Our Team

Thomas E. Murphy, CFP®, AIF®

Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: tmurphy@murphysylvest.com

Since 1988 Tom has specialized in assisting business owners, corporate executives, military veterans, and high net worth individuals create, preserve, and transfer their wealth. Tom designs innovative business continuity plans, asset protection plans and tax favored wealth accumulation and transfer strategies. He holds a Master's Degree in Financial Services and has earned the following designations: Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ (AIF®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®), Certified Family Business Specialist (CFBS), Certified in Long Term Care (CLTC®), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) and is a Special Care Planner.

Tom is also a Licensed Insurance Counselor. He is also a member of various industry organizations including the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC).

He is a Dallas native, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served five and a half years in the Military Intelligence Corps. He and his wife, Ciel, have been married for more than thirty years and have two children, Katharine and Thayer.

Susan A. Sylvest, AIF®

Chief Investment Officer and Founding Partner

E-mail: ssylvest@murphysylvest.com

Susan A. Sylvest has more than 25 years' experience in wealth management specializing in assisting women, corporate executives, and working professionals. Her experience includes asset allocation and investment advising for high net worth individuals through private client portfolios, as well as with two leading private banks, Frost Bank and Trust and Northern Trust Bank. She holds a degree in economics from Indiana University; has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ (AIF®) designation; she currently holds a FINRA series 65; as well a Texas Life and Health Insurance License. In addition, she has completed all course work for the Certified Financial Planner designation.

After relocating to Dallas from Boise, Idaho, Susan began in the Dallas office of Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor. She also has served as Senior Investment Consultant with Banc One Investment Advisors and as Vice President of Investments and Sales Management for Fisher Investments, Inc. Before joining Murphy & Sylvest in early 2007, Susan was Senior Vice President of Client Services with a private wealth advisory firm, specializing in institutional asset allocation analysis for individuals of affluence as well as for families, corporations, and institutions.

She is the mother of four daughters and five stepchildren, and is active in community organizations where she shares her time as well as financial expertise. She has served on the Financial Committee of Dallas Women's Foundation, Board of Directors for the Dallas Children's Theater, Senior Source, TACA and Junior Players.

Kathaleen Bauer, AIF®, CLTC®

Senior Vice President

E-mail: kbauer@murphysylvest.com

Kathaleen began her career in the financial planning industry in 2003 after an extensive tenure in the banking industry. She offers in-depth experience helping individuals, families and small businesses evaluate their present financial position and refine financial goals. She develops and monitors plans to help clients achieve their goals with a broad emphasis on retirement planning and multi-generational planning through a wide array of strategies.

Originally from California, Kathaleen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1985 from Louisiana State University; has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ (AIF®) designation, and Certification for Long Term Care (CLTC®). Her licensing includes life, accident, health and HMO in Texas. She also holds FINRA series 65.

She is past Treasurer of the Altrusa International Downtown Dallas Foundation, Inc. She currently serves on the board of the Southern Methodist University Libraries Executive Board; she is also a member of Altrusa International Inc. of Downtown Dallas and a member of the SMU Second Century Centennial Host Committee and the SMU Mustang Club.

Kathaleen and her husband, John, have been married for more than 36 years and have one daughter, Julie, and three wonderful grandchildren.

Cathy Caddell

Chief of Operations

E-mail: ccaddell@murphysylvest.com

Cathy Caddell is the Chief of Operations for Murphy & Sylvest. Cathy’s role is to support the financial planning process through research, maintenance of client accounts, managing client deliverables and coordinating preparation for client meetings. She is also responsible for redesigning our organizational processes in order to continually improve the exceptional level of service we provide our clients.

She is an engineering graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Cathy joined Murphy & Sylvest in October of 2011. She previously served 22 years as a Military Police Officer in the US Army and US Army Reserve.

She moved to the Dallas area when her husband, Lyle, retired from the Army with their three children, Kevin, Jeff and Ruthie. She enjoys spending time with her family at various kids’ sporting events and volunteering in support of Lakepointe Church and its numerous missions and projects.

Debbie Butt

Director of Administration

E-mail: dbutt@murphysylvest.com

Debbie serves as an Assistant for Murphy & Sylvest. She applies her penchant for detail and focus on client care while interacting office wide with members of our team. Debbie arranges and confirms appointments, updates calendars and maintains files as part of her daily course of work. Routinely, she prepares general correspondence while greeting guests and facilitating company initiatives.

Debbie accepted the opportunity to work at Murphy & Sylvest in February 2012 after starting her office career in a similar position with a Fortune 500 Company in the Midwest. She most recently worked as a Substitute Teacher at a DFW Exemplary Elementary School.

Debbie spends her free time with her friends and family (Labrador included). She enjoys long family vacations back home in Indiana, gardening, decorating, and watching her children in their various sporting activities.

Adrienne Anthony, MS

Director of Financial Planning

E-mail: aanthony@murphysylvest.com

Adrienne Anthony is the Director of Financial Planning for Murphy & Sylvest. Adrienne’s role is to support the lead advisors throughout all aspects of the financial planning process while also working directly with clients. This includes reviewing and analyzing the client’s current financial position, insurance coverage, retirement planning, and education funding and developing recommendations to help the clients achieve their financial goals. She also assists the advisors in writing the financial plans and monitoring the implementation of financial planning recommendations.

She joined Murphy & Sylvest in June 2012 after graduating from Texas Tech University with her B.S. and M.S. in Personal Financial Planning. She currently holds a FINRA series 65 as well as the Texas Life and Health Insurance License.

While a student at Texas Tech, she enjoyed being a part of Personal Financial Planning Partners and the Personal Financial Planning Organization. Adrienne is originally from Friona, Texas and enjoys going home to visit family and friends. She also enjoys keeping up with all things Texas Tech related as well as the Texas Rangers. In her free time she likes to travel, cook, and attend various sporting events.

Jordan Durham

Investment Management Associate

E-mail: jdurham@murphysylvest.com

Jordan Durham, Investment Management Associate for Murphy & Sylvest, executes trades, develops reports for the Investment Committee; reviews 401(k) allocations; constructs bond ladders, and builds asset allocation recommendations which our approved by our Chief Investment Officer. He also conducts ad hoc mutual fund and stock reviews. Additionally, he supports the lead advisors with the financial planning process while also working directly with clients.

Jordan joined Murphy & Sylvest in July 2015 after graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas with his B.S. in Finance and Economics. He currently holds a FINRA series 65. Jordan is a Dallas native. He previously served five years in the Marine Corps as a Military Policeman, which included three deployments to the Middle East. He has a daughter, Blythe who is 2 1/2 years old. He enjoys the wonderful challenge of keeping up with Blythe; woodworking, landscaping, gardening, hunting, camping, Fantasy Football and watching the Dallas Cowboys.

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