Wayne is Managing Director for CAS. Prior to the April 2024 acquisition of the CAS division, the firm was defined as Wilbanks Smith & Thomas Asset Management, LLC (“WST”), an SEC registered investment adviser headquartered in Norfolk, VA, where he held the role of Portfolio Manager. Based in Raleigh, NC, he oversees the creation and implementation of detailed financial plans and investment portfolios. Before joining WST in early 2018, he worked as a Financial Advisor at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management and, prior to that, served as Regional Director at Hatteras Funds, focused on hedge fund and private equity portfolio construction for registered investment advisors and family offices. Wayne began his career in institutional fixed income sales and trading at Carolina Capital Markets.

A native of Augusta, Georgia, Wayne lives in Chapel Hill with his wife, daughter and son. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Furman University, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation. Wayne is an active volunteer with The First Tee of the Triangle and Extraordinary Ventures, as well as a member of the Donald Ross Society.