisions and relationships that matter most to clients. Rather than applying standardized solutions, the firm works alongside clients and their attorneys, CPAs, and other professional advisors, providing the coordination and perspective traditionally reserved for families with a dedicated family office. As Creative Investment Group grows, its objective remains constant: pair sophisticated advice and modern technology with deeply personal service to help families preserve, grow, and transition wealth across generations.

“We have created an entire system of educational materials to accompany our clients as their cases advance. Working to minimize the stress and uncertainty caused by litigation allows clients to focus on the hard work of rehab and adaptation” 

Brenda Hollingsworth, Auger Hollingsworth Accident & Injury Lawyers

Maryellen Bagley

Senior Tax Advisor

Justin Souder

Lead Wealth Advisor

Michael Wakeham

Wealth Advisor

Liane Brown

Partner

Maryellen Bagley brings nearly five decades of public accounting excellence to the Acorn team. As resident authority on tax research, she serves as a vital resource for complex accounting and taxation issues, providing high-level guidance for individuals and small businesses alike. While her expertise spans multiple sectors, she specializes in proactive tax planning and preparation for small business owners. Bagley’s dual focus on technical research and hands-on bookkeeping ensures that Acorn’s clients receive both big-picture strategy and meticulous attention to detail. A proud alumna of Pennsylvania State University (BS in Accounting), she also holds a Master of Science in Taxation from Robert Morris University. Before joining Acorn, she honed her skills at a respected Oakton firm and a premier practice in McLean.

Senior Tax Advisor

Maryellen Bagley

Serving as lead wealth advisor, Justin Souder provides strategic oversight to the core advisory team while partnering with families to navigate their long-term financial journeys. A graduate of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Souder double majored in finance and information systems and was a member of the Banking and Private Wealth Management Fellows program. Over his eight-year history with the firm, he has leveraged this technical foundation, Series 65 license, and deep institutional knowledge to deliver sophisticated, comprehensive planning solutions for his clients. A resident of Arlington, Souder is an avid (albeit struggling) golfer and a loyal supporter of his alma mater, the Maryland Terrapins, along with the other local sports teams. He frequently explores Washington, DC, enjoying the city’s historic architecture and vibrant atmosphere. Above all, Souder values time spent with his family, particularly his four nieces and nephews, who remain a central part of his life outside of his leadership responsibilities at the firm.

Lead Wealth Advisor

Justin Souder

Michael Wakeham joined the Acorn team in August 2024 shortly after moving to Virginia from London, England. He has a wealth of experience in the UK financial services industry, having previously assisted financial planners in providing high-quality and comprehensive advice in one of the top global financial centers. Putting the best interests of clients at the heart of everything he does, “British Mike” is a passionate client advocate and motivated to demystify the financial world. Outside of the office, Wakeham enjoys exploring his new home with his wife, Christina, their two dogs, Parsley and Roo, and their seven chickens. He is always open to new restaurant or brewery suggestions and, if his knees allow, looks forward to joining a local pick-up soccer league.

Wealth Advisor

Michael Wakeham

Liane Brown is committed to representing individuals who have suffered serious personal injuries and to families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Her practice concentrates on personal injury law, including accident benefits, motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice, occupiers’ liability, product liability and wrongful death cases.

Partner

Liane Brown

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Ben Irantalab

Partner

Ben Irantalab enjoys the complexities of personal injury litigation. His practice is exclusively devoted to representing clients with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe orthopedic injuries. For him, the cases that require special creativity and thinking outside the box are the most gratifying.

Partner

Ben Irantalab

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