Meet Our Team

Joel is the founder and Managing Director of Old Compass Financial. He has a BS in Accounting (Cum Laude) from the University of South Carolina and a Masters in Accountancy from the University of Florida. After passing the CPA exam while in graduate school, Joel worked for seven years at two Big Four accounting firms, and then transitioned to the asset-based lending field exam marketplace where he has worked for over 20 years. In his role as Division Field Exam Manager at Wells Fargo Capital Finance, Joel led a team of eight field examiners, taught entry and mid-level field examination courses, served as liaison to the Government Services lending division, and participated directly in hundreds of field examinations throughout North America and Europe.

Joel enjoys digging into financial statements, formulating exam teams, motivating others to perform at high levels, spending time outdoors with his family on the South Carolina coast, and traveling to live sporting events.

David's career as an ABL field examiner spans several decades and includes internal bank positions at Citicorp, Chase, SunTrust, Regions, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting major) from Georgia State University and previously held a CPA license in Georgia. David's growth in the industry coincides with numerous advances in global technology, which has allowed him to continuously learn new strategies and approaches that consistently provide for efficient field exams. David's deep knowledge of banking and collateral has earned him training roles at numerous banks; he has also been tasked with scheduling responsibility and exam template conversions in conjunction with technology improvements.

When he is not analyzing financial data, David enjoys an active lifestyle of camping, hiking, traveling, and visiting family in all regions of the United States.

Derek brings an operations perspective to Old Compass Financial with more than nine years of business leadership and logistics experience. After earning his BS in Business Administration from The Citadel, Derek began his career working at Chick-fil-A where he was ultimately promoted to Senior Operations Director of two franchises. During this time, he also served as a Logistics Officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard where he commanded a Forward Support Company supporting a Field Artillery Battalion in the U.S. Army. After completing his military career, Derek transitioned into the ABL field exam market and has learned the intricacies of government services and factoring field exams. He has also successfully led exams of multi-billion dollar credit facilities and participated in a large fraud investigation. Derek brings business operations, leadership, and logistics experience across both the private and government sectors to field examination matters.

Derek enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, living an active lifestyle outdoors, and enjoying time with friends.

Sherry's varied career experience started with performing audits of various state-funded institutions, preparing tax returns, and providing auditing and bookkeeping services to businesses in Florida and South Carolina. Before joining the Old Compass Financial team, Sherry was also an originations associate at Wells Fargo Capital Finance, where she performed due diligence and underwriting for borrowers in the middle market, commercial services, and corporate finance sectors. Sherry earned a BS in Accounting and Tax from Coastal Carolina University and an MBA from Webster University.

Sherry enjoys time with her husband and son, going to the mountains for hiking, fishing, and canoeing, and downtime at the beach listening to the ocean waves and smelling the salty air. She is an avid reader of actual books, working on puzzles and playing games with her son on cold rainy days.

Ray is a deeply experienced veteran of the banking industry and a graduate of the Driehaus College of Business with an Accounting major at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. He has experience in all facets of asset-based lending, including field exams, account management, underwriting, and business development. After earning his CPA license in 1984, Ray began his career in Chicago and relocated to Dallas in the late 1990s. Ray is active in all field exam functions, including execution, supervision, and management. Prior to joining Old Compass Financial, Ray held positions at LaSalle Business Credit, Finova Capital Corporation and Wells Fargo Capital Finance.

Ray is an active traveler, visiting four continents and 48 of 50 states. He enjoys hiking, biking, attending live music performances, and playing piano. In addition, he spends his free time visiting six grandchildren.

Sonny has over 25 years of due diligence and field exam experience with large, nationwide asset-based lenders including Bank of America and Wells Fargo. He has managed a variety of prime and sub-prime exams in the manufacturing, distribution, retail, and specialty finance industries. Given his extensive experience in the ABL market, Sonny is skilled in communicating with originations, underwriting, credit risk, and portfolio management while evaluating the underlying risk profiles of both prospective and recurring borrowers. He considers traveling to all regions of the United States, Europe, and Asia a benefit to his role as a field examiner.

Outside of work, Sonny is passionate about his family, physical fitness, golfing, and tennis. With roots in both Chicago and Dallas, he is perpetually challenged to balance allegiances between the Bulls, Bears, Mavericks, and Cowboys. Sonny also finds time annually to volunteer on medical mission trips to the Philippines to provide community health services to those in need.

Damon's career path prior to joining Old Compass Financial includes positions in hospitality, business management, entrepreneurship, and data science. After receiving a BS from The College of Charleston, Damon progressed from management trainee to director of hospitality in the food service industry. He then earned a Data Analysis Certification from an Apple affiliate and ultimately started his small business. Damon has since transitioned to the ABL market where he combines his skills in data analysis and customer service to contribute as a valued analyst at Old Compass Financial. Damon has performed core testing and analysis on multiple field exams of credit facilities up to $25 million.

Outside of work, Damon values his role as husband and father; he also enjoys working out, playing golf, and creating content for social media. Occasionally, you'll find him spending time on the slopes with his snowboard.

Chris is a seasoned professional bringing over a decade of experience in sales, operations, leadership and team building, including eight years at Ryder System, Inc., where he advanced through roles in rental sales and commercial leasing, ultimately serving as a Business and Customer Development Manager in the Mountain West. Chris holds a BS in Management and an MBA from Berry College. His core competencies include leadership, employee training, cross-divisional coordination, sales development and strategic communications. Chris joined the Old Compass Financial team in 2024, where he leverages his knowledge and experience to perform data analysis, validate reported collateral and conduct onsite testing at borrower locations in the Western Region.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys hiking, camping, reading and the continued pursuit of learning.

John graduated from The Citadel with a degree in Business Administration, focusing on Accounting. After working for two years in the Audit and Assurance practice at PWC, he transitioned to graduate school and earned an MBA from The Citadel. Following his MBA, John served as a Senior Operations Director for seven years in the service industry before beginning his career in Asset-Based Lending (ABL) at Old Compass Financial. He is skilled in all aspects of field examinations, drawing on his deep accounting and auditing knowledge. John also brings a service-based mentality to his work, enabling him to effectively interact with both lenders and borrowers.

In his free time, John enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, going to the beach, and being with friends and family.