Spencer Cope, CFP®, ChFC®, APMA®, MBA

Spencer learned the value of saving money early on when he worked multiple jobs during high school to purchase his first car.  His eyes still light up when he talks about his beloved candy-apple red Pontiac Grand Prix, knowing the hard work and dedication it took to reach his goal and the fun memories created in it.      

Spencer began his career with Waddell & Reed at the Corporate Headquarters in 2010.  The combination of jobs he held there laid the foundation for his role as a Wealth Advisor today.  Spencer had the opportunity to gain knowledge and expertise in both client and advisor-facing roles – the best of both worlds.  But it was his role on the Financial Planning Desk that solidified his desire to be a Wealth Advisor.  Spencer quickly became one of the corporate specialists in financial planning at Waddell & Reed that other advisors would call when they needed guidance.

Spencer has a true talent for pulling together all aspects of a client’s financial life into a long-term plan while making the process easy and less stressful.  “But the best part of my job is seeing the joy in our client’s faces when they accomplish their financial goals.  We have a front row seat to their important life milestones!” says Spencer.

Spencer graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Services, with an emphasis in Personal Financial Planning. He obtained his Masters in Business Administration from Rockhurst University in 2017 and earned his CFP® in 2020. In 2023, Spencer earned his Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) and his Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor^SM (APMA®) in 2024. 

While in high school, Spencer completed the requirements to become an Eagle Scout with his service project to renovate the storage room at his local school.  He typically competes in 1-2 triathlons each year and has completed four full and seven half IRONMAN competitions.  Spencer and his wife Kelsey have been married since 2017. When they are not watching college football (Mizzou Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes), they enjoy the great outdoors with their daughter Elliot (6) and son Wells (4).