Mike Palmer, CFP®
Managing Principal
Prior to founding Ark Royal Wealth Management, Mike Palmer spent over twenty-five years in the trust and wealth management fields.
A native of Raleigh, Mike’s career includes financial advisory and senior management positions at Central Carolina Bank, First Union National Bank and Trust Company of the South. He is a graduate of Broughton High School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Mike is an active member in several professional organizations including the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the Wake County Estate Planning Council. In 2006, he was one of ten advisors from across the nation to be selected to serve on TIAA-CREF’s Board of Financial Advisors.
He was a founding member of the Dimensional Fund Advisors National Study Group (DFA NSG), comprised of ten advisors from several of the country’s leading independent Registered Investment Advisory firms. Mike’s civic involvement includes membership on the Administrative Board of Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, the UNC Educational Foundation’s Planned Giving Council and the Lacy Foundation Board. His past service includes serving on the boards of North Carolina Amateur Sports and the Raleigh Capitals Athletic Association.
Mike is a frequent writer and speaker, having articles published on financial planning and investing. He has been quoted on a variety of financial planning topics by national publications including Investment News, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Wealth Manager and SmartMoney. He and his wife, Meredith, have four children. He has coached youth baseball and basketball and enjoyed a decade long career as a Division I basketball referee.
Ark Royal Wealth Management
Zach Palmer, CFP®
Wealth Advisor
Zach joins Ark Royal Wealth Management with over five years in the financial services and wealth management industry.
Zach grew up in Raleigh and graduated from Broughton High School. He moved to Charlotte after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His advisory career includes stints at Vanguard and Modera Wealth Management where he completed his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.
He is an active member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), the Financial Planning Association (FPA), and Charlotte Young Professional Group (CYPG).
Zach enjoys spending time playing basketball, pickleball, and golf. He was a member of the UNC Junior Varsity basketball team for two years during his time at UNC and he remains a loyal UNC athletics fan. A fun fact about Zach is he helped lead Broughton to the state 4A championship game as a senior. He and his wife, Rachel Smitherman, tied the knot in June of 2024.
Nick Ross, CFP®
Financial Planning Associate
Nick joined Ark Royal Wealth Management as an intern in 2021 during his final two years of school before beginning as a full-time financial planner after graduation in 2023.
Nick is a native of Apex and a graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in finance and minor in accounting. While serving clients at Ark Royal, Nick completed the requirements to earn his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.
Nick is a passionate supporter of all NC State athletics and spends his fall Saturdays in Carter-Finley Stadium cheering on the Wolfpack. He is an avid golfer and looks forward to annual trips with family and friends to some iconic courses. Nick regularly travels to Wilmington during basketball season to watch his brother, Noah, on the court for the UNCW Seahawks. His German Shepherd, Mia, makes occasional trips to help him at the office and is the unofficial mascot of Ark Royal.
Lisa Shirley
Client Service Consultant
Lisa is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with two decades of financial services experience. She and her husband David live in Apex and have two children. Lisa has a passion for college basketball and live music, especially Bruce Springsteen who she has seen live 35 times! Lisa is a proven talent who enjoys working with clients, with high follow through and attention to detail. She has a gift for telling you what she thinks, but in the most gracious way.