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Ask an Attorney

Ask an Attorney

Southern’s Planned Giving office invited area estate planning attorneys and financial planners to volunteer their time to connect with you on campus. During October 16 through 24, 2023, they provided a free, one-hour consultation to learn about:

  • Starting or updating your estate plan
  • Planning for retirement
  • Debt consolidation
  • Setting up a budget
  • Investing
  • Elder Care planning
  • Anything you need!

Get to know the Advisers

Swipe to learn more about each of our guest attorneys.

Headshot portrait of Greg Willett
Headshot portrait of Dana Perry
Headshot portrait of Jonathan Bussey
Headshot portrait of Mark Conley
Headshot portrait of John Huisman
Headshot portrait of Martin L. Pierce
Headshot portrait of Cayce Powell
Headshot portrait of Greg Willett
Headshot portrait of Dana Perry
Headshot portrait of Jonathan Bussey
Headshot portrait of Mark Conley
Headshot portrait of John Huisman
Headshot portrait of Martin L. Pierce
Headshot portrait of Cayce Powell

Greg Willett

Greg Willett drafts plans ranging from a simple will and power of attorney to the highly complex dealing with sophisticated tax planning and various types of trusts. Greg is also actively involved in administering estate plans through both court-supervised probate administration and the non-probate trust administration process. By concentrating on both estate planning and estate administration, he has been able to provide multigenerational wealth planning and wealth preservation for many families across the nation.

Dana Perry

Dana Perry's hands-on approach ensures that clients understand all of their options for multi-generational estate and tax planning, long-term care, benefits including Medicaid and Medicare, various trusts, and beyond. She and her team take a holistic approach assisting with everything from simple wills and incapacity documents to intricate supplemental needs trusts and care coordination. Through her comprehensive needs analysis, Dana works with clients to craft a strategic and realistic plan that will minimize future costs and maximize each family's protection. Understanding the numerous benefits reaped from effective estate planning and the crippling impact in the absence of it, Dana approaches her clients' legacy goals and concerns with a sincere commitment to them and their successes. She leads an interdisciplinary team, has been licensed as an Elder Law Specialist since 1997, and is one of only a handful of Certified Elder Law Attorneys in the region qualified by the National Elder Law Foundation to serve elders and their families. She is also accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs and a member of both the Academy of Special Needs Planners and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

Jonathan Bussey

An alum of both Collegedale Academy and Southern Adventist University, Jonathan Bussey is a Private Wealth Advisor and partner at Sterner Financial. Since 2013, he has been helping clients gain clarity on their financial goals and pursue them with confidence through each phase of their life. Jonathan and his Sterner Financial team offer customized and advanced planning solutions that address each client’s unique goals, values, and concerns as they move through their financial journey. They walk alongside clients as they distribute wealth in a tax-efficient manner through retirement and implement plans that will leave an enduring legacy for future generations. Their clients can have confidence in their tomorrow and spend their life enjoying what matters most, not worrying about what the future might hold. Sterner Financial is an enduring firm, committed to helping families enjoy their wealth today, and for generations to come.

Mark Conley

After working as a Financial Advisor for a Fortune 100 Investment company for several years, Mack joined the Genesis Investment Team in Cambridge Square in Ooltewah, Tennessee. At Genesis, Mack enjoys the flexibility to help families who are interested in faith-based investment options as well as a wide array of traditional investment options. Mack and Genesis see faith-based investing as a powerful way for Christians to align their Investments with their values. Mack earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Bryan College in Business Administration. He is a licensed Financial Advisor and is also a licensed Life Insurance and Annuity agent. Mack is a regular attender of Kingdom Advisors and has a passion for learning and teaching biblical finance. He and his family live in Ringgold, Georgia. When he’s not working, Mack enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, hiking, and sports.

John Huisman

John Huisman is a native of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and received his Bachelor of Arts in English and History, cum laude, from Covenant College in 1998. John earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee, cum laude, in 2004, graduating with a concentration in business transactions. Mr. Huisman is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Georgia. John works primarily in the areas of (1) Business and Corporate transactions, Formations, Governance, Business Succession Planning, Entrepreneur law, and Start-ups; (2) Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law, Probate, Medicaid & VA Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Conservatorships, Guardianships and Charitable Planning; and (3) Nonprofits, Tax-exempt/501(c)(3) Organizations, Contracts, Leases and Agreements. John lives on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, with his wife and four children. His oldest child is a sophomore in college, and his other children attend Chattanooga Christian School. They attend Grace Community Trenton, PCA.

Martin L. Pierce

Martin L. Pierce is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and received his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Tennessee Technological University in 1978. Martin received his law degree, with very high honors, from the University of Memphis in 1981, where he was a published member of the University of Memphis Law Review. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Georgia. Martin works primarily in the areas of (1) Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law, Probate, Medicaid & VA Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Conservatorships, Guardianships and Charitable Planning, (2) Business Entity Law, including Corporations, LLCs and Partnerships, Nonprofits, Tax-exempt/501(c)(3) Organizations, Contracts, Leases and Agreements, (3) Employee Benefits, Retirement Plans, Cafeteria Plans, Health Savings Accounts, COBRA and ERISA, and (4) various other Tax law matters. He is a Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist through the ABA-accredited National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. He is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and he is a Department of Veterans Affairs-Accredited Attorney. Among other professional organizations, he is a member of the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council (Past President, 2006-07), the Chattanooga Tax Practitioners (President, 2007-08), and was a Charter Member of the Chattanooga Planned Giving Council. He is also a member of the Georgia, Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar Associations. Martin and his wife, Debbie, live on Big Ridge in Hixson and have one son, Drew. They previously attended Red Bank Baptist Church for many years and are now members of Gospel Community Church, where he and Debbie are the Financial Deacons.

Cayce Powell

Cayce Powell joined Thompson & Associates in 1999 and now serves as President, bringing a sense of determination, healthy risk, and passion for helping others to his leadership role. Cayce thrives on helping to formulate a plan for individuals to maximize the benefit of their assets to help loved ones and other worthy causes. Cayce points to Thompson & Associates’ unbiased approach as a differentiating factor in the process and is inspired by the company’s commitment to affecting change and establishing enduring legacies. Cayce received his Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Texas Tech University and his bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian University.

Contact Planned Giving

Learn more about upcoming seminars and other resources. Email plannedgiving@southern.edu or call 423.236.2832.

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