About Sparta Wealth Partners

Blair Thompson serves as Founder and President of Sparta Wealth Partners. Employing his strategic background, Blair has assembled a wealth of business and financial resource specialists to meet the full spectrum of client needs all in one place. As both an adviser and leader of Sparta, helping others be successful is truly Blair's passion. Formerly a Senior Vice President and HNW Relationship Manager with private banks, Blair delivered a full suite of private banking, investment management, wealth planning, trust, insurance and estate services to high net worth individuals and companies across the country. Prior to the private banking roles, Blair owned and operated his own firm, Thompson Financial Partners, that evolved from a career adviser to a fully independent model in the late 2000’s prior to being rolled into the bank channel. Blair is extremely bullish on the future of independent advisory and the customization and flexibility it offers sophisticated clients and fellow advisers. He brings a rare skillset for having demonstrated success in multiple approaches within the industry as a whole. This experience serves as a tremendous basis for helping successful business owners evaluate what banking products, offerings and services best meet their needs from an agnostic advocate or personal CFO type lens. Blair holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a Million Dollar Round Table, MDRT®, qualifying member, holds the Certified Wealth Strategist, CWS®, designation and is a perennial Chairman’s Council and Leaders Club qualifier with several institutions. Additionally, he qualified and was nominated for the Prestigious Top 100 Financial Advisers in the USA by Financial Planning magazine in 2017. He has also served on the boards of the Society of Financial Services Professionals, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers, Special Operator Transition Foundation, The Rosie Network and the SEAL Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation and is a member of Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, NC. While Blair is a civilian, he has served on a National Innovation Council with the Department of Defense and is a uniquely positioned strategic adviser to companies in the US Special Operations Command Network. Blair was also appointed as a Private Capital Adviser with NavalX, a government organization focused on connecting the US Navy with private sector companies, entrepreneurs and disruptive technology. He truly enjoys connecting clients and prospective clients to each other for helpful synergies and believes this adds tremendous value for a Sparta style community of trusted advocacy. Blair maintains his Series 7, 63, and 65 registrations along with life, health, disability and long term care insurance licenses. Blair’s motto is: “One Day or Day One. You Choose.”

Lori Copeland serves as Senior Advisor for Sparta Wealth Partners. Lori began her investment advisory career at SilverRock Wealth Partners as Director of Operations and Office Manager. Lori graduated Summa Cum Laude from the South Carolina Honors College at the University of South Carolina with a Finance degree from the Darla Moore School of Business in 1996. She began her career with Accenture as a management, process and technology consultant and finished her career there as a Senior Manager. She worked with Fortune 500 clients in the Financial Services and Energy sectors across North America, Europe and South America. Her consulting experience built an ideal foundation for her work as a financial advisor. Lori’s attention to detail, strong listening skills and commitment to excellence are just a few of the attributes her clients appreciate most. Lori strives for success in all that she does. She is supported by a team of investment management and product specialists whose expertise and depth of knowledge provides clients with the highest level of service. Lori and her husband live in Charlotte and share 4 children – 2 girls and 2 boys. When she isn’t supporting her clients, Lori can be found spending time with her family and friends, traveling, enjoying the outdoors and playing mahjong.

Andrew Burquest serves as a Partner and Advisor of Sparta Wealth Partners. He is passionate about building strong relationships and providing holistic solutions to the challenges faced by individuals and families. Every client is unique, and Andrew incorporates their priorities and objectives into each bespoke plan. Andrew leverages his distinctive background, and the specialist resources of Sparta Wealth Partners, to singularly fulfill client needs. Formerly a National Account Manager with TIAA, Andrew worked with large and boutique institutional investment managers across retirement plan, managed account, brokerage, and 529 plan businesses. He experienced customized investments solutions tailored to the requirements of sophisticated institutional clients and observed the inadequacy of investment opportunities offered to successful individuals. Prior to his institutional role, Andrew began his financial services career in private client advisory with Defender Capital. He developed comprehensive client-centric advisory experience and broad exposure to conventional equity and fixed income, as well as targeted private equity, alternative, and esoteric investment vehicles. Major Andrew Burquest is an Engineer Corp mustang in the North Carolina Army National Guard with over 20 years of military service. He has deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and mobilized near home to support North Carolina Emergency Management with hurricane and Covid-19 response missions. He has commanded at the Company level and served in key leader positions from platoon to Division/State. Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has been a CFA® Charter holder since 2013 and maintains Series 7 and 66 licenses.

Nick O’Kelly, CFP® serves as Head of Financial Planning and Advisor for Sparta Wealth Partners. He has a passion for working with others and helping them achieve their financial goals. Integrity, respect, communication, and transparency are characteristics that he emulates in every client-advisor relationship. He treats his clients as part of his extended family, as he has an intimate and vested interest in their future well-being. Nick is a teacher first and will always take the time to ensure his clients understand the financial plan and recommendations. Nick retired from the Army as a Chief Warrant Officer 3. He initially entered the Army with a Special Forces enlisted contract and served as a Green Beret in 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). He went on to attend flight school and became a Warrant Officer. After a short time flying in the regular Army, he assessed and was selected to become a Special Operations Blackhawk Pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). He has multiple combat deployments and several non-combat deployments worldwide. His experience in the Special Operations community taught him invaluable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. He has been surrounded by top-tier individuals and operates in fast-paced and demanding situations. Nick holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, which is recognized as the standard of excellence for the financial planning profession. Additionally, he is a Retirement Income Certified Professional®, holds life and health insurance licenses, and maintains his Series 63 and Series 65 registrations. Nick is originally from Seattle, WA and now lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife, Allison, and their children Logan and Skylar. In his free time, he enjoys sports, being outdoors, working out, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Nick’s motto is “Never settle for good enough”.