Stewart Welch III to run for Mountain Brook mayor

Mountain Brook’s Stewart Welch III, a local wealth management and Certified Financial Planner, confirmed today that he will run for election in the city’s mayoral race. Welch, who was born and raised in Mountain Brook, said he is now more confident than ever about his decision.

“In deciding to run,” said Welch, "I sat down with Mayor Terry Oden, City Manager Sam Gaston and a number of other people. The conversations we have truly impacted my decision.”

Oden announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection after serving for 24 years in elected office.

Welch said that because Oden, Gaston, the city council and the rest of the city’s leaders have left the city in “such great shape,” deciding to run for mayor was “an easy one.”

“No matter what metric you use to measure the health of the city, whether it be the finances, schools, library, it would receive A+ marks,” said Welch. “Terry also made it seem like a lot of fun.”

As a Mountain Brook resident for his entire life, Welch said he had, up until now, taken for granted the amount of hard work city leaders put into making the community what it is. For several weeks, Welch has attended city council meetings, he said, to get a better idea of how the city runs. Of course, said Welch, Mountain Brook, like all cities, will face some challenges in the coming years. Welch said that should he be elected mayor, he is confident Mountain Brook’s team of leaders will guide the city through any challenges.

According to a profile on his company’s website —The Welch Group, which he founded in 1984 — Welch has been a Certified Financial Planner practitioner since 1983. The Welch Group, according to its website, specializes in providing fee-only Wealth Management services to affluent healthcare professionals and retirees throughout the United States.

Welch has co-authored four books: “The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Getting Rich” ; “J.K. Lasser’s New Rules for Estate and Tax Planning” ; “J.K. Lasser’s Estate Planning for Baby Boomers and Retirees” ; and “10 Minute Guide to Personal Finances for Newlyweds” (Macmillan/Spectrum). He has appeared on various TV and radio shows including CNN, Fox News Network, CNBC, and is often quoted in national press including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Money and TheStreet.com.

Welch is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. He also has served on the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Institutional Advisory Board, as president of the Birmingham Estate Planning Council, and is a member of the Investment Committee.

Money, Worth and Mutual Funds Magazine named him as one of the top financial advisors in the United States, according to The Welch Group website. Medical Economics named him as one of the 2012 and 2013 top financial advisors for doctors, and in 2014, Dental Practice Management Magazine named him as one of the top financial advisors for dentists. In addition, Bloomberg Wealth Manager has named The Welch Group, LLC one of the 150 top Wealth Management firms in the country.

Along with his professional career, Welch said his involvement in the community will also help his campaign.  

“I’ve spent my whole life here,” he said. “I know lots of people and have deep, deep roots here. I’ve recently gained a much greater appreciation for this city. I always knew it was great place to live, but now I know just how it remains that way.”

The terms of two other city leaders are set to expire this year. Elections will be held for council places two and four, currently held by Jack Carl and Virginia Smith, on Aug. 23.

Smith will once again run for office, though Carl will not seek reelection.

For more on Welch, visit www.welchgroup.com.

Visit the Municipal Election page under the City Information tab on the city of Mountain Brook website at www.mtnbrook.org for more information about the August election, as well as necessary packets and guidelines for interested candidates.