THE FIRM
Dedicated to the goal of preserving and enhancing the wealth of our clients.
What Sets Us Apart
Personalized Service
Our firm is designed and managed with a focus on providing the highest degree of personalized service. Our portfolio managers and Trust professionals work hand in hand with clients to develop investment and estate plans that best fit their individual needs. We handle every aspect of your portfolio or Trust with a deep understanding of your unique goals.
Deep Expertise
The Turtle Creek Trust team are seasoned investors and fiduciary partners with decades of experience in financial markets and Trust administration. Clients work directly with our experts on all aspects of their investment and estate needs.
A Fiduciary Approach
Turtle Creek Trust operates solely in the best interests of its clients, strictly avoiding conflicts of interest and maintaining prudent and ethical approach to our business.
Accessibility
Our team works to develop deep relationships with our clients, sharing and communicating our views while standing ready to discuss any question or concern.
ASSETS UNDER
MANAGEMENT
Accounts
Administered
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
COMBINED
OUR TEAM
Leadership
Craig Knocke, CFA
PRINCIPAL | Investment Partner
Mr. Knocke was born in 1969. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University, having earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Finance in 1992. He previously served as a securities analyst at Salomon Brothers in New York and was a portfolio manager at the Dallas office of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Mr. Knocke is a Principal of the firm, overseeing all investment management activities. He is a portfolio manager of Turtle Creek Management, LLC and a member of the Board of Directors of Turtle Creek Trust Company, LTA, a state-chartered trust company and an affiliate of Turtle Creek Management, LLC. He serves as a member of the board of directors of HF Sinclair (DINO: NYSE), a publicly traded corporation located in Dallas, Texas. He is also a member of the Investor Advisory Committee (IAC) at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where he advises on regulatory priorities, the regulation of securities products, trading strategies, fee structures, the effectiveness of disclosure, and on initiatives to protect investor interests and to promote investor confidence and the integrity of the securities marketplace in the United States. Craig holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation which is issued by the CFA Institute.
Philip Kistler, CFA
PRINCIPAL | Trust Partner
Mr. Kistler, born in 1966, graduated from Trinity University in 1989 with a BA in Communications and earned an MBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University in 1994. He worked as a portfolio manager at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (1994–1998) and as Senior Vice President at U.S. Trust Company, N.A. (1998–2006). A co-founder of Turtle Creek Management, LLC, Mr. Kistler is Principal of the firm, overseeing financial and operational activities. He is also CEO and President of Turtle Creek Trust Company, LTA, and a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation which is issued by the CFA Institute.
Mark Lanyon, CFA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Mark Lanyon, CFA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Mr. Lanyon was born in 1974. He is a 1997 graduate of Texas A&M University, having earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Finance. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2004 with concentrations in Accounting and Macroeconomics. From 1998 to 2002, he served as a securities analyst with the Dallas office of U.S. Trust Company. From 2004 to 2006, he served as Team Leader for Technology Hardware research at Morningstar, Inc., a Chicago-based global provider of independent investment research. In this role, he managed a team of five analysts providing coverage of 60 publicly traded firms in the semiconductor, printing, and computer hardware industries. From 2006 to 2007, he relocated to London and founded Morningstar’s European equity research business. From 2007 to 2014, he operated as Morningstar’s Director of International Strategy and Corporate Development, overseeing the company’s M&A activities, strategic planning, and organic expansion into offshore markets. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Research and is a portfolio manager of Turtle Creek Management, LLC. Mr. Lanyon holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation which is issued by the CFA institute.
Sarah H. Wood
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Sarah H. Wood
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Sarah was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She began her career working at USAA Federal Savings Bank as a Trust Officer after graduating with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from St. Mary’s Law School in 1999. Sarah had the opportunity to move her career to Dallas, Texas in 2003 when she was offered a position as a trust officer at Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Co. of Texas. When BBH shut their doors in Dallas in 2010 and moved to Wilmington, Delaware, Sarah was offered a position to assist with the transition to the newly chartered National Trust Company. A little over a year after relocating to the East Coast, Sarah reconnected with her Texas roots and has resided in Dallas, Texas ever since. Sarah is a Senior Vice President with Turtle Creek Management and Trust Company since 2011 as the Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Trust Officer. Sarah is a devoted pet-mom and prefers to spend her free time with her 2 beloved rescue dogs and cat.
Robert Payne Lancaster, Jr
VICE PRESIDENT
Robert Payne Lancaster, Jr
VICE PRESIDENT
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Payne joined Turtle Creek in 2020. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin. He spent his entire career working for investment companies focused on buying excellent businesses at the right prices. Payne began his investment career with Gabelli Asset Management Company (GAMCO) in 1988 and worked in several different capacities for GAMCO over the next five years including as a trader, a mutual fund administrator, a sell-side institutional broker among other capacities. While attending The University of Texas, he was an equities analyst for Craig Hester Capital Management (now part of Luther King Capital Management) from 1992 to 1994. After spending a year in Madrid, Payne joined Richmont Investment Management as a portfolio manager from 1996 to 1998. From 1998 to 2010, he was a partner at a family office in Dallas, EFO Holdings, where he was responsible for all public investments. He managed a number of outside managers and ran two hedge funds, one of which was for his family until 2019. Payne is a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, Brook Hollow Golf Club, and Saint Michael and All Angels Church in Dallas. He enjoys playing sports, hunting, fishing, traveling, and spending time with his family. He and his wife, Chelle, have two wonderful children and a dog.
Brandy Lottman
VICE PRESIDENT
Brandy Lottman
VICE PRESIDENT
Brandy was born in 1975 in Fort Worth, Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Dallas Baptist University and began her financial services career at U.S. Trust Company of Texas in 1996, where she developed a strong foundation in client servicing and account administration.
Christie Taylor
VICE PRESIDENT
Christie Taylor
VICE PRESIDENT
Christie was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She began her career in trust administration at Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Co. of Texas in 1999, later earning the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation from The Institute of Certified Bankers. When BBH closed the Texas Trust Company in 2010, she joined Turtle Creek Trust Company as the first trust company employee. In 2020, she was promoted to Vice President which expanded her duties beyond daily trust administration, making her an important part of the overall management team. In her role as Trust Officer and Bank Secrecy Officer she oversees the annual cybersecurity training program for the firm, helps with external audits, maintains the company’s books and records and oversees the trust company’s day-to-day operations. With over two decades of experience and her historical institutional knowledge, Christie has emerged as a key member to the Trust Company. Christie currently resides in Frisco, Texas. Outside of her professional role, she enjoys traveling, concerts and playing cards, finding balance through connection and exploration.
Mari Lee Rosas
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
Mari Lee Rosas
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
Stephanie Gonzalez
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
Stephanie Gonzalez
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
Kat DeWeese
TRUST ASSOCIATE
Kat DeWeese
TRUST ASSOCIATE
Kate Hewlett
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR