Our Associates

Growing up in Quincy, John Stevenson learned about the investment business by spending time with his father, John, Sr., who became an advisor in 1971. John, Sr. laid the foundation for his team’s work and made an impact on the community that he loved. Continuing his legacy is one of the key goals of Stevenson Paxton Group of Wells Fargo Advisors.

Prior to joining the family business, John completed his undergraduate degree at DePauw University and earned his MBA and law degrees at Emory University. He formerly practiced law for seven years in Atlanta and Quincy with a focus on business law, tax, and estate planning. In 2002, things came full circle for John when he made the switch to the investment industry. He was fortunate to benefit from his father’s extensive experience and the example he set as a community leader.

In his role as a Managing Director – Investment Officer at the practice, John enjoys working on the consultative side, helping where he can with higher level strategic issues. He tends to handle institutional clients and assist high-net-worth families with estate planning scenarios that can often be quite complex.

John believes that his team offers outstanding service thanks to each advisor’s high level of education and broad base of experience.  

In addition to investment expertise, they are skilled at taking deep dives into areas where their clients want further advice. Whether it’s a car purchase or making the right college choice, the team brings value by assisting clients as they make important life decisions.

In his hometown of Quincy, John is active with the JW Gardner II Foundation, Quincy Country Club, the Moorman Foundation, and the Quincy Area Project. He and his wife have two sons, and they enjoy CrossFit, golf, cars, wine, reading, travel, scuba diving, and skiing.

The path to one’s future often involves an unexpected turn or two, as it did for Bill Paxton. After earning his electrical engineering degree in 1987, Bill was hired by General Electric as a sales engineer, to market complicated locomotive products that required a personable engineer to sell. Ten years later, he was approached by John Stevenson, Sr. to join his investment business as a Financial Advisor. Bill made the unlikely switch from a reciprocating compressor marketing manager for Gardner Denver to advising investors.

Bill is the team’s lead Financial Advisor on retirement plans, responsible for the plan design and annual plan reviews, and he is often the support for plan participants who call in. The team’s onboarding process for new clients can be as simple as suggesting a mutual fund or as complex as a detailed plan involving the eMoney® planning tool, coordinated with a client’s support personnel and other professionals such as accountants, bankers, and lawyers. Bill and his team have in-depth experience servicing any level of client.

We believe the team’s strengths lie in their approach to estate investment planning, business succession, and corporate and insurance solutions. They understand the complexity of situations clients present, and they devise appropriate solutions – that’s what they believe separates their team from their competition. Bill and his team enjoy working with clients who value their advice and ability to address many scenarios. At the heart of all they do is a desire to help clients define and meet their goals.

Outside of work, Bill is very active in the Quincy community, serving a variety of organizations including past board member of Advocacy Network for Children/CASA, past president of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County, past Executive Board of Mississippi Valley Scouts BSA and his church. Bill and his wife, Pattie, enjoy traveling, and he is a longtime collector of vintage items, especially 19th century cast iron coin banks. Bill enjoys spending time with his two sons who both currently attend the University of Nebraska.

Brandon Miles is a Financial Advisor and Institutional Consultant with the Stevenson Paxton Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. Since joining the practice in 2012 and becoming a Financial Advisor in 2017, he has developed broad experience advising individuals, families, and nonprofit institutions on complex financial decisions. As part of a four-advisor team, Brandon contributes to a collaborative and disciplined approach to financial advice, thoughtful planning, and lasting client relationships.

Brandon begins by listening. He meets clients where they are in their financial lives and develops practical guidance around what matters most to them.

That same thoughtful approach also guides Brandon’s work with nonprofit and institutional clients. He assists boards and leadership teams with investment policy, portfolio oversight, and fiduciary decision-making. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification, a distinction reflecting extensive education, experience, examination, and ethical requirements. His areas of focus include investment and risk management, cash flow planning, and tax-sensitive and estate planning strategies.

A Quincy native and lifelong area resident, Brandon brings a deep connection to the community he serves. He values the confidence clients place in him and finds particular meaning in advising individuals, families, and organizations whose relationships with him often extend well beyond the office.

Outside the office, Brandon and his wife, Morgan, are busy raising their three children. His interests include golf, cooking, music, and following the St. Louis Cardinals. The family belongs to the Church of St. Peter and volunteers at events throughout the community.

David Janus began his professional career at Scottrade in St. Louis Mo. He was tasked with ensuring the accuracy of market data the firm provided clients. Later he was charged with leading various business groups to develop advisory portfolio’s to higher net worth clients. Eager to help clients with major financial decisions and investment planning, he accepted a position in Quincy as a Financial Advisor for another firm. David moved his practice to Wells Fargo Advisors in 2019 to expand his ability to offer investment solutions and add additional value to his clients. David’s passion for helping others led him to expand his financial knowledge and passed the exam to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, earning the certification in 2019.

Prior to entering the industry, David Earned his Bachelors in Business Economics & Finance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. While attending SIUE he traveled to China and visited Beijing, Xiamen, and Shanghai. He studied the country’s supply chain and visited Chinese historical sites like the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square, and he also attended the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. He then earned his Masters of Business Administration from Lindenwood University in St. Louis, MO.

Managing multiple duties, David will focus on retirement plans, insurance, and investment planning.

On the personal side, David and his wife, Taylor have two children, as well as two dogs.  He enjoys: exercising, history, sport shooting, hunting and cooking (especially barbeque).  David is a board member of the Mississippi Valley Scouts BSA and an Eagle Scout, and volunteers with Ducks Unlimited. An avid sports fan, David is one of more than 350,000 proud owners of the Green Bay Packers.

Whitney was born and raised in Quincy, Illinois, and attended John Wood Community College. She graduated from the Aveda Institute of Washington D.C. She is a member of The Crossing Church and loves spending time outdoors. You may also recognize her from her years as an exceptional server at Thyme Square, where her strong work ethic and attention to detail stood out.

For the past 1.5 years, Whitney has been a dedicated part of the Stevenson Paxton Group, working closely with Amy as she retires and with Cindy as she prepares for retirement. During this time, she has gained deep experience in the team’s systems and operational processes. 

Whitney is a proud mom to her son and loves spending time with her family. She looks forward to continuing to provide the high level of service clients have come to expect from the Stevenson Paxton Group.

Taylor is a lifelong Quincy resident and Quincy University graduate with a degree in psychology. She has over 18 years of customer service experience and a genuine passion for helping clients.

Since joining our team, Taylor has jumped right in—working closely with Amy Zanger, Cindy Schulte, and Whitney Barnes as she learns our systems and supports our clients with enthusiasm and care.

Outside the office, Taylor enjoys time with her husband and daughter, stays active at Madison Park Church, and loves reading or shopping with her family. Her warmth, dedication, and eagerness to grow make her a wonderful addition to our team.