The McGriff Alliance

Designing financial strategies to support what matters most to you.

Our Mission

We are passionate about guiding people so that they can enjoy their lives without worrying about how they will get out of debt, build wealth, or leave a legacy for generations to come. By educating them about innovative strategies, some hiding in plain sight, we strive to welcome our clients to the Land of Possibilities!

Our Story

Founder, Joel McGriff, started working in the financial industry during a unique time, in the early 1980s. Interest rates reached incredible highs and the stock market had just plodded through an extreme flat period. Upon taking a job with a large institution concentrating initially in life insurance planning, he learned a great deal from experienced advisors in the firm.

Through years of experience, Joel has learned that traditional financial planning simply does not work and has failed many who have invested hard earned money, only to lose out in the long term.

Why did Joel decide to abandon traditional methods that most financial advisors encourage? Ultimately, it’s because he no longer believes that the solutions and typical advice provided by large institutions are serving the best interests of clients.

Unfortunately, it’s all guesswork when it comes to advisors determining how much their investments might earn as well as future costs, taxes, and inflation.

If you’re tired of crossing your fingers and hoping that the stock market doesn’t crash, we may have the answers you’re looking for, starting with one simple question.

What matters most to you?

The answer is different for everyone. Joel says:

“When I asked myself this surprisingly powerful question, it transformed the way I looked at my family’s future. It also changed how I thought about helping my clients and their families to identify, design, and achieve what mattered most to them, both now and for generations to come.”

The McGriff Alliance represents a different path to prosperity – a less traveled, yet proven path that will help you build wealth with greater confidence and less worry.

Our Team

Joel McGriff

Joel McGriff

Joel began his financial services career with the Principal Financial Group in Minneapolis. In 1985, Joel moved to Birmingham to build a practice around the many relationships he had developed while growing up in North Alabama.

Bill McGriff

Bill McGriff

Bill founded McGriff, Dowdy & Associates in 1975 and in his 15 years as President and Managing Partner, grew the accounting firm from a staff of one to a staff of 60 with offices in six north Alabama cities.

Colton McGriff

Colton McGriff

After earning his B.S. in Economics from Covenant College, he furthered his education in Southampton, England with a Master’s degree in International Business Management. Colton joined forces with Joel in 2018 as a financial coach to help clients navigate the confusion of the financial world and gain clarity on innovative personal finance solutions.

Kierson Madding

Kierson Madding

Kierson graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting followed by a Master’s degree in Accounting with a Tax concentration. She worked in Dallas, TX as a tax professional at PricewaterhouseCoopers before joining The McGriff Alliance.

Janet Saab

Janet Saab

Janet began her career after graduating from the University of Alabama with a BA in Journalism. She provides multi-level support for our team as well as for our clients.