DELIVERING FINANCIAL ADVICE WITH PASSION & INTEGRITY
DARBY SIMMONS, CFP®, PRESIDENT
SENIOR PORTFOLIO MANAGER
I was born in Baltimore and graduated from Towson State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pure Mathematics. I worked my way through college in the kitchens of The Crease and Peerce’s Plantation, while also founding my own fraternity and serving as the Vice President of the Student Council.
In 1998, I started my advisory career with Legg Mason which was a great experience. I learned the tenets of value investing and the hallmarks of professionalism. It also taught me to focus on what would ultimately become the core of The Simmons Partnership ethos: making clients the most money, after fees and taxes, without undue risk.
That experience took two unexpected turns: the sale of Legg Mason’s advisor division to Citigroup (Smith Barney) in 2005 and the ultimate rescue sale of Smith Barney to Morgan Stanley in 2009, following the Great Financial Crisis. Those two “mergers” were gut-wrenching and difficult for my staff and my clients. However, the experience provided me with an inside look at how the large New York wire-houses operate (which gave me intimate knowledge of my competition) and it fueled a desire to open my own independent Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm. In 2011, I did just that, forming The Simmons Partnership, LLC.
In a way, I am fortunate to have guided my clients through two of the biggest boom and bust cycles of the past century—the Dot-com Bubble of the late 1990s and early 2000s and the Great Financial Crisis from 2007 to 2009. Though I would never choose to live through them again, those events provided me a lifetime of investing experience in a short amount of time.
As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), I take a holistic approach to wealth management, partnering with my clients on all aspects of their financial planning, including investment management, taxes, retirement, college savings, planned giving, and estate planning. Clients come to me not only for my proven skill and decades of experience as an advisor, but because of my work ethic and passion for educating them. My work ethic demonstrates my commitment to their success and my willingness to educate clients fosters trust and encourages them to be an active partner in the financial planning process.
I grew up playing baseball and lacrosse and spent the last 30 years racing sailboats. I am desperately trying to master golf which may turn out to be a life-long pursuit. I live in Glen Arm with my wife, Meredith, our dogs (Lydia and Putter), cat (Reeces), and horse (Will).
If you’re frustrated by your current advisor/firm and think that I can add some needed perspective, please give me a call or email me. 
Ricci L. Reber, Ph.D.
Chief Economist and Portfolio Manager
Ricci and Darby met in 2003 after Darby posted an opportunity for an internship in his Legg Mason office. Ricci spent the first part of his career working in various risk management, corporate finance, and investment management roles in the Baltimore area for Euler Hermes, ACI (a division of German insurer, Allianz), Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.
In 2011, Ricci took a detour from finance and accepted a position as an economist with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, where he was responsible for estimating quarterly and annual GDP-by-industry and input-output statistics for the finance and insurance sectors. While working on a paper on forecasting methods at BEA, he met his future wife Sarah (also an economist). The paper eventually earned the pair a Bronze Medal Award for Superior Federal Service from the Department of Commerce. While at BEA, Ricci enrolled in the doctoral program in the Department of Economics at American University in Washington, D.C.
After completing his coursework, he accepted a position as a Visiting Assistant Professor of economics at St. Mary’s College of Maryland where he taught courses in macroeconomics, finance, forecasting, econometrics, economic statistics, and game theory. After his academic appointment ended in 2018, Ricci joined the U.S. Congressional Budget Office where he worked on a small team of economists who developed and maintain CBO’s long-run, dynamic, microsimulation model (CBOLT). The team used that model to conduct policy analysis, long-run macroeconomic forecasts, and long-run projections for the U.S. budget and Social Security programs. During that time, he also held a part-time appointment as an Adjunct Professor of Finance at the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business. Since 2019, Ricci has worked as a Senior Financial Economist at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a non-profit regulator overseen by the SEC.
Ricci holds a Ph.D. in economics from American University (2017) where his studies focused on applied microeconomics, household finance, and labor economics. He also holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from Mount St. Mary’s University (2010) and a B.A. in economics from McDaniel College (2006).
Ricci lives in North Roland Park with his wife (Sarah), two children (Andrew and Laura), and rescue dogs (Tucker and Nelly). He has been on the board of the North Roland Park Improvement Association (NRPIA) since 2020, serving as its Vice President since 2023. He and his wife are avid golf and tennis players (as are the kids). They are active volunteers in the local schools and they are involved with several charitable organizations in the Baltimore area. Email me.
KATIE FOX, CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER
Katie joined The Simmons Partnership in October 2014. She has worked in the Marketing and Hospitality industry for over 12 years. Katie serves as our Client Relations Manager and receptionist. A Baltimore native, and Darby’s little sister, Katie has grown up playing Field Hockey and Lacrosse, racing sailboats and is a World Champion Irish Dancer. When she is not working in the office, she lives in Parkville with her husband Jim and their dogs Peanut and Bunny Foo Foo, or you can find her around town performing with her husband, in their Irish band The ShamRogues. Email me.
THE SIMMONS PARTNERSHIP FORM ADV & CLIENT RELATIONSHIP SUMMARY
PURSHE KAPLAN STERLING CLIENT RELATIONSHIP SUMMARY
Securities offered through Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Member FINRA/SIPC Headquartered at 80 State Street, Albany, NY 12207 Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and The Simmons Partnership are not affiliated companies.
Investments through Charles Schwab are: NOT FDIC INSURED. NOT BANK GUARANTEED. MAY LOSE VALUE, INCLUDING LOSS OF PRINCIPAL. NOT INSURED BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY.
Clients should have received their statements directly from Charles Schwab. Clients are encouraged to compare the information, including any amount deducted for advisory fees payable to The Simmons Partnership, with any information provided by The Simmons Partnership and call us with any questions.
The Simmons Partnership, LLC may only conduct business with residents of the states and/or jurisdictions for which they are properly registered.
Links are being provided for information purposes only. The Simmons Partnership, LLC is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites on their respective sponsors. The Simmons Partnership, LLC is not responsible for the content of any website, or the collection or use of information regarding any website’s users and/or members. The Simmons Partnership, LLC may only conduct business with residents of the states and/or jurisdictions for which they are properly registered.
The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.
Any chart and/or graph does not reflect past or current recommendations made by The Simmons Partnership, LLC. (TSP), and should be considered an academic treatment of empirical data. They are designed for educational purposes only and should not be used to predict security prices or market levels. Any suggestion of cause and effect or of the predictability of economic or investment cycles is unintentional. A report should only be considered as a tool in any broker, dealer, or advisor’s investment decision matrix. Investors should consult their financial advisor when applying the assumptions of the chart or graph.
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