James A. Combs Jr.

President and CEO
Director, National Advisors Holdings, Inc., National Advisors Trust Company, and National Advisors Trust South Dakota, Inc.

Jim has served as President and CEO of National Advisors since April 2013. Under Jim’s leadership in his first five years, National Advisors expanded its affiliate firms by 50% and helped grow its advisor network over 40-fold. He helped architect the firm’s expansion and distribution into CPA and bank channels and established its dual trust jurisdiction infrastructure.   

Throughout his career, Jim has helped manage businesses ranging from start-ups to large enterprises. A strategic thinker and problem-solver, Jim has a passion for building and leading high-performance teams through the business transformation process. During his financial services career, Jim has held leadership assignments in operations, administration, information technology, product management, and enterprise project management at firms such as Bankers Trust Company, The Global Processing Alliance, Wachovia Operational Services Corporation, Wilmington Trust Company, and SEI.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Science in engineering in the management of technology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a US Army veteran having served in the US and Europe. He also holds the Certified Cash Manager (CCM) and Certified Securities Operations Professional (CSOP) designations. Jim is active in supporting a cure for cancer, disabled veterans, youth lacrosse programs, professional mentoring, and local parish activities. Jim and his wife Susan reside in Kansas City.