Meet Your Team
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Joel Barlow, CPA, CFP®
Wealth Advisor / Co-Founder
Joel has been in the financial services industry for the past 30 years after graduating from the University of Alabama in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Practicing as a Certified Public Accountant for the first decade of his career with Wilkins, Miller, P.C. in Mobile, AL. Joel assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer of a multi-state holding company called IPC Industries, Inc., also based in Mobile, AL. For the next dozen years, Joel worked for several different large investment companies (Hartford Life Insurance Co. and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., e.g.) to assist with securing capital for their lines of investment products. In that role, he acted in an advisory role to many financial advisors/planners across the southeastern United States. He received his Certified Financial Planner designation in 2011 and was awarded his ANSI National Accreditation of Certified Financial Fiduciaries in 2023 and has been assisting individuals and families with holistic financial and tax planning for many years.
Joel formed Barlow Wealth Advisory Group (BWAG) in 2021 to establish the highest level of independent professionalism and enhance the value of financial planning with a holistic approach.
Joel and his wife, Kara, who is also a Certified Public Accountant, serve as sponsors and mentors for the Young Catholic Professionals Birmingham Group (YCP).
Joel and Kara have parented two lovely young women, MaryGlynn, 20 and Tanner, 18. For balancing work and play, Joel enjoys watching the Tide play, hiking at Red Mountain with his trusted dogs, Oliver and Winston or playing golf.
Little known fact about Joel: “I was the official scorekeeper for the Double-A Padres affiliate baseball team, Mobile BayBears, in 1997 and 1998. I also juggle (and am not bad at it).”
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Kara Barlow, CPA
Tax Advisor / Co-Founder
Kara is a 1994 graduate of Spring Hill College with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and began her career as Certified Public Accountant at Wilkins Miller, P.C. in Mobile, AL. Over the subsequent years, she specialized in preparation and review of individual, corporate, trust and exempt organization tax returns. She provided attestation services, determined tax projections and performed tax research on various issues. She currently performs outside CFO functions for various entities including monthly financial statement preparation, payroll services, and other tax and financial related matters. She is married to her husband, Joel, and has two wonderful daughters, MaryGlynn, 18 and Tanner, 16. Kara has many philanthropic endeavors including past board president of the Dance Foundation in Homewood, AL and has served in many capacities in other community not-for-profit boards. She is very involved in fund-raising at John Carroll Catholic High School and has served as an officer on many organizations there.
Little known fact about Kara: “I was recognized by the Mobile City Council when I was in the fifth grade for providing valuable financial advice for the city.”
Support Team
Bridget Balsamo
NEW BUSINESS & CLIENT RELATIONSHIP SPECIALIST
With over 30 years of management experience, Bridget Balsamo has joined the Barlow Wealth Advisory Group as their New Business & Client Relationship Specialist.
Born in Louisiana, Bridget attended University of Southwestern Louisiana then made her way to New York City where she spent 30 years working in customer retention for an international organization buying/selling minerals on the stock market and in the high-end/built-end kitchen appliance industry.
At BWAG, she plays a major support role in on-boarding new clients and in assisting with services in the insurance field.
Bridget actively volunteers in many community service projects, loves reading, museums, international travel, live music, and her better half – Finn, a chihuahua/terrier mix.
Little known fact about Bridget: “I have met and dined with the original real life person Ian Fleming used as a model for his “James Bond” character - Conrad Fulke Tomond O’Brienffrench, The 2ND Marquis de Castelthomond, and a prominent part of her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
Michelle Claussen
WEALTH MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Michelle plays a major support role in general customer service and support for clients at Barlow Wealth Advisory Group.
Michelle is a Colorado native and has worked in the financial industry for over seven years. She provided front line customer support at Wells Fargo Bank for three years while earning her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2005. After graduation she continued to pursue her passion and joined T. Rowe Price as a Client Service Representative. There she was able to obtain the FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses. She took an average of 200 calls daily helping educate and inform clients on their retirement plan options and performing stock purchase orders on accounts.
In 2009 she met her husband Wade who was enlisted in the United States Air Force. They later married and have since moved five times to four different states/military installations. They have two sons Kody (8) and Konner (5). Michelle loves to help wherever she can whether it be supporting other military spouses/families or the boys’ school and sporting teams.
Little known facts about Michelle: “I earned a collegiate softball scholarship as a pitcher, and I lived in North Pole, Alaska for four years.”
Charles “Charlie” Roush
TAX ADVISOR
Charlie is a knowledgeable analytical results-oriented Tax Specialist with proven expertise in delivering expert tax guidance and preparation of tax documents. Charlie pays exceptional attention to detail and composure in high-pressure tax situations. Some of Charlie's expertise that will give you peace of mind: Developing and implementing tax planning strategies; implementing & evaluating potential tax reduction strategies;
Analyzing financial data to identify potential tax savings opportunities; monitoring changes in tax laws and regulation; strong knowledge of deductions and penalties; strive to identify areas for potential tax savings.