We’ve intentionally cultivated a diverse team so we can serve your family’s needs for generations. When you partner with us, we become an extension of your family, prepared to support you through every season of life. Our highly educated team members have ample experience helping people make the most of their success, and we work together to provide cohesive care with an array of solutions for your financial world.
With more than 30 years in the business, Phil has become a trusted source of wisdom for both his clients and his team. He works diligently to provide valuable insight that helps clients maximize their wealth, and his passion for serving others has become a model for the practice. He is always looking for learning opportunities so he can provide clients the most up-to-date and relevant knowledge, and he strives to encourage and inspire his team however he can. He builds genuine, long-lasting relationships with clients, establishing lifelong partnerships that help them navigate their financial lives with confidence and peace of mind.
Having owned more than five businesses over the years (some of which he has sold), Phil is intimately familiar with the nuances of entrepreneurship. He understands the effort and tenacity required to make a business succeed, which is why he’s passionate about helping fellow small-business owners protect their hard-earned dollars. He specializes in tax-efficient strategies, helping business owners implement creative strategies to maximize their income. His clients are down-to-earth people whose businesses range from goat farms to trucking companies, and he loves the opportunity to share first-hand wisdom regarding communication strategies, employee benefits, and other business planning insights.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®)
Financial Services Certified Professional® (FSCP®)
Bachelor’s Degree, Mechanical Engineering – Mississippi State University
Forbes Best-in-State Financial Security Professional (2023, 2024)1
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), Court of the Table (Lifetime Member)
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), Member
Chairman’s Council Member, New York Life
1. Neither SHOOK nor Forbes receives any compensation in exchange for placement on its Top Financial Security Professional (FSP) rankings (including the Best-In-State Financial Security Professional rankings), which are determined independently (see methodology). FSP refers to professionals who are properly licensed to sell life insurance and annuities. FSPs may also hold other credentials and licenses which would allow them to offer investments and securities products through those licenses. The ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures learned through telephone, virtual and in-person interviews to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as assets under management, sales figures, and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and these professionals rarely have audited performance reports. Individuals must carefully choose the right FSP for their own situation and perform their own due diligence. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help individuals choose the right FSP and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. You can learn more about SHOOK Research’s methodology here. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.
2.Council is an annual New York Life company recognition based on sales performance from July 1 to June 30.
Phil is an active member of Park Place Baptist Church, where he has attended since he was a child. He teaches a small-group class each week, volunteers at events, and attends services regularly with his family. He is also a supporter of the Mississippi State University Foundation, and he is a member of the Flowood Chamber of Commerce.
Phil lives in Brandon, Mississippi (the same town he grew up in), with his wife Rhonda, who owns Rhonda Whitehead’s Dance & Gymnastics. He and Rhonda met at Mississippi State and have been married since 1988. They have three adult children, Leighton and Braden (who both work in the practice with Phil) and Brehan, who teaches dance with Rhonda at the studio. Their family loves the water, and they spend much of their time together at their lake house in Alabama, waterskiing or hanging out on the beach. In his spare time, Phil enjoys doing just about anything that keeps him active, whether that’s yard work or playing ball with his sons.
If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Breakfast. Biscuits and eggs and bacon and sausage and grits… I love that stuff.
What’s your favorite quote or saying?
I say this to my kids all the time: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
What is one thing you can’t live without?
I don’t think I could live without my faith. This life would be really tough for me to take on if I didn’t have my faith.
Leighton specializes in investment management and financial planning for people navigating major life transitions, guiding clients through what would otherwise be an overwhelming season. Many of his clients are preparing for retirement, selling a business, or finishing a graduate program or professional school. He comes alongside them, takes a deep dive into their financial world, and helps them outline a clear path toward the life they want to live. In doing so, he gives them the freedom to focus on enjoying their new season of life. With a strong foundation of knowledge and expertise, he applies his skills in a way that assures clients their financial life is taken care of, and they don’t have to worry.
With a natural inclination for research and fact-finding, Leighton excels at developing customized and detailed plans. He is highly analytical, and he ensures that every factor of a client’s financial life has been addressed before recommending any strategies. His clients trust him to ask the right questions, consider every possibility, and create the best possible plan. His goal is to help simplify even the most complex topics so clients feel confident making decisions in line with their values and goals. Once a plan is created, Leighton becomes a steadfast accountability partner, following through consistently to ensure clients stay on track for their goals.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®)
Financial Services Certified Professional® (FSCP®)
Bachelor’s Degree, Mechanical Engineering – Mississippi State University
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) – Member (2022, 2023, 2024)
Financial Planning Association® (FPA) – Member
Executive Council Member1 – New York Life (2022, 2023, 2024)
1.Council is an annual New York Life company recognition based on sales performance from July 1 to June 30.
Leighton lives in Brandon, Mississippi, and is engaged to marry his fiancée Madison in October of 2024. The Whiteheads are very close with one another, and Leighton spends a lot of his free time hanging out with his family at the lake or beach. He is also a member of Park Place Baptist Church.
A former baseball player in junior college, Leighton enjoys reliving his glory days as part of a recreational softball league. He also enjoys playing pickleball and is a self-taught guitar player.
What is something you can’t live without?
I’m a big fan of sweets, so probably cookies, cake, and ice cream. I guess I could live without them, but I don’t know that I would want to.
What is one thing every person should add to their daily routine?
A time to be grateful. The world is a very negative place, and we’re typically very negative to ourselves, so it would be helpful for all of us to pause, reflect, and have a positive attitude.
What are you reading right now?
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. He’s a former FBI hostage negotiator, and now he’s established a communication business.
Braden joined the practice in 2022 and provides financial solutions for families and business owners. He is passionate about helping clients solve problems, and one of the biggest differences he makes in their lives is to bring intentionality to their financial strategies. His mission is to give them clarity so they understand where they are, where they want to go, and how to get there. He guides them through a thorough fact-finding process, ensuring he uncovers every detail before putting together an array of solutions to help them accomplish their goals. With his attention to detail, he organizes all the disjointed pieces into one cohesive, purposeful strategy. In doing so, he helps clients maximize their resources and gain confidence that they’re on the path to the life they want to live.
As a former entrepreneur, Braden is passionate about working with closely held businesses. He appreciates the grit required to successfully manage a small business, and he has intentionally honed his skills in the business solutions space. He specializes in services such as buy-sell arrangements, retirement planning for business owners, and protection planning strategies like disability and life insurance. He especially enjoys working with veterinarians and those in the equine market. As a horse owner himself, he understands the unique world of equestrians, and he is licensed with the American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA), which grants him access to exclusive business planning tools designed for veterinarians.
Bachelor’s Degree, Marketing – Mississippi State University
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) – Member (2023)
Financial Planning Association® (FPA) – Member
Executive Council Member2 – New York Life (2023, 2024)
2Council is an annual New York Life company recognition based on sales performance from July 1 to June 30.
Braden lives in Brandon, Mississippi, and is an outdoorsman through and through. He is heavily involved in the equine community, and in his spare time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, and water sports like skiing and wake boarding. He married his wife Lexi in 2018, and in 2022, they welcomed their first child, Becket, into the world. Braden and his family are members of Park Place Baptist Church, where he volunteers at different events throughout the year.
If you could watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
There are two movies I could watch over and over—Rocky and Shooter with Mark Walberg.
What’s your favorite book or the book that has most impacted your life?
Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf.
Coffee or tea?
Definitely tea—sweet tea. I usually do half and half. Half sweet, half unsweet.
You deserve the best possible support for your financial journey, which is why we’ve chosen to partner with some of the strongest and most well-respected entities in the financial industry. By leveraging a diverse range of expertise and resources, we’re proud to offer a thoroughly comprehensive and personalized planning* experience.
*Phillip R. Whitehead and Leighton G. Whitehead are Financial Advisers offering fee-based financial planning through Eagle Strategies LLC, A Registered Investment Advisor and a New York Life company.