President, Hatcher Capital Investments
Clay McKinney, who joined Hatcher Capital Investments eight years ago and for the past six has served as president, learned the value of a dollar the old-fashioned way, working at his family’s business. There, he also gained the self-confidence to lead others and speak up when necessary, even when it was difficult.
“My dad owns a restaurant called Corn Dog 7,” the native Texan said. “Working in the family business was really helpful for me because I was in more of a management role with the business and had to have hard conversations with employees and family. Doing business with family can be tough sometimes.
“The thing that I have learned is almost every problem is a communication problem. When there’s not good communication, that just leads to more problems. I’ve always tried to be pretty open with everything I’ve done in my career, even if it’s a hard conversation to have.”
Born and raised in Hughes Springs, Texas, McKinney moved to Arkansas for college and graduated cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia in 2014 with a degree in finance and management. He then completed his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler in 2016.
That same year, he married his wife, Emily, a native of Benton, which motivated him to return to the Natural State. He landed a job at Edward Jones and worked as a financial advisor in Little Rock for about two years before joining Hatcher Capital Investments in 2018. He has multiple professional licenses, including the Series 7, Series 66, and life and health insurance.
McKinney said being able to learn at the elbow of founder Greg Hatcher, who built The Hatcher Agency into one of the most respected firms in the country, has been an education valuable beyond measure.
“Greg’s a trailblazer, and everything he touches turns to gold,” McKinney said. “When he presented me with a job offer, it was not something I was expecting, but I was thrilled for the opportunity to learn from him and his success and just to be part of something special.
“Everybody knows The Hatcher Agency as the home of outrageous service, and with Hatcher Capital, we’re able to deliver that same type of outrageous service to our clients. It was a great fit to come on board and start offering that outrageous service on the retirement plan side of the market.”
McKinney latched on to the goals of the company with both hands and has quickly developed a reputation for expertise and leadership in the marketplace. He said the company’s unique policy of investing every employee with the power to make a decision in the best interest of the customer inspires the staff with a sense of confidence.
“It makes you feel good to know that you’re able to help people and go above and beyond for them without going through layers of management approval,” he said. “You don’t have to ask somebody if this is OK or that is OK. If you feel it is in the customers’ best interest, do it. I really see it as a good way to build trust and have a greater relationship as a company going through those experiences.
“It’s also a great way for us to help our clients feel good about who they are doing business with. It lets them know that if they have a question or a problem, people are equipped to help them. That’s a good feeling for them, and when they’re happy, we’re happy.”
At just 34 years of age, McKinney has demonstrated an uncommon knack for his role. He said he works every day to justify the faith placed in him to carry on the Hatcher philosophy to a whole new generation of clients.
“I really do feel that ownership more than anything,” he said. “To have that level of trust placed with me is a good feeling, for sure. It makes me want to go out and try to help as many people as I can.”
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