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Craig Novorr, Howard Jacobson and Kelly Clary smiling to the camara at Paragon Capital Management LLC office.

Our Team

Our team at Paragon Capital Management builds relationships through our performance and personal touch. We treat our clients as members of our family.

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Craig Novorr

President and CIO

Bio

Craig Novorr was handpicked to join Paragon Capital after a highly successful 10-year period at UMB where he served as Vice President & Portfolio Manager. Mr. Novorr’s success co-managing the UMB Scout Technology Fund and Scout Growth Fund demonstrated his unique abilities in identifying investment opportunities and – more importantly – building strong relationships.

Joining the firm in 2006, Mr. Novorr immediately demonstrated the value his clients place in him, as several with whom he enjoyed longstanding relationships with followed him to Paragon.

Craig Novorr is a 1996 graduate of the University of Kansas, from which he earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. He is active in the business, religious and local community and is a member of the executive leadership team for the Walk for Wishes event, as well as a Cub Scout Den Leader and youth basketball coach. He currently sits on several boards or committees for the Overland Park Rotary Club, Kansas University Hillel House, Temple B’Nai Jehuda and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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Howard Jacobson

Founder

Bio

Howard Jacobson founded Paragon Capital Management in 1998 with the promise to instill a high level of personal service and dedication to the clients who put their trust in his vision. Mr. Jacobson has earned a well-deserved reputation for investment excellence over a 40-year career that began following his graduation from the University of Missouri with a Bachelors of Science in Banking & Finance.

Mr. Jacobson’s deep understanding of finance started at industry icon E.F. Hutton & Company where he spent almost 20 years immersed in investment analysis, mastering several key roles. He eventually joined UMB’s Trust Investment Division and led the growing practice in positions such as Executive Vice President & Portfolio Manager and Director of Equity Research & Trading. Mr. Jacobson has been named Kansas City Magazine’s Best Personal Wealth Manager five times.

A deep commitment to philanthropy has driven Mr. Jacobson to engage in several Kansas City business and Jewish ventures. He has served as President of the Jewish Federation of Kansas City, Past President of the Jewish Community Center as well as Kansas City’s Jewish Community Campus. His history of community involvement includes religious, cultural, healthcare and youth organizations such as the Jewish Community Foundation, the Jewish Heritage Foundation, Starlight Theater, the UMKC Conservatory of Music, Friends of the Kansas City Zoo, the Heart Association of Kansas City, the Cancer Society of Kansas City, the Boy Scout Council and several others.

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Rich Heidemann, CFA

Director of Investments

Bio

Rich Heidemann is the Director of Investments at Paragon Capital Management. Prior to joining Paragon in 2017, Rich gained valuable experience working for Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company (Ivy Investments) as a global research analyst for nearly a decade and held a variety of analytical positions spanning both the fixed income and equity markets at National City Bank’s Private Client Group. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Dayton with a double major in Finance and Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the Weather head School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.  Rich has over 20 years of experience in security analysis and asset allocation and is a CFA Charter holder.

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Guerry Harris, CFP®, AWMA®

Wealth Advisor - Texas

Bio

Guerry is a Wealth Manager with 30 years of industry experience. Guerry builds relationships with his clients and uses his years of experience to develop investment strategies to protect and grow clients’ wealth.

Guerry joined Paragon in 2019 and lives in Austin, Texas where he works with many of our clients. Guerry started his career in Wealth Management with Raymond James and Associates before moving to Charles Schwab for over 22 years where he held roles from Vice President Financial Consultant to Sr. Manager of Investor Development.

Guerry is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, practitioner and Accredited Wealth Management Advisor™. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Finance and has a certificate in Financial Planning from the University of Texas (2012) and Northwestern University (2022). He is currently registered as an investment advisor and is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). Guerry is a military veteran having served in the United States Navy.

In his spare time Guerry enjoys spending time with his wife Michelle, daughters Delaney and Tabitha and their rescue dog Phoebe a Great Pyrenees mix. They like running and paddle boarding and can be found most mornings logging miles somewhere in Austin. His family enjoys fostering and volunteering with Heart of Texas Lab Rescue (HOTLAB) and Guerry is a Rotarian and is a member of the Rotary Club of NW Austin.

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Nily Levy

Wealth Advisor - Florida

Bio

Nily is a Wealth Manager with over 40 years of Industry experience. Nily works with wealthy individuals to help them identify investment needs and makes recommendations to help them protect their assets and grow their wealth.

Nily joined Paragon in 2021 and lives in Delray Beach, Florida where she works with many of our clients and continues to manage relationships she established while in Houston, Texas. Previously Nily spent 25 years working for Charles Schwab. She had 15 years, as a Vice President and Financial Consultant in Houston, Texas, and 10 years, in the Fixed Income Department as a Vice President – Regional Bond Specialist in San Francisco and Phoenix, making fixed income recommendations to high-net-worth individuals and conducting fixed income workshops nationally.

Nily graduated from Golden Gate University in San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science and a major in Finance.

Nily is from Israel and a lifetime member of Hadassah.

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Gene Pal, MBA, JD

Wealth Advisor and Planner

Bio

Gene is a Wealth Manager and Financial Planner with 30+ years of service in the finance, legal and personal trust world. As a Financial Planner, he focuses on providing Paragon clients trusted guidance and assistance with addressing their unique financial concerns, needs and goals. Gene regularly consults on financial planning, retirement planning, wealth preservation strategies, estate and/or gift planning, charitable gift planning, family foundations, tax planning and trust administration.

Gene Pal joined Paragon Capital Management in 2019 and lives in Kansas City. His expertise in all areas of planning have been honed over 30+ years that has included engagements as a senior trust officer with three Kansas City-based bank trust divisions.

Mr. Pal graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Finance in 1978; from Rockhurst University in 1981 with a Master of Business Administration, again majoring in Finance; and, in 1986, from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law with a Juris Doctor. Professional accomplishments include his service to the Kansas City Estate Planning Symposium (2009 Chair and former Planning Committee member for 20+ years) and the International Association for Financial Planning – Greater Kansas City Chapter (Past President and former Board member).

Personal interests and passions for Mr. Pal include the arts, local philanthropy, sports, and travel. With respect to the arts, Mr. Pal has served as a Past President, board member and an Annual Auction Co-Chair for the Kansas City Artists Coalition, is a member of the Nelson-Atkins Museum Friends of Art, and regularly attends Theatre League and other local theatre/music productions, local art fairs along with other local gallery and museum events. Sporting interests include Kansas City’s local professional sports franchises plus cycling and swimming (Mr. Pal is an Assistant Coach with the Kansas City Swim Academy, a local USA Swim team, who works primarily with high school elite and/or college swimmers) and all things Notre Dame – especially Fighting Irish basketball, football, hockey and soccer as well as local Notre Dame Alumni Club of Kansas City events (Mr. Pal has also served Club President, twice).

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Shannon Yarbrough

Operations Specialist

Bio

Shannon joined Paragon in 2020 with over 20 years’ experience in the financial industry, a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, and her Series 65. Shannon prides herself on her work-life balance stating, “In my career I focus on the task at hand to work in the most effective way possible, allowing me the flexibility to do what is most important to me – which is spend time with my family.” She has spent many years with her husband, Mike, watching their daughters participate in sporting events and extracurricular activities. Now that has come to an end, she looks forward to many new experiences, which will include soaking up the Florida sun, family travel, and photography. As Paragon’s Operations Specialist, Shannon strives to excel using attention to detail and care while supporting our clients with their administrative needs.  Her favorite quote is, “Don’t be just another member of society, but a living example of your dreams and goals."

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Jim Koetting

Chief Digital & Marketing Officer

Bio

Jim Koetting is Paragon Capital Management, LLC's Chief Digital & Marketing Officer. With over 28 years of experience in the digital and marketing space, Jim has developed a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field. He has a proven track record of successfully managing large-scale digital campaigns and initiatives and is an expert in digital marketing, analytics, and consumer behavior. Jim has worked with many institutional investment advisors, authored the book "Public Fund Investing for Dummies", and is highly respected as a leader in the industry. He has been brought into Paragon Capital Management to lead the company's digital transformation and create innovative strategies to reach new audiences. He is an industry thought leader, speaking at conferences and events worldwide. Jim enjoys playing lead guitar, sound engineering, scuba diving, underwater photography, and spending time with his family in his free time.

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Kelly Clary

Office Manager

Bio

Kelly Clary is the Office Manager for Paragon Capital Management. She is well-known for her warm and hospitable personality, which she honed during her five-year tenure at the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Kona coast. She is a meticulous organizer, a creative problem solver, and an excellent communicator with the ability to build relationships with staff and clients alike. Kelly is a devoted mother to her two boys and when she’s not working, she loves to travel and spend quality time with her family and friends. She is also an avid fan of KSU sports. Kelly’s passion for hospitality and her enthusiasm for life, as well as her skill in organization, problem solving, and communication, make her a valuable asset to the Paragon Capital Management family.

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Get in touch

Whether you feel as if you’ve outgrown your advisor or you just want a fresh perspective on portfolio strategies in our current market, our team of experts is here for you.

Howard Jacobson and Craig Novorr sitting at a desk in front of a monitor.