“There is absolutely nothing more rewarding than helping clients create a plan that meets all of their goals and that balances the tradeoffs between current and future needs.
For me, it is all about the client, getting to know them, appreciating their personal needs and formulating a strategy that helps them achieve what matters most to them.”
John Merrill
President Chief Investment Officer
John was raised in Arlington, Texas - between Dallas and Ft. Worth but has lived most of his adult life in Houston. John received a Bachelor of Science degree in University Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington (2011) after many years away, (“Online courses are really excellent!”) with concentrations in economics, government and mathematics. He completed his Certified Financial Planner studies in 1980.
John is a pioneer in wealth management services. In October, 1979, John founded Tanglewood as Houston’s first “fee only” financial planning and investment management firm (no commissionable products). From the very beginning he believed that there should be no conflicts of interest with his clients.
John is a recognized leader in the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) community. He served on Charles Schwab’s Advisory Board (2007-2008). He has been recognized by both Barrons and Worth magazine as one of the top advisors in the country. He often appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg TV and the Fox Business channel. He has been quoted in a wide variety of business publications including The Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Investors Business Daily and the Houston Chronicle. John manages over $1.4 billion in client assets.
John has written or co-written six books on portfolio management. The latest, Investing in Uncertain Times 2nd Edition (2018), was co-written with his son Brian (who also works at Tanglewood). John also wrote Outperforming the Market, McGraw Hill, (1998) and Beyond Stocks (1997).
John and Diane, his wife, are very active with both education and philanthropic organizations. John serves as chairman of the Financial Literacy Board, a non-profit endowment at the University of Texas at Arlington. Diane is a past Trustee and board member of the Houston Holocaust Museum. Both John and Diane are avid golfers. They also enjoy traveling and include golf on most trips.