The Lawson Hembree Group

The Lawson Hembree Group advise our clientele of business owners, executives, professionals, retirees and their families, foundations and other non-profit groups. As a wealth management advisory team, we work together with clients to understand their goals for their families and their wealth.  We then collaborate with them and their professional advisors to develop and manage customized strategies to support achieving these goals.

As financial markets have grown and evolved, financial decisions have become increasingly more complex.  Therefore, it is important that clients work with a trusted team of advisors who have knowledge, experience and access to robust research and investment vehicles as well as a broad range of financial strategies.  We feel this approach gives clients the confidence that their goals will be achieved – from funding education expenses, to planning for retirement, from growing a business to selling a business,  from providing for unforeseen events to leaving a philanthropic legacy, we can help you get started today.


H. Lawson Hembree, CPWA  CEPA  
Senior Vice President
Wealth Management Advisor

Lawson joined Merrill in 2009.  His career began in banking and finance working for Citicorp (USA), Inc. and Merchants National Bank.  For the eleven years prior to joining Merrill he was part of several family-owned businesses.  Lawson has a BSA degree from the University of Arkansas and his Masters of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.  He is active in the community serving on the board of John Brown University.  Lawson has previously served in leadership positions on the boards of Westark Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, the Fort Smith United Way, Arkansas Cancer Research Center Foundation Board, the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation Board, the University of Arkansas Alumni Association, Campaign Arkansas for the University of Arkansas, Southern Region, Boy Scouts of America, Mercy Fort Smith Medical Center, Fort Smith Regional Art Museum and the Arkansas Angus Association.

Working with business owners, executives, professionals, retirees and their families and foundations, Lawson capitalizes on his own experiences as a business owner as well as his professional training to advise and guide our clients on all aspects of their financial needs.  Lawson feels that the breadth and depth of his financial training combined with his experience as a business owner differentiate him.  It has also given him the experience of working firsthand with a network of professional advisors.  Lawson holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor^® (CPWA^®) designation and the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA^®) designation.

Kerry Franklin, CFP^® RMA^®    
Assistant Vice President
Wealth Planner

Kerry has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Arkansas State University.  She began her career in manufacturing accounting, then as the Business Administrator for a local church in Fort Smith prior to joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.  She has served as a volunteer for CASA, Habitat for Humanity, and Children’s Service League.  Among the reasons she chose to join the financial services industry is her desire to help others.  This passion to help stems from her experience and the financial challenges she has watched friends and families experience in the past. As witness to the challenges faced by important people in her life, she recognized the need for a professional and caring team to help others realize the life they want.  Her purpose is to help others define their goals, establish a wealth management strategy centered on their priorities, and then help them to adjust their strategy as needed, as the inevitable changes in life occur.  Kerry is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ professional and holds the Retirement Manager Advisor^® designation.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP^® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ in the U.S.

Alicia Lester  
Wealth Management Client Associate 
 
Alicia has more than 10 years of experience working with clients in the financial services industry.  This experience was gained while working with Bank of America in Home Loans, Credit Cards, Deposits, and Fraud before joining Merrill in May of 2019.   Alicia is the point person for our MyMerrill online experience and in helping to make sure all our client’s service requests are met.

Alicia is from Muldrow, Oklahoma.  She enjoys spending time with her family and anything basketball.  She travels often to games to support her family and for entertainment.