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Our People

Longevity, experience, and stability are among the defining attributes of Willis Investment Counsel and its team of investment professionals. Founded in 1979, the firm has managed investment portfolios for more than 30 years. Its six partners average 24 years in portfolio management, with the operations and administrative staff members averaging seven years in the industry. Four of the firm’s six principals have known each other for more than 25 years, and the founding principals likewise have worked together for more than 27 years. No investment professional has withdrawn from WIC in more than twelve years.

The Willis Investment Counsel investment professionals include:

Robert G. Pennington
Managing Principal & CEO
bpennington@wicinvest.com

Mr. Pennington is the managing principal and chief executive officer of Willis Investment Counsel. In addition to his firm management duties, he serves on the Investment Committee, which is responsible for the development and implementation of the investment policy of the firm. Prior to joining WIC in 2004, Mr. Pennington was a vice president of Emory University and a partner with the Atlanta-based law firm of King & Spalding where his practice of twenty years involved nationally based experience in commercial real estate and finance (including public and private debt and equity financing), corporate law and related practice areas. Mr. Pennington is a four-time graduate of Emory University, holding a law degree from Emory University School of Law, an MBA in finance from Goizueta Business School, a bachelor of arts degree, with honors, from Emory College, and an associate in arts degree from Oxford College of Emory University. In addition to serving a number of civic organizations, he is a member of the CFA Institute and the Atlanta Society of Financial Analysts.

James J. Kilroy
Principal and Portfolio Manager
jkilroy@wicinvest.com

Mr. Kilroy is a principal of Willis Investment Counsel, having responsibility for security analysis and portfolio management. He also serves on the firm’s Investment Committee. Prior to joining WIC, Mr. Kilroy was an analyst with Abingdon Capital Management in McLean, Virginia, where he developed investment models, qualitative reports, and scenario analysis utilized to identify mispriced securities. Mr. Kilroy’s seven-year tenure at Abingdon Capital was preceded by two years as an equity research associate at Bear, Stearns & Co. in New York, and four years as an associate in the Real Estate Corporate Finance Division of SunTrust Equitable Securities in Atlanta.

Mr. Kilroy holds a BS in Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Julie A. Skaggs
Principal

Ms. Skaggs is a principal with Willis Investment Counsel, having primary responsibility for client relations and business development. She has over 27 years of experience in the legal, plan sponsor and investment management arenas. After obtaining a JD from the University of Kentucky College of Law and an LLM in taxation from the University of Miami College of Law, Ms. Skaggs practiced ERISA/employee benefits law at the Atlanta-based firm of Kilpatrick Stockton, followed by service as employee benefits counsel for Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. In 1994, Ms. Skaggs joined INVESCO, Inc., a global independent investment management firm based in Atlanta. AT INVESCO, Ms. Skaggs was part of the senior management team that developed its defined contribution unit, after which she moved to the money management unit as General Counsel and ultimately Chief Operating Officer. In 2002, Ms. Skaggs became a partner in the Atlanta investment management firm of Buckhead Capital Management. Ms. Skaggs is a member of the Board of Trustees of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, serving on its finance and endowment committees. She also currently serves as Chair of the Executive Committee of English for Successful Living, a non-profit organization, and is an active member of the Society for International Business Fellows and Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church.

Wendell M. Starke, CFA
Principal

Mr. Starke is Chairman of the Willis Investment Counsel Investment Committee. He was a founding partner of INVESCO, Inc., an independent investment management firm founded in 1979 in Atlanta. While at INVESCO, Mr. Starke was responsible for the development of stock and bond management methodologies that made INVESCO a leading global investment management firm. He was INVESCO's president and chief investment officer from 1979 through 1992. From 1992 through 1999, Mr. Starke served as Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of INVESCO, Inc., the parent company of INVESCO Capital Management and other North American money management subsidiaries. Mr. Starke also served Chairman of the Investment Committee of AMVESCAP, PLC, the London-based parent company of the worldwide INVESCO organization. After a distinguished career at INVESCO, Mr. Starke withdrew in 1999 to pursue various business interests. He holds an undergraduate business degree (summa cum laude) from Auburn University and is a member of the first MBA graduating class at Auburn. Mr. Starke is a member of the Girls and Boys Town National Board of Trustees, as well as a former president of the Atlanta Society of Financial Analysts and a former chairman of the State YMCA of Georgia.

Pamela Burdett Willis, CFA
Principal

Ms. Willis is a principal with Willis Investment Counsel, having responsibility for research and investment analysis. Prior to joining WIC in 1982, Ms. Willis was a partner in the Atlanta public accounting firm of Smith & Radigan. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from the University of Georgia.

Ms Willis is a former Certified Public Accountant, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and a member of the CFA Institute and the Atlanta Society of Financial Analysts.

Robert T. Willis, Jr., CPA, CFA
Principal

Mr. Willis is the founding principal of Willis Investment Counsel and serves as its chief investment officer. In addition, he is the chief compliance officer of the firm and serves on the Investment Committee.

Prior to founding WIC in 1979, Mr. Willis was a tax accountant in the Atlanta office of Arthur Andersen & Company. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and is accredited in business valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Mr. Willis holds a bachelor of business administration degree, with high distinction, from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

He is a member of the AICPA, the Georgia Society of CPA's, the CFA Institute, and the Atlanta Society of Financial Analysts. He is also a former trustee and investment committee member of the State of Georgia Employee Pension Fund.

Peter D. Miller
Investment Strategist

Mr. Miller is Investment Strategist at Willis Investment Counsel where his principal responsibilities include equity security analysis and portfolio management. Prior to joining WIC, he was Regional Chief Executive Officer of Regions Financial Corporation. With more than three decades of experience in banking and finance, Mr. Miller is a proven leader in financial business circles and is widely known and respected for his successes with Regions Bank. Prior to becoming President and Chief Administrative Officer of First National Bancorp, which was acquired by Regions Financial Corporation in 1996, Mr. Miller served in a variety of positions at the bank including, among others, security analyst, portfolio manager, and trust department head.

Mr. Miller's commitment to community service includes currently chairing the Brenau University Board of Trustees, and previously serving Brenau as an instructor and chair of the Brenau Annual Fund Drive. He has chaired the Northeast Georgia Council Boy Scouts Capital Campaign and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Miller is a recipient of the Bronze Star from his service in the U.S. Army, and he holds a business degree in Finance from Georgia State University.

Kelli M. Wright
Senior Portfolio Administrator

Ms. Wright is the senior portfolio administrator for Willis Investment Counsel and serves on the firm’s Investment Committee. She oversees securities trading, the portfolio accounting and client reporting system, and portfolio monitoring for client specific investment policy compliance.

Prior to joining WIC, Ms. Wright served as a financial advisor for the private banking group of Wachovia Bank of Georgia. Ms. Wright holds a Bachelor of Science degree and an MBA degree (concentration in finance) from Auburn University.