Ashley Nichols is the Chief Strategy Officer at Acumen Wealth Advisors. She has over 15 years of experience investing on behalf of institutions in private and publicly traded assets across corporate credit and alternative investments, including private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure. Ashley’s investment background has merged with her dedication for delivering a high level of client service and leading teams of talented individuals at Acumen.
Ashley is responsible for coordinating and communicating firm-wide strategic growth initiatives, supporting Acumen’s marketing team, and leading the growth and development of our Wealth Advisors to deliver a client experience meeting the high standards Acumen has set for itself. Given her investment background, Ashley also maintains a Portfolio Management role focused on alternative assets across multiple subsectors. Ashley serves as a member of Acumen’s executive leadership team and Portfolio Management Committee, which is responsible for overseeing strategic and tactical asset allocation and portfolio investment decisions. She continues to work directly with clients to ensure sound implementation of Acumen’s Investment Policy.
“What we know matters but who we are matters more.”
Brene Brown
Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Managerial Studies from Rice University and a Master of Science in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation and is a current member of the CFA Society of East Tennessee.
Chattanooga shows itself to be an incredibly benevolent city and it brings Ashley great joy to be connected to our generous community through a few of our numerous charitable organizations. Ashley is proud to serve as a trustee on the University of Chattanooga (UC) Foundation Board of Trustees and is currently serving as chair of the Investment Committee. She also serves as a board member at Chattanooga Room in The Inn and the MCR Foundation: For the Prevention of Eating Disorders.
After nearly 20 years serving public shareholders and other key stakeholders in the corporate world, Ashely felt called to use her investment knowledge and organizational experiences to serve individuals, business owners, families, endowments, and foundations. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of Acumen’s holistic approach to financial planning that includes tailored investment portfolios, in-depth tax, and estate planning, and more. Ashley also believes it’s important for our team to clearly identify and understand our clients’ values and the different emotional connections we all have through our own personal narratives about money, wealth, and legacy. Through understanding what our clients value the most, we can build and execute a comprehensive roadmap to fortify, grow, and sustain what’s important to them. We believe the interconnectedness between knowledge and the heart is what makes Acumen stand out from the crowd.
Originally from Virginia, with stints in New England and Texas, Ashley has lived in Chattanooga for over 15 years and considers it her adopted hometown. She is married with two daughters, and her family is always up for an adventure on the road, in the mountains, or in the water.
The Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) charter is a professional designation established in 1962 and awarded by the CFA Institute. To earn the CFA charter, candidates must pass three sequential examinations. The three levels of the CFA Program test a wide range of investment topics, including ethical and professional standards, fixed-income analysis, alternative and derivative investments, and portfolio management and wealth planning. In addition, CFA charterholders must have at least three years of acceptable professional experience in the investment decision-making process and must commit to abide by, and annually reaffirm, their adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.