An experienced and committed team

Gary D. Smith began his investment management career in 1986 at Smith Barney Harris Upham.  Gary and his father Jerry joined UBS in 2009 to enhance investment management capabilities.  After many years of working together, Jerry retired in 2018.  Gary and his team focus on a financial planning process to achieve individualized client goals.  A thorough contact management plan is essential to their process and the client experience.

Gary is one of a small number of UBS Financial Advisors who have earned the designation of Wealth Advisor.  As a Wealth Advisor, Gary is qualified to provide highly personalized wealth management services to his clients.  He also maintains the CPWA® (Certified Private Wealth Advisor®)  designation from the Investments and Wealth Institute (formerly known as IMCA).  He earned his B.S. in Finance from Northwest Missouri State University.  In *2009 he was honored as one of the nations "Top 1,000 Advisors" by Barron's magazine and in *2019 by Forbes magazine as "Best in State" for Missouri.

Gary resides with his wife, Therese, and their four children in Kansas City.  He is active in his community and church.  An avid runner, Gary's other interests include golf, hunting and fishing.

CPWA® is a service mark of the Investment Management Consultants Association, Inc. in the United States of America and worldwide.

Barron's is based on asset under management, revenue, and quality of practices.

Forbes' "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list is comprised of approximately 3,000 financial advisors.  It was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings to measure factors such as: quality of practice, industry experience, compliance record, assets under management (which vary from state to state) and revenue.  Neither UBS Financial Services Inc. or its employees pay a fee in exchange for these ratings.  Past performance is not an indication of future results. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience.

Tim Laughlin joined UBS in 2019 and began his career in financial services in 1991. Tim has been focused on investments since 1996 when he became an institutional bond salesman while employed at UMB in Kansas City, Missouri. More recently, Tim was a Lead Director in the Wealth Management Division at First National Bank of Omaha where he was a portfolio manager and was responsible for crafting strategy and managing the wealth management department in the Kansas marketplace.

Tim has a well-rounded financial background. He has gained years of extensive knowledge related to credit markets while managing the investment portfolios of various community banks. He co-managed an equity strategy that emphasized investments in large cap, blue chip, dividend-paying companies. Tim's background also includes being a voting member of an asset allocation committee and implementing a framework around strategic and tactical asset allocations. More recently, Tim's focus has been on wealth management and delivering solutions to enable clients to pursue their financial goals and aspirations in the most optimal manner.

Tim graduated with honors from the University of Central Missouri in 1991. He received his MBA from the Helzberg School of Management at Rockhurst University in 2003. Tim has been a trustee at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village. He resides in Prairie Village, Kansas with his wife, Kim. They have two children: Sadie and Abe. Tim enjoys reading and spending time at the lake.

I am grateful every day to be able to work in partnership with incredible clients.   My father, a successful entrepreneur, prioritized business growth but overlooked managing its benefits for personal goals. Unexpected events altered his path, which deeply affected me. This experience has given me insight into business owners' challenges and complex financial situations.

I started my financial service career in 1986 with Thomson McKinnon Securities, later joining Merrill Lynch, where I focused on business succession and wealth transfer strategies. I brought my experience to UBS in 2015 to enhance the capabilities and services for my clients.

Credentials

• Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) professional, awarded by the Certified Financial Board of Standards, Inc. The designation is the cornerstone for the Wealth Management Process we incorporate for our clients.
• CPWA is an advanced professional certification for seasoned professionals to address the sophisticated needs of clients with a net worth greater than $5 million.
• As a Portfolio Manager in the UBS Portfolio Management Program (PMP), I tailor investment strategies, implement proprietary model portfolios, as well as provide traditional advice and guidance to my clients to pursue their individual financial needs.
• In past years I have held leadership positions at both Merrill Lynch and UBS, including Regional Sales Manager, Resident Director, and Branch Manager.
• I earned my bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and enjoy my continued involvement with the university.   I currently work on the Personal Advisory Financial Planning Advisory Board and on the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees. 

Passions

When not at work, you might find me taking time to enjoy friends and family, tinkering with hobby cars, playing golf, or hiking.

Location

I am a native to the Kansas City area, I currently live in Ft Worth, TX, and split my time between Ft Worth and the Kansas City area.  My wife Mimi and I are very active in the Kansas City community including working with Don Bosco, Boys Grow, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. 

“I am passionate about helping clients align their assets with their goals, preserve their wealth, and build a legacy that reflect their wishes.” – Jim Lipari

Andrea earned a B.S. degree in Business and Accounting from Baker University, and holds both Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.  Andrea has been with UBS Financial Services since 2006.  Prior to joining UBS Andrea spent six years with Piper Jaffray.  Andrea will be providing order entry, scheduling, client communications, and various investment planning services for the team.

Kay is a Wealth Management Associate at the UBS KC Plaza office.  She focuses on administrative functions such as money movement, customer service, account updates and technology support.  Kay enjoys fostering strong client relationships and provides unique personalized service.

Credentials

Kay began her finance career in 2015 and has leveraged her background in accounting and business management to help clients manage their day to day cash needs and account maintenance.  Kay holds the Series 7 and 66 licensing designations  to provide clients with excellent customer service with industry leading technology, products and services.  Kay earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from North Carolina State University. 

Passions

Outside of work at UBS, Kay enjoys spending time with her husband Tim and their adult children, grandchildren and their dog Toby.  She loves cooking, reading, yoga, is an avid Nebraska volleyball fan and loves going for long walks in the community.