Our History

Telarray co-founders Cliff Paessler and Andy Shaul met in 1992 in Memphis and started their first accounting firm in 1993. That year, they began with $30 million in assets and had doubled that number by the end of the following year. The firm – then called Dunavant, Dickey, Paessler, and Shaul — began with a focus on accounting, but Cliff and Andy soon realized that their clients wanted more from them. Clients were asking bigger questions:

“Am I okay? Do I have a plan for retirement? Am I going to be able to provide for my family?”

Listening carefully to their clients changed their investment mindset and led them to develop a unique service model to ensure that clients would find answers to those questions by finding steady financial growth and peace of mind. Their unique model, called the Observatory Process, uses detailed personal analysis to evaluate and assess a client’s financial goals, and is updated continuously as clients’ financial needs change.

The firm, FSG Financial Advisors, restructured in 1999, with Cliff overseeing the operation of the investment firm and Andy supervising the accounting/tax side of the business. In 2005, Cliff and Andy led the firm into a new practice called Financial Strategy Group Investment Management.

In 2017, the firm became Telarray, a name based on the Greek prefix “tel,” meaning far away, and “array,” signifying the wide range of tools that are used to help clients plan for their long-term financial success. That same year, Richard Paessler became President of Telarray, after joining the firm five years earlier as Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Marketing Officer.

Telarray handles a broad portfolio of investments for clients all over the country, with services for everyone from those just beginning an investment journey to senior corporate leaders with complicated compensation packages. Telarray has always been a fee-only fiduciary, which means the success of the firm depends on the success of our clients.

When the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020, the people of Telarray were able to move home and continue to serve their clients’ needs seamlessly, thanks to the firm’s strategic planning and investment in robust systems and technology. The firm has continued to grow, and in early 2021, celebrated a significant milestone: $1 billion of assets under management.

“We will always be grateful to our clients and their trust in our ability to plan and manage their financial futures during this unsettled time,” Richard Paessler said. “We will never stop working to serve you, and look forward to more good things to come.”