Our Team
Jim Tracy
Founding Partner CEO
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Jim Tracy is a founding partner and CEO of Xcelerate Growth Partners. His background and previous successes in wealth management uniquely qualify him to help deliver on the primary goal of this business….. growth! Xcelerate was built to fill known gaps in the industry with other partners and expert alliances working to drive growth.
Prior to starting Xcelerate, Jim Tracy was a Managing Director and a Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. He has a 38-year history with the firm and has been instrumental in leading, building, and driving results in many key initiatives.
Jim started his career as a Financial Advisor and achieved success at many levels of field leadership as a Branch Manager and then as a Regional Director. His background has helped him gain a unique perspective and deep understanding of both individual and institutional client needs, and the significant importance of the advisor/client relationship.
In 2005, Morgan Stanley appointed Jim as Head of the industry leading Consulting Group Managed Account business and the Institutional Consulting business, now known as Graystone Consulting. Under Jim’s leadership, the Consulting Group has become the leading advisory program in the industry with over $2 trillion in assets. In addition, his team has created substantial innovation and enhancements that paved the way for significant practice management improvements and efficiencies.
Jim has been recognized many times by his peers across the industry. In 2018 he received the Pioneer Award from the Managed Money Institute (MMI) and also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors. Jim has authored many articles, presentations, and keynote speeches on industry trends and innovation in the financial services industry. His forward thinking about the future financial advisor has helped prepare many advisors to be on the leading edge of change.
Jim and his wife Joey live in Powell, Ohio. They have 3 children, Lauren, JJ and Jamison.
Jim has also developed a strong reputation for giving back, mentoring others, driving leadership in diversity and inclusion initiatives, and as a culture carrier for Morgan Stanley. One of Jim’s proudest moments in his career was being selected as one of the first male members of MAKERS in recognition of his advocacy, support, and development of professional women in wealth management.
Mary Deatherage
Founding Partner President
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Mary M. Deatherage is a co-founder of Xcelerate Growth Partners LLC, a digital and live training platform serving wealth advisors, their management teams, investment providers and potential investors. The firm focuses on issues like teaming, succession planning, wealth management best practices, investment management, and financial planning topics.
Until July 2023, Mary led The Deatherage Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, a financial advisory Team with offices in Coral Gables, FL and New York, New York. The Team provided comprehensive wealth planning, asset allocation, investment management including social impact investing, tax, trust and estate strategies, philanthropy management and family wealth education along with lifestyle advisory services. Her clientele consists of high-net-worth individuals and families as well as large foundations and pension plans.
Mary started her financial career as a CPA and audit manager at Coopers & Lybrand in New York City and Detroit. She subsequently became a financial advisor and has been with Morgan Stanley since 1986.
Mary has received numerous industry honors and distinctions. For seventeen consecutive years, Barron’s has named her one of their “Top 1,200 Advisors” in the US. In 2022, Barron’s named Mary #19 in its survey of “Top Women Financial Advisors in America”, and she was recognized as one of 2021’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors”. She is a Barron’s “Hall of Fame Advisor.” Also in 2022, Forbes Magazine named her #15 on their “Top Women Wealth Advisors” list and #4 on their “America’s Best-in- State Private Wealth Advisors: New Jersey” list. In 2022, Forbes ranked Mary #154 on their “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” list. Mary was named a “MAKER: Women Who Make America” as a representative of Morgan Stanley in 2014.
Paul Blease
Head of Practice Management
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With 40 years in finance, Paul transitioned from helming a successful advisory practice to senior executive roles. Specializing in shaping multimillion-dollar teams, he’s also twice established coaching departments from scratch. Paul’s journey reflects not just success, but a deeper pursuit of significance, blending professional acumen with profound purpose.
Experienced
With over 40 years of experience in the financial services industry Paul built his own successful advisory practice, transitioned to branch and complex management, before becoming a senior executive.
Entrepreneurial
As someone who twice created a coaching and consulting department from scratch, with two major financial institutions, Paul both has and understands the entrepreneurial mindset of taking calculated risks and constant initiative to achieve extraordinary success.
Tara Forrest
Business Management/Operations
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Tara Forrest has over 25 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, with roles in Product Management, Advisory businesses, Business Development, Risk and Branch Operations. She spent most of her career at Morgan Stanley and also worked at Wells Fargo as well as Barings Asset Management.
She has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from California State University Fullerton and an MBA from Bryant University in Rhode Island. In addition, she has obtained several FINRA licenses over the course of her career.
Tara is originally from Massachusetts and currently resides in North Carolina. In her free time she is found enjoying time hiking or on her boat on Lake Hickory with her canine companion.