Our Founder and History

W.C. Hundley & Associates is one of the businesses founded by William Cleveland Hundley.  Its beginnings trace back to when he, known to friends and clients simply as Cleve, was recruited into the financial services field while still in college.  Following graduation from Sam Houston State University, he entered the business full-time in Houston, Texas, where he remained until joining the United States Marine Corps in 1966.  After three years and a tour in Vietnam, Cleve was discharged as a Captain in 1969 and re-entered the financial industry. 

In the mid-1970’s, Cleve realized that corporate profits and client profits were not always compatable.  He searched for a business model that would allow client’s needs to take precedence, and discovered that independent broker/dealers offered the freedom that he wanted for his clients, while avoiding the demands and conflicts of  many large financial firms.  This independence has remained a cornerstone of our investment management philosophy and has enabled our business to thrive, even in tough economic climates.  
 
In the years that followed, Cleve Hundley became a trusted advisor and often a valued friend to the clients he served.  In addition, while meeting clients' needs, Cleve worked equally hard to meet his family's and community's needs.  He was actively involved in all aspects of family life and stressed the importance of honesty, integrity, and hard work to his two sons.  He served his community as well, volunteering in a number of capacities for his neighborhood and church. 
 
As the years passed, Cleve began thinking of his clients as he planned his retirement.  When his son Clay officially joined W.C. Hundley & Associates in 2003, Cleve's sucession plan began to take shape.  Under Cleve's guidance, Clay learned the intricacies of the financial business, and brought fresh perspectives and new strategies to the company, while maintaining the integrity and values that Cleve had imparted throughout his professional life.  In 2010, Cleve Hundley passed away, but his legacy lives on in Clay's work and regard for their clients.