John McNeil is senior partner at Mobile Bay Financial, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who established the firm in 1922. He studied finance at the University of Alabama and joined the practice in 1979.
Focused on helping his clients retire with confidence, John emphasizes retirement income distribution and helping clients maximize income while minimizing taxes. He is also a Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow.
John is married to his high school sweetheart, Martha. Together they have three children, Mac, Robert, and Virginia, as well as four grandchildren. An active member of his community, John has served on the board of directors of several organizations:
Mobile native Virginia McNeil joined Mobile Bay Financial in May 2012, representing the fourth generation of her family to join the firm. Virginia graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science in consumer sciences with a concentration in family financial planning from the University of Alabama and served as president of the Capstone Financial Planning Association.
Before joining the firm, Virginia spent a year at an insurance wholesaler in Birmingham, Alabama, to gain experience in multiple facets of the financial industry. Her product knowledge and well-rounded approach to financial planning have made her a valuable asset to the firm.
Virginia is not new to working at Mobile Bay Financial, having worked at the firm during her college summer breaks and developing a passion for the industry. Seeing how her father, her grandfather, and the other advisors at the firm helped so many people in such a tremendous way drew Virginia to the profession.
Virginia and her husband, Grey, were married in April of 2016. Together, they have two dogs: Bama, a black lab, and Lilly, a yellow lab. In February 2018, they welcomed their first child, McNeil Marie O’Brien, to the world and in July 2019 they became a family of four after welcoming their second child, William Charles O’Brien.
In addition to providing successful financial strategies for her clients, Virginia is also a dedicated community volunteer. Since returning to her hometown, Virginia has been active with the Centre of Living Arts, helping to nurture Mobile’s growing artistic young professional population. She was also selected as a candidate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2014 Man & Woman of the Year campaign, an honor celebrating those who have raised significant funds for the society.
Shane Cole has been a member of the Mobile Bay Financial team for the past five years, providing comprehensive, in-force policy and account servicing to all clients. With more than 20 years of office management experience, she assists with applications and account openings and is the primary contact for fund transfers, distributions, and general account servicing. Shane lives in Mobile with her husband, Steve; they have two grown children.
Courtney joined the Mobile Bay Financial team in August of 2022. A graduate of the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s in communications, she has a background in marketing and communications. Courtney and her husband Jeb recently relocated back to Mobile after living in Pensacola, FL, for the past few years. They have one son named Welles and a German Shepard named Rey. She is excited to form long-lasting relationships with our current and future clients while bringing her knowledge and experience to Mobile Bay Financial.
Bama, the official mascot of Mobile Bay Financial, is the only four-legged member of the firm. Bama studied at the University of Alabama and majored in Family Financial Planning, along with Virginia, graduating in 2011. She has been a vital part of the firm since May of 2012. Bama is not only the official mascot of the office but also the official squirrel watcher. Not one squirrel darts by her window that she doesn’t keep a close eye on. Bama enjoys swimming, squirrel hunting, playing fetch, and belly rubs. Bama is proud to be the fifth generation of McNeils to work with the firm.