PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Niles Ray helped start the Greenville, SC Merrill Lynch office nearly 40 years ago. Today the Ray, Ellison & Clauss Group has over 100 years of combined experience at Merrill Lynch. In addition to providing long standing counsel to our clientele, the REC Group has demonstrated exceptional commitment and passion to the investment profession.

Ben Clauss is the only CFA® Charterholder in Merrill Lynch’s Columbia Complex, consisting of Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Clemson, Sumter, Camden and Augusta, GA. The CFA® is the same designation obtained by portfolio managers. Doug Ellison was formerly the Resident Director of the Greenville office and received the CFP® certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Equally important, our limited clientele and five member team structure allow us to proactively manage risk and tactically implement investment strategy.

- Experience: 100 years at Merrill Lynch
- Credentials: CFA, CFP
- Client Centric: Limited Clientele, Personal Relationships
- Investment Philosophy: Value Oriented & Risk Mindful
- Aligned Interests: We eat our own cooking

C. Niles Ray – First Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor
Niles joined Merrill Lynch as a Financial Consultant in 1962 and has nearly 50 years of investment experience in various market environments. His areas of expertise include concentrated equity investing, retirement planning, and tax planning strategies.

Ben Clauss - First Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor, CFA
Ben joined Merrill Lynch in 1998. He specializes in investment policy, manager & individual security selection and financial analysis. Ben became a CFA Charterholder in 2006 and earned his mechanical engineering degree from Clemson University. He currently serves as the Chair of the Community Foundation’s Grants Review Committee, Chair of the Meals on Wheels Endowment Committee and is a member of 4th Presbyterian’s Stewardship Committee.

Doug Ellison – First Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor, CFP®
Doug joined Merrill Lynch in 1994 after five years in management. He received his B.S. & M.B.A. from Clemson University and specializes in business retirement plans, private money management for individual clients and retirement planning. In 2005, Doug received the CFP® certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

Linda Hughes – Registered Senior Client Associate,
Linda joined Merrill Lynch in 1999 and has been with the Ray, Ellison & Clauss Group since 2000. She is series seven licensed.

Amanda Wood – Client Associate
Amanda joined Merrill Lynch in 1996 and has been with the Ray, Ellison & Clauss Group since 2001.