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DeLynn Zell, CFP®

Founder, CEO

"I understand that what I do for clients impacts their lives for many years to come. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing our clients benefiting today from the planning we began years ago."

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DeLynn is co-founder and CEO of Bridgeworth, one of the largest groups of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals in the region, managing over 2 billion assets for their clients. With over 25 years of financial planning experience, her impact on the financial planning industry and community is vast. DeLynn is recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors and one of the best wealth advisors in Alabama. She has previously been recognized by Al.com as one of the Women to Shape the State, and as CEO of the Year by the Birmingham Business Journal. DeLynn was also selected for the 2020 class of Leadership Alabama. She is a prior member of Leadership Birmingham, an Oasis honoree, and has received numerous Birmingham Business Journal awards, including Who’s Who in Banking & Finance, CEO Award, and Top 40 Under 40.

Under DeLynn’s leadership, Bridgeworth has recently achieved multiple national recognitions including America’s Top RIA Firms by Forbes, #1 Best Places to Work for Advisors by InvestmentNews, and 50 Growers Across America by Citywire.

In addition to her role as Bridgeworth visionary and mentor, DeLynn provides leadership within the financial planning industry and for key organizations in Birmingham and across the State. She was asked to join Schwab’s 20-member national Advisory Council in 2023 and participates in executive peer groups. Locally, DeLynn serves The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham as chair of their investment committee and as a board member of Leadership Alabama. She is a long-time member of the Board of Trustees at Birmingham Southern College, serving as Chair from 2020-2022. DeLynn also serves on the Executive Board and finance committee of the Boy Scouts of America, St. Vincent’s Hospital Board, Oasis Counseling Center, where she served as President, and was a prior President of the Financial Planning Association of North Alabama. She continues looking for opportunities to make a difference in her community and the lives of Bridgeworth clients.

She is most proud of her role in mentoring and developing women advisors in a male-dominated field. Her love of mentoring has led to Bridgeworth having 35% female advisors and 6 out of 9 management team members being women.

DeLynn is from Headland, Alabama, and is a graduate of Birmingham Southern College, where she majored in accounting. She is married to Lee Zell, a partner with the law firm Balch & Bingham, and they have one adult son, David Michael. She enjoys spending family time at their home on Lake Eufaula and golfing.

DeLynn Zell is co-founder and CEO of Bridgeworth and one of Forbes’ 2021 Top Women Wealth Advisors in America.

Affiliations

  • Schwab National Advisory Council: 2023
  • The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham: Investment Committee Chair, 2023, Member, 2022 - Present
  • Birmingham Southern College: Board of Directors, 2020 - present, Board Chairman 2020 - 2022; Board of Trustees, Vice Chair 2019 - 2020; Secretary of the Board 2006 - 2018; Member of the Executive Committee
  • Leadership Alabama: Board of Directors, 2023; Class XXX 2019-2020
  • Rotary Club of Birmingham: 2022 - present
  • Greater Alabama Council, Boy Scouts of America: Executive Board, Investment Committee: 2013 - Present
  • St. Vincent's Hospital Board of Directors: Finance Committee, 2015 - 2020
  • Financial Planning Association of North Alabama: Member, Past President
  • Oasis Women’s Counseling Center: Advisory Board, 2004 - Present, Past President, 2004
  • Newcomen Society: 2014 - Present
  • Canterbury United Methodist Church, Investment Committee: 2020 - Present
  • The Women’s Fund: Board of Directors, Finance Committee: 2009 - 2014
  • The Women’s Network: 2011 - Present
  • Leadership Birmingham: 2014 - 2015

Honors & Awards

  • Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors: 2021 & 2023
  • Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, 2023
  • Birmingham Business Journal’s Top Birmingham Women: 2023
  • Birmingham Business Journal’s Who’s Who in Financial Planning & Wealth Management: 2023
  • Birmingham Business Journal's Who's Who in Banking & Finance: 2020 & 2021
  • Birmingham Business Journal’s CEO Award Winner: 2020
  • Birmingham Business Journal’s CEO Award Honoree: 2019
  • al.com and Birmingham Magazine Women Who Shape the State: 2018
  • Oasis Women’s Counseling Center Honoree: 2012
  • Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40: 1993

Education

  • Birmingham Southern College, 1986
    Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance
  • CERTIFED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, 1993