J. Mark Nickell

Mark is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and holds an accounting degree. Prior to founding the firm in 1994 he worked with Arthur Andersen and KPMG for twelve years where he gained considerable experience assisting corporations, small businesses, and individuals with financial planning. He has been a CPA since 1983.

In 1996, Mark received the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, which has become the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world.

Mark earned the designation Personal Financial Specialist in 1993. In 1996, he received the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, which has become the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world. He is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (www.napfa.org); the Personal Financial Planning Division of the American Institute of CPAs; the CFA Institute (www.cfainstitute.org); the Nashville Estate Planning Council; and the Tennessee Society of CPAs, where he chaired the Personal Financial Planning Committee. Mark is a founding member of the Investment Advisors Peer Council.

He is currently on the board at Belmont University’s Center of Business Ethics. Mark also serves on the board of the CFA Society-Nashville and is Past President

Mark was born in Louisville, Kentucky and was reared in Crossville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Kaye, have two grown children who currently live in Franklin.

Mark loves the outdoors, and especially enjoys hiking and backpacking in Yellowstone National Park.

Creating a financially secure path throughout major life transitions

A recent widow was overwhelmed with financial details following her husband’s death. It was late 2007—financial uncertainty was in the air, and she had more debt than she felt comfortable with. She had two properties she wanted to sell in a challenging real estate market. Read more >>

Thomas Nickell

Thomas Nickell grew up in Franklin, TN, continued on to The University of Tennessee, graduating with a B.A. in Communication Studies, and a minor in Business.

Thomas serves as the Operations Manager for the firm as well as providing client service and technology support. He is a licensed investment advisor representative and has been with J. Mark Nickell & Co. since 2015.

Thomas moved back to Nashville after college, where he met his wife Brittany. They married in 2021 and currently reside in West Nashville. In January of 2024 they welcomed their first child, Henry, into the world. When Thomas is not at work, he loves spending quality time with family, hosting friends for dinner parties, or trying out a new restaurant.

Thomas Nickell

Margo Dover, CFP® grew up in Burwell, a town of just 1,200 in northcentral Nebraska, where her family lived, raised quarter horses and published several small-town newspapers. Margo went on to The University of Nebraska – Lincoln, where she received a B.S. in Finance and grew a love for Cornhuskers’ athletics.

Margo joined J. Mark Nickell & Co. already having more than 15 years of industry experience. First with Jackson National, and most recently with Blackrock, one of the largest asset managers in the world. She has deep investment knowledge from her previous roles and received the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation in 2021. Margo is a member of the Financial Planning Association (www.financialplanningassociation.org).

She moved to middle Tennessee in 2011 and currently lives in Franklin with her husband, John, and daughter, Harper. Margo is active in both her church and community, serving on the development committee for Wags and Walks Nashville.