John E. Ledford’s career in finance began at the age of 19 with a major Wall Street brokerage firm. From there, he quickly advanced to a trust officer with one of the nation’s largest trust and investment banks. In 1996, John joined Financial Advisory Service based in Winter Park, Florida. In 1998, he became president and co-principal of Conte-Ledford Financial Group (formally known as Financial Advisory Service). He held this position until July 2002, when he formed Ledford Financial. In 2008, Ledford Financial was honored by Orlando Magazine as one of the “Top Financial Planning Firms” in Central Florida. Also in 2008, Boomer Market Advisor named John “Socially Responsible Advisor of the Year” for his work providing funds to micro banks throughout Latin American and the Caribbean, which spurred the creation of Change MicroFund. In 2009, John was a top 10 finalist for Registered Rep’s “Outstanding Advisor of the Year” for which he was again recognized for his work in micro lending in emerging-market countries. John’s registrations include FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, 63, and 65. He is a Registered Securities Principal and Investment Adviser Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network, and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. John is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and a former member of the Gulf Coast and Space Coast Estate Planning Councils. John attended North Texas State University and is also a graduate of the University of Central Florida and the College for Financial Planning. He currently lives in Winter Springs, FL with his wife, Valerie, and four children. Away from the office, he enjoys diving, music, coaching, flying, and just about every sport. Additionally, he spends much of his free time supporting a variety of local charities, including Change MicroFund, of which he is a founder. John’s firm, Ledford Financial Group, is located at 605 East Robinson Street, Suite 640, Orlando, FL 32801. He can be reached at [email protected] or (407) 999-8998.