Born and raised in Nashville, Carol Lee Royer relocated to Memphis in 1974 when she began her undergraduate studies at Rhodes College (then Southwestern at Memphis). After graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics, Carol Lee further enriched her academic experience with summer studies at Oxford University in England before launching her career at IBM as a Systems Engineer.
After 15 years on the tech side, Carol Lee experienced a personal financial challenge that led her to seek guidance from a financial advisor. She was so inspired by how financial planning could transform lives that she realized that becoming an advisor was her true calling. Pivoting her career entirely, Carol Lee went back to school, earning an MBA in Finance from the University of Memphis in December 1996. By February 1997, she had obtained the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation, followed by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation in 1999, and the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) designation in 2005. Her expertise and leadership were recognized when she was elected President of the Financial Planning Association of the Mid-South in 2001, a role she held for one year. She remains actively involved with the organization.
Carol Lee joined W&A as a wealth strategist in December 1997. She cherishes the long-term relationships she has built with her clients over the years and loves helping make their dreams come true. She is fulfilled by helping those who feel vulnerable confidently take control of their financial lives.
Carol Lee and her husband, Joe Royer, co-owner of Outdoors, Inc. and a W&A client since 1992, are passionate advocates for fitness and human-powered recreation in Memphis. They organize events like the OI Grit & Grind Gravel Bicycle Race and the OI Canoe and Kayak Race on the Mississippi River, promoting a healthy, active lifestyle in their community.
An adventurer at heart, Carol Lee has hiked the Haute Route from Chamonix, France, to Zermatt, Switzerland; bicycle-toured in the Outer Hebrides, the Italian Dolomites, the Alps, and across Norway; and enjoyed kayak tours in the Florida Keys, Orcas Island, Maine, and Yellowstone Lake. She remains ever-enthusiastic about new adventures, with numerous bicycle tours still on her dream list, including Australia, New Zealand, Croatia, and Chile.
Carol Lee embodies a spirit of lifelong learning, adventure, and dedication to her profession and passions, making her an inspiring figure to all who know her.
