Meet The Team

Steve Smith

Sr. Wealth Advisor | Managing Partner

Steve is a co-founder and the Managing Partner of The Monument Circle Group with over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Steve began his career in 1986 with the investment banking boutique, Daseke & Co., Inc of Westport, CT. At Daseke, Steve was a senior analyst and the Director of Client Relations responsible for developing senior Fortune 500- executives’ portfolio asset allocation and tax planning strategies.

In 1993, Steve joined PaineWebber (later acquired by UBS Financial Services, Inc.) as Vice-President- Investments in the Private Client Group to service the region’s banks, insurance companies, not-for-profit entities, and high net worth individuals.

Steve joined Citigroup SmithBarney in 2006 to implement their broker-directed portfolio management platform for affluent clients affected by mergers and acquisitions. As Advisor and First Vice President-Investments, Steve established the only Citi Family Office in the state of Indiana.

In 2009 Steve joined Wachovia Securities (later merged with Wells Fargo & Company). While at Wells Fargo, Steve was recognized as a Barron’s Top-1,000 Advisor nationwide and Top 15 Advisor in the state of Indiana in both 2011 and 2012.

Steve graduated from DePauw University’s academic honorary, Management Fellows Program in 1985 with a concentration in Economics and Computational Mathematics. He currently lives in Zionsville with his wife and enjoys spending time outdoors and with his three adult children.

Johnelle Smith

Sr. Wealth Advisor | Partner

Johnnie is a co-founder and Senior Wealth Advisor with The Monument Circle Group. Johnnie’s career spans over 19 years and was named a “Five Star Wealth Manager” by Five Star Professional from 2011-2019.

Johnnie started her career in the financial services industry in 2000 at PaineWebber (later acquired by UBS Financial Services) as a financial advisor. She joined Steve in transitioning to Citigroup SmithBarney in 2006 to continue her role as a financial advisor and later joined Wachovia Securities (merged with Wells Fargo & Company) in 2009 as a First Vice President-Investment Officer.

In Johnnie’s spare time, she loves spending time with her family. However, her true passion lies in her desire to help women, impoverished children, and neglected animals. She is a supporter of numerous organizations, but two that are closest to her heart: Dress for Success, a non-for-profit organization providing interview suits, confidence boosts, and career development to low-income women. World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. She currently supports 2 girls and 1 boy in the countries of Mali, Niger, and Zambia. Neglected animals also pull heavily at Johnnie’s heart strings. She and Steve have rescued several dogs and helped build a shelter for hundreds more.

_{Rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if The Monument Circle Group is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of The Monument Circle Group by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. Rankings are generally limited to participating advisers.}

_{The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations.}

_{Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future.}

_{In 2018 there were 1,588 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 9% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers. See prior years below.
2017 – 1,164 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 16% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2016 – 1,083 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 31% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2015 – 1,743 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 20% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2014 – 2,009 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 18% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2013 – 1,624 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 26% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2012 – 1,375 Indianapolis wealth managers were considered for the award; 29% of candidates were named Five Star Wealth Managers.}

Ty Needler

Wealth Advisor | Partner

Ty is a Partner and Wealth Advisor of The Monument Circle Group. He is also the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Wealth Advisory Solutions, LLC (WAS). WAS is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and serves as the corporate Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) of The Monument Circle Group.

Ty has extensive knowledge in the financial markets and portfolio design resulting from his time in the Chicagoland area working with one of the largest asset managers in the country. In 2016 Ty moved back to Indianapolis and joined a boutique investment manager in Zionsville to lead the distribution division serving High-Net-Worth families and institutional professionals. Ty partnered with The Monument Circle Group in the summer of 2022 as a Wealth Advisor working directly with companies, individuals, and families. Ty’s core focus is centered around building strong relationships with clients and leveraging his experience to deliver high quality service and results.

In 2009 Ty earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Taylor University in Upland, IN. He currently resides in Westfield with his amazing wife Taylour and their three beautiful girls (Ellie, Addie and Sadie). Outside of the office, Ty spends his time trying to keep up with the kids and their various activities as well as following his favorite sports teams.

Marsha Graves

Client Services Coordinator

As the Client Services Coordinator of The Monument Circle Group, Marsha provides customer service to our clients to assist in their administrative needs. Her prior role at Wells Fargo Advisors, she was recognized as a Wells Fargo Advisors Premier Client Associate since 2011, a distinction held by a select group of Registered Client Associates within Wells Fargo Advisors nominated by their management for their consistent display of professionalism, integrity and core leadership values.

Marsha worked with Wells Fargo and predecessor firms for a total of 29 years working in operational, assistant and management positions. Prior to joining Wells Fargo her experience has included 13 years in the Trust Departments of two different Anderson, Indiana banks.

Away from the office, Marsha enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, family and baking.