TEAM | Kelley Walton
Scott and I met at Dean Witter Reynolds in 1993. He’d just begun his career in Birmingham after training at the firm’s office in the World Trade Center. We married in August 1999—and, in the fall of that year, we started the firm together.
I work primarily in office operations as our client relationship management and communications specialist. It’s my job to provide the support system that allows Scott to do what he does best: advise and educate his clients.
We have four kids—Oliver (23), Emery (21), Eliot (17), Eames (13)—and Boo, our miniature labradoodle, who you’ll most often see at the office.
Below are two ventures I launched and managed myself, outside of the firm.
Gildencrest School
Owner/Facilitator | November 2009–August 2012
I wanted to do the best job I could teaching our children good manners and basic etiquette, so I became a certified trainer through The Emily Post Institute. It didn’t take long to meet a lot of other people who wanted the same for their children—so I formed Gildencrest School. I developed a curriculum for a weeklong summer camp for preteen girls—combining Emily Post’s methods with my Dale Carnegie training and my past experience instructing dance/twirl. The success of those camps led to requests for customized classes for Girl Scout troops, customer appreciation events, corporate training seminars, and community education classes—to name a few.
I wanted to do the best job I could teaching our children good manners and basic etiquette, so I became a certified trainer through The Emily Post Institute. It didn’t take long to meet a lot of other people who wanted the same for their children—so I formed Gildencrest School. I developed a curriculum for a weeklong summer camp for preteen girls—combining Emily Post’s methods with my Dale Carnegie training and my past experience instructing dance/twirl. The success of those camps led to requests for customized classes for Girl Scout troops, customer appreciation events, corporate training seminars, and community education classes—to name a few.
Alabama Baton
Instructor | August 2005–May 2007
I loved baton twirling since I was a girl. In 2005, a former fellow majorette and I founded Alabama Baton. Over the next 22 months, we taught weekly classes to more than 100 elementary-aged girls in the Shelby County school system. We performed half-time shows at basketball games for Birmingham Southern College and the University of Montevallo, football games for Oak Mountain High School, and pre-game for the Birmingham Barons baseball team. We marched in numerous parades, and we capped off each year performing recitals before hundreds of fans.
I loved baton twirling since I was a girl. In 2005, a former fellow majorette and I founded Alabama Baton. Over the next 22 months, we taught weekly classes to more than 100 elementary-aged girls in the Shelby County school system. We performed half-time shows at basketball games for Birmingham Southern College and the University of Montevallo, football games for Oak Mountain High School, and pre-game for the Birmingham Barons baseball team. We marched in numerous parades, and we capped off each year performing recitals before hundreds of fans.