Fiduciary Trust International, a global wealth manager and wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, announces that Laura C. Pease, CTFA, and James T. Farmer, CAIA^®, have joined the firm as managing director, senior trust officer and managing director, senior portfolio manager, respectively. Both professionals are based in Atlanta, GA, a key growth market for the firm.

"We are pleased to welcome Laura and Jim, both highly regarded veterans in wealth management with outstanding professional reputations and trusted relationships in the Atlanta region," said David W. Edmiston, Fiduciary Trust International’s regional managing director for Atlanta and Washington D.C. "Laura’s deep fiduciary expertise along with Jim’s extensive investment advisory background further complement our local team. With these additions, we continue to build our presence and brand in the Southeast region."

Ms. Pease, a 24-year veteran of Bank of America in Atlanta, brings more than three decades of industry experience and community leadership to the team. Prior to joining Fiduciary Trust International, she served as a private client advisor and senior vice president at Bank of America Private Bank where she catered to high-net-worth individuals, families, and family offices. Earlier in her career, Ms. Pease was a senior trust officer at Bank of America Private Bank, relationship manager at Wachovia Bank, and trust officer at Truist (formerly SunTrust).

"I am thrilled to join Fiduciary Trust International and the Atlanta team during this exciting time of growth," said Ms. Pease. "The firm’s nimble and collaborative culture, along with its focus on delivering a unique client experience, perfectly align with my values and professional standards. I look forward to contributing to our team’s continued expansion and delivering best-in-class wealth management solutions to the individuals and families we serve."

Ms. Pease holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation and previously served as president of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council. She earned her B.A. in International Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and also completed the Cannon Trust School and National ABA Graduate Trust School. Ms. Pease is actively involved in the community, serving on the Board of Trustees of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church and the Board of Visitors at the University of North Carolina.

Before joining Fiduciary Trust International, Mr. Farmer spent more than 15 years as a portfolio manager at Bank of America Private Bank in Atlanta, delivering investment advice and solutions for high-net-worth individuals and families. Previously, he held positions at Calibre Family Office and Offitbank (subsidiaries of Wachovia Bank) in their family office investment divisions.

"I'm honored to join the Fiduciary Trust International team in Atlanta where I can focus on providing clients personalized investment advice and innovative solutions," said Mr. Farmer. "It’s exciting to be able to directly collaborate with our firm’s investment leaders in order to deliver customized investment strategies to our clients."

Mr. Farmer holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation and earned his MBA from the University of Oregon and B.A. from the University of North Carolina (Phi Beta Kappa). He has also participated in the U.S. Olympic Trials in track and field and enjoys volunteering as a parent coach with the Walton Youth Track Club cross country team in Marietta, GA.

After a 30-year career at Abbot Downing, Wells Fargo Private Bank, and Wachovia, Mr. Edmiston joined Fiduciary Trust International in 2021, and has since assembled a team of highly experienced professionals dedicated to advising and serving high-net-worth families, family offices, non-profits, endowments, and foundations. Fiduciary Trust International’s growing Atlanta presence reinforces the firm's national expansion strategy and strengthens its East Coast footprint, which spans from Massachusetts to South Florida and west to California.