Willie is a founding board member for Catch A Lift and the current Secretary.  Professionally, he is the Managing Principal and a founding partner of Franklin Financial Group, LLC, an employee benefits, insurance, and investment firm based out of Hunt Valley, MD. He is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) with MML Investors Services, LLC and has the FINRA Series 6 license as well as individual life and health insurance licenses. His practice is focused on overall insurance, financial, and estate planning.

He is a graduate of the College for Financial Planning and holds their Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation. He is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the Baltimore Estate Planning Council. He is a Past President of NAIFA-Maryland and is currently serving as co-Chair for the industry’s Joint Legislative Committee. He was installed into the NAIFA-Maryland Hall of Fame in 2016 and was the recipient of the Paul J. Murphy Award recognizing long-term and dedicated service to his clients and the industry.

In recognition for all of his volunteer activities, Willie was presented by the Greater Chesapeake Charitable Foundation with the inaugural Brian D. Walsh Service Award in 2014. This award is given annually to a financial service professional for “their selfless acts of time and dedication for the betterment of others.”

Willie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (American Studies/Business Administration) from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana in 1988. He is married to Heather Robison Franklin and has three children (Emily, Robbie and Molly).