Before entering the securities industry in 2005, Paul spent 20 years in the tobacco industry and served as the Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations for Dibrell Brothers Inc., which later merged to become DIMON Incorporated. At DIMON Paul was head of investor relations for the international leaf tobacco merchant. Paul joined the leaf sales group at DIMON, the world’s third largest tobacco manufacturer, where he was a Vice President for global sales. His extensive international travel took him to more than a dozen countries on five continents and reaffirmed his belief in the absolute necessity of financial as well as geographic diversification. Through these experiences, Paul developed an affinity for the markets and investing that lead him to a career at Davenport & Company LLC.
Paul earned his Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degree, both in Economics, from North Carolina State University. He and his wife, Kimm, have three sons, Joshua, Caleb and Eli.