25 years of helping clients thrive
Rather & Kittrell advises clients’ private wealth, retirement concerns
The co-founders and principals, Lytle Rather and Chris Kittrell, have seen their specific type of financial industry grow, and they have witnessed major financial events that have challenged the country’s financial situations in the past quarter century.
“Our world, which is in the registry investment advisory world, used to be it was large banks and large brokerage firms,” Kittrell said. “But what we have seen, especially in the last 15 years, is that our type of business, the growth of that segment of our business in the country, where people are working with independent RIAs that are acting as a fiduciary (a trustee) is a key, key thing (for R&K’s business).”
Rather explained a fiduciary works exclusively for the benefit of his or her client.
“Everything we do has to be in their best interest,” he said.
“And, you are legally bound,” Kittrell added.
Reflecting, “we have seen is a real growth in the RIA space,” where “the consumer is looking for a fiduciary,” Rather said. “That has fueled the growth.”
“People are looking for a team approach,” Kittrell said.
Additionally, they have had to help their clients weather such unsettling storms as Sept. 11, 2001, the housing market crash of 2008-2009 and COVID-19.
During those times, Kittrell said people were wondering “what’s going to happen to the world, to the country.
“People were very scared and uncertain,” he added. “People were looking for advice. That’s when we earn our keep, is we’re showing up for our clients when there’s that uncertainty and that fear. Moments like that are when we really solidify relationships.”
The firm’s office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday. For more about Rather & Kittrell, visit rkcapital.com or call 865-218-8400.
Rather and Kittrell started the business in early May 2000 “as a very naïve 29-year-old and slightly less naïve 36-year-old,” Kittrell recalled. “We started right as the dot.com bust was beginning.
“The next year was Sept. 11, (2001), so we had a few events as we started that were quite interesting,” he added.
Kittrell grew up in the small town of Oakdale in Morgan County, while Rather grew up in Farragut. While Kittrell moved away to work in the investment banking field, Rather said he “went to Farragut High School, went to UT, started in the business of January 1988, became a (Certified Financial Planner) in 1990” and was working for a local firm.”
When Kittrell returned to the area in 1995, he joined the firm in which Rather was working. “We hit it off,” Rather said. “We seemed to have similar values. I think that carried over when we started (the joint business).
“We just wanted to help people make good decisions with their money and be good stewards of their resources,” the partner added about intent.
The seed to start a business together was sown when “we just sort of recognized that we just wanted to do wealth management and retirement plans, 401Ks,” Kittrell said. “We just decided that we thought we could do it and stay focused on that and do it well, and we wanted to do it together.”
“We were fortunate enough to have opportunities to help people, develop relationships, and, as we had more opportunities to help, we then made the decision to start hiring instead of just keeping it the two of us,” Rather said.
Their first addition was Jeff Hall, a key contributor as captain and kicker on University of Tennessee’s 1998 National Championship football team, who was the firm’s first hire 23 years ago.
Hall’s career in finance started in 1999 not long after his college life and kicking skills were in the rear-view mirror.
“Jeff’s now an equity partner in the firm; but when we hired Jeff, it was like we were hiring him to allow us to help more people,” Kittrell said. “What was really neat is as we hired him and then hired others, we realized, ‘Ok, not only were we able to leverage that and help more people, but we’re helping more people who are working with us … and also the families who are represented.’
“It started with a heart to help clients, and it’s not just helping the clients, it’s helping folks who are coming alongside us as well,” he added.
Additionally, the firm owns Tennessee Pension Administrators, which is under the umbrella of RK Holdings.
Rather and Kittrell provides two pieces of service: wealth management and retirement plans.
Regarding wealth management, R&K serves individuals and families who are going through some sort of financial transition: retirement, sold a business, going through a divorce, become a widow or widower and are looking for help.
“At its most simple form, (it’s) to help them make smart decisions with their money,” Kittrell said.
The other part of the business is “we manage right at 150 corporate retirement plans in East Tennessee,” he added about the firm’s growth.
“We helping companies …manage retirement plans at the corporate level; but also what’s excited us from the beginning is our team has the privilege of meeting with the participants and helping those folks answer real questions.”
