Jim Place, CFP®

Financial Advisor

Phone: 423.933.1818

E-mail: jplace@evergreenadvisors.com

Jim Place began his career as a financial advisor in 1983. Jim brings 40 plus years of practical day-to-day experience to the table. He has been a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designee since 1987. 

For the last 24 years Jim has been the host of Chattanooga’s most popular daily financial radio show, “Let’s Talk Money,” on WGOW 102.3 FM from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. The last 13 have been co-hosted with his daughter and business partner, Jayme O’Donnell.

Jim Place completed two years of engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from Utah State in 1972. Jim is a former chairman of the board of St. Nicholas School. Jim is also a former college football coach at the University of Tennessee, UCLA, and the University of Northern Illinois. Jim has been married for 47 years to his wife, Theresa.

KYLE BRYANT, CPA, PFS

Partner

Phone: 423.933.1828

E-mail: kyle@evergreenadvisors.com

Kyle Bryant, CPA, PFS, is one of the Chattanooga business community’s most well-regarded rising stars. A Jackson, Tennessee, native and UTC graduate, the majority of Kyle’s early career was dedicated to empowering numerous young businesses to prosper through his work as director of finance at the Lamp Post Group, a venture capital firm. Upon helping guide Access America, one of the Lamp Post Group’s premier portfolio companies, through its acquisition by Coyote Logistics, Kyle co-founded Market Street Partners, PLLC, an accounting firm headquartered in downtown Chattanooga, in 2016. 

In less than a decade, Kyle grew Market Street Partners from a team of just three CPAs to now employing a full-time staff of more than 40 accounting professionals who work with hundreds of clients across the region. In addition to the firm’s impressive headcount and revenue growth, Market Street Partners received numerous distinctions under Kyle’s leadership, from being recognized as a best place to work by local and national publications, to being included in Inc. and Financial Times’ fastest-growing businesses lists, and even earning the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Small Business of the Year” designation in 2022.  Kyle has also earned numerous personal accolades, including being named a top CPA in Tennessee by Forbes in 2025. 

In 2023, Atlanta-based Smith + Howard acquired Market Street Partners. Having led Market Street Partners through the merger and ensuring the firm is poised for continued success moving forward, our team is excited that Kyle has decided to join Evergreen Advisors in the next phase of his remarkable professional journey to continue his career of advising clients through some of the most complicated and personal financial decisions.

Kyle, a Signal Mountain resident, has been married to his wife, Susan, since 2015, and together they’re raising three wonderful children, two sons and a daughter. In addition to his professional work, Kyle dedicates a significant amount of time to organizations invested in Chattanooga’s civic well-being. A graduate of Leadership Chattanooga, Kyle has served on the boards of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Family Promise of Greater Chattanooga, and the Erlanger Foundation. He is also a member of TSCPA, AICPA, the Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee, and the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association. 

When he’s not working with clients or herding children, you can find Kyle playing golf or cheering on his beloved Mocs and Vols. 

Jayme O'Donnell

Chief Compliance Officer

Phone: 423.933.1824

E-mail: jodonnell@evergreenadvisors.com

Jayme is a partner at Evergreen Advisors and has been with the company for over a decade. Jayme holds an MBA in Personal Financial Planning and Risk Management from Georgia State University. Jayme also holds a Master of Accounting degree with a concentration in Taxation and a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Finance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is a native Chattanoogan and a graduate of the Baylor School.

Jayme is co-host of Let's Talk Money on Chattanooga's WGOW 102.3 every weekday from 12:00 to 1:00.

Jayme is Evergreen’s Chief Compliance Officer and is responsible for the oversight and administration of the firm’s compliance program. Jayme’s other responsibilities include preparing comprehensive financial plans, personal financial statements, and retirement projections.

Jayme is active in the local community. She serves as Treasurer for the Collegedale Tomorrow Foundation, for whom she was formerly the Chairwoman, and was previously the Treasurer for the Missionary Ridge Neighborhood Association. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, and working on her historic home.

Barbara Harris

Director of Client Services

Phone: 423.933.1814

E-mail: bharris@evergreenadvisors.com

Barbara has been with Evergreen Advisors for over a decade. She handles appointments, scheduling, and client transactions. While her role sounds straightforward, she is truly the embodiment of our company values and through the execution of her job she brings everyone together and creates the best possible experience for her coworkers and clients alike.

Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Office Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and has over 17 years experience in the financial services industry. A native of Franklin, TN, Barbara and her husband, Jim, have lived in Chattanooga for many years and enjoy antiques and traveling.