With more than 25 years spent in the financial industry, Donnette brings a seasoned and sensitive approach to what are now generations of a referred clientele. By limiting the number of families she serves, Donnette is able to dig deeper and develop a more thorough appreciation of clients’ visions and values.

Donnette’s passion for planning began decades ago, before it was an industry buzzword. This has enabled her to hone a highly personal and dynamic planning-based approach in which frequent and comfortable conversations form the bedrock of the strategies she builds. Day in, day out (and many evenings), she talks to clients about their family dynamics, special needs children, expenses, debt, cash flow, and desires for retirement (or leaving money for others).

When it comes to investments, Donnette doesn’t chase industry benchmarks. Instead, she analyzes the rate of return necessary for each client to achieve goals that hold meaning in their lives. She explains, “Clients appreciate my role as a wealth advisor in that I don’t build portfolios. I rely on Merrill’s exhaustive due diligence in approving outside managers. I also utilize input from our firm’s Chief Investment Office.”

In addition to investments, Donnette’s strong banking background informs her ability to focus on both sides of clients’ balance sheets – assets and liabilities. Through Bank of America, N.A., she offers clients ready access to structured, residential and securities-based lending, as well as checking, savings and other banking solutions. She also shows clients how to help insulate and leverage their wealth through the use of long-term care and life insurance, and other protective components.

Perhaps most meaningful to Donnette is “going the extra mile” for clients – beyond what they would expect from a financial advisor. In addition to coordinating with clients’ CPAs and attorneys on tax-minimization and estate planning strategies, she can also accompany them to meetings. On occasion, Donnette has driven clients to medical appointments, helped them choose assisted living facilities, sat with them and combed through shoeboxes full of financial records – even helped a client find a reputable breeder for their future first puppy.  

Before joining Merrill in 2021, Donnette spent 27 years at BB&T (now Truist) as a wealth advisor and wealth client associate. Donnette attended UNC at Greensboro “by accident” and graduated there “intentionally” with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. As a high school) clarinetist who had participated in All County Band, she auditioned on a whim for the highly regarded UNCG's School of Music during her junior year. To her surprise, she was accepted, skipped her senior year and enrolled at the age of 17. Growing up quite poor, she is very proud to have worked three jobs simultaneously to pay her way through school.

Donnette and her husband, Dan, reside in McLeansville, North Carolina where they raised two daughters – one, an avid equestrian who showed regularly in hunter/jumpers) and is applying to veterinary school, the other studying to be a dental hygienist. Always a lover of dogs and horses, Donnette competes in agility with her rescue dog (Juno) and also has two young border collies (Moxie and Extra!). With her soft spot for shelter dogs, Donnette volunteers one-on-one with young people who’ve adopted dogs that have training or fear issues. Her goal? To keep these dogs from returning to the shelter system. She also volunteers for Junior Achievement.




*Donnette Draper NMLS ID  420854*Banking products such as checking accounts and certificates of deposit are FDIC insured to the maximum allowed by law and are offered through Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. *The Chief Investment Office (CIO) provides thought leadership on wealth management, investment strategy and global markets; portfolio management solutions; due diligence; and solutions oversight and data analytics. CIO viewpoints are developed for Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., (“Bank of America”) and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S” or “Merrill”), a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation.