About Bearing Advisors

Phil is a chief executive officer with over 40 years of professional experience working for Fortune 500 businesses and privately held companies. He has worked in all areas of business management throughout his career including in financial management, operations, strategic planning, and marketing. For 13 years, Phil was a principal and CEO of Utility Service Partners (USP), a private equity backed residential utility service line warranty business that pioneered public/private partnerships with over 350 municipalities throughout the U.S. and Canada. USP’s Service Line Warranty Program was one of the first National League of Cities’ Enterprise Partners.

In 2013, under Phil’s leadership, USP received the prestigious Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for “Marketplace Ethics.” He maintains and enforces the highest standards of integrity in his business activities. Phil is a tireless and creative business leader and strategic thinker who has used his considerable management experience and financial analysis and modeling skills to achieve business success in various industries. His most recent project is Bearing Advisors, LLC.

Clarence E. Anthony is CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities (NLC), the largest and oldest organization representing America’s cities, towns and villages and their leaders. Under his leadership, NLC delivered billions of dollars in direct, flexible federal relief through the CARES Act and historic American Rescue Plan Act to help support local governments respond, recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic. NLC also ushered passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, delivering transformative investments in transportation, broadband and water to communities across the country. Today, NLC continues to advance policies that strengthen local leadership and provides support for local leaders to promote equitable public health and safety, economic development and sustainability for all residents.

Mr. Anthony is a member of the Council on Underserved Communities, appointed by U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and tasked along with his fellow committee members with developing supportive policy recommendations for underserved small business owners. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Urban Forum and is a member of the Board of Destination DC. In 2020, Mr. Anthony received the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) Marks of Excellence Award.

Most recently, Mr. Anthony has focused his efforts on helping local leaders combat the rising tide of partisanship at the local level. He authored a report in 2021 titled, “On the Frontlines of Today’s Cities: Trauma, Challenges, and Solutions,” which focused on the decline of civility and democratic institutions at the local level.

Mr. Anthony began his career in public service as the Mayor of South Bay, FL, for 24 years. He is known as a creative and thoughtful leader in his community. He is considered an expert in citizen engagement and techniques that build a sense of community within cities.

Mr. Anthony has been at the forefront of politics in the United States and internationally for the past 20 years, culminating with productive presidencies of the Florida League of Cities and the National League of Cities (NLC), respectively.

Mr. Anthony also served as First Vice President of International Union of Local Authorities and as Founding Treasurer of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the international voice for local governments, for four years. Most recently, he served as the Interim Manager for UCLG.

Prior to his appointment as CEO and Executive Director of NLC, Mr. Anthony served as President of Anthony Government Solutions, a consulting firm focused on providing solutions to government and private sector organizations on issues affecting the community, strategic visioning, policy development, business development and management restructuring.

He holds a master’s degree in public administration with a specialization in City Growth Management policy from Florida Atlantic University.

Mike has over 40 years of leadership, management, and governance experience including 27 years as a city manager in Texas and Kansas cities. He founded Elim Group, a governance consulting practice in 2006, and is a charter graduate of the Carver Policy Governance® Academy and is a past Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Policy Governance® Association. In addition to serving the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) as their Special Liaison for Governance, Mike is a Fellow of the prestigious National Academy of Public Administration. He is fully credentialed by ICMA and is licensed as a Professional Engineer and a Registered Land Surveyor in the State of Kansas (retired status).

Many honors have been bestowed on Mike including ICMA’s most significant honor—The Distinguished Service Award, the Texas City Management Associations’ Mentoring Award, the ICMA Award for Career Development, and the Joy Sansom Mentor Award from the Urban Management Assistants of North Texas. The Center for Digital Government has awarded Mike their coveted “Best of Texas Visionary Award.”

Among his many professional achievements, Mike is a Past President of the Texas City Management Association; one of the very first credentialed members of the International City/County Management Association; a former ICMA, Kansas Association of City/County Management, and League of Kansas Municipalities Board of Directors’ member; a Past President of the Kansas Engineering Society; and a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Kansas Entrepreneurial Center. Mike served eight years on the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions, twice as Chairman of the Engineering Section and twice as Chairman of the Full Board. He also served four years on the Kansas Water Authority.

Jim served as both mayor and city council member for Clarksburg, WV from 1985 to 2012. He is a noted speaker and author, the Founder and CEO of Amazing Cities™, and host of its Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast. Jim was selected for the highly prestigious role as President of the National League of Cities in 2006, and is widely known for his leadership and expertise in municipal matters. In 2006, American City & County Magazine named him “Municipal Leader of the Year.”

Among his accomplishments, Jim led the National League of Cities’ Partnership for Inclusive Communities, a nationwide program to promote inclusivity in America’s cities and served on the World Council of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in Barcelona, Spain and on the Board of Directors of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in Washington, DC. He also served as Vice President of his local Habitat for Humanity chapter and traveled to Poland and Hungary to build homes for families in need.

Jim has received many honors for his work and dedication to city government. He has been inducted into the West Virginia Municipal League Hall of Fame and received the West Virginia Municipal League’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2018, the League honored Jim by renaming the Lifetime Achievement Award as the “Jim Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award.” He was named Distinguished Mountaineer by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin in 2013.

Cathy is an economist with over 40 years’ experience working with local government officials nationwide while employed in the government and nonprofit sectors. Her areas of specialization are government finance, risk management, intergovernmental relations, and association management. She has extensive experience managing large projects, developing strategic partnerships, marketing programs, and developing coalitions. She has served as a consultant to associations and is the author of more than 100 books and articles on public finance topics.

She has received awards from Business Insurance Magazine, the National Association of Bond Lawyers, and the National Federation of Municipal Analysts. She was also recognized as an Influential Intergovernmental “Player” In Washington D.C. by the “Washington Almanac” (1992). She formed the Public Finance Network in 1988 after the enactment of the 1986 Tax Reform Act. This coalition of national organizations still works together to preserve state and local government use of tax-exempt bonds.

With extensive experience in municipal and county government in elected and appointed positions, Mr. Matheny specializes in public administration, focusing on efficient governance, policy development, and intergovernmental relations. His expertise includes budget management, strategic planning, and the implementation of community-based programs that enhance public services and safety. Mr. Matheny has a proven track record of working collaboratively with elected officials, department heads, and stakeholders to streamline operations and promote transparency.

Mayor Matheny’s successful track record in public leadership dates back to 1990:

• Mayor (Elected), City of Bridgeport, WV, 2025-present
• Bearing Advisors, LLC, Market Advisor, 2025-present
• Harrison County (Elected), Sheriff and Treasurer, 2017-2024
• Stonewood Police Department, Police Chief, 2015-2016
• National White Collar Crime Center, Supervisor, 2012-2015
• Wheeling Police Department, Police Chief, 2009-2012
• Clarksburg Police Department, Lieutenant, 1990-2009

Jesse is a highly regarded city leader who has excelled at the local, state, and national levels. He served on the Bessemer, Alabama City Council for six consecutive four-year terms from 1998 to  2022. His desire to improve living conditions and deal with blight in his community motivated Matthews to become a civic community advocate.

On the state level, Jesse was President of the Alabama League of Municipalities in 2018 and served on its Board of Directors for 18 years as well as its Executive Committee. He obtained several municipal official certifications from the Alabama League. Nationally, Jesse was a member of the National League of Cities’ Board of Directors and was honored to chair the association’s Community and Economic Development federal advocacy committee, which is charged with developing national policies affecting cities.

Jesse is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Jessica Kelly, have two sons, Jaylan and Jesse Jr., and are the proud grandparents of Jayce and Rai’ona.

Brad has over 40 years of professional experience in financial management, operations, and business development. For 13 years, he was a principal and Vice President of Business Development at Utility Service Partners (USP), where he was responsible for developing and overseeing USP’s strategic partnerships as well as developing and managing USP’s highly successful business development model. In that role, Brad helped to create the acclaimed National League of Cities Service Line Warranty Program.

At USP, Brad developed the back office organization and information technology infrastructure to support business development and integrated the customer relationship management system with the back office systems. Brad’s commitment and leadership in honesty and integrity were recognized when USP was awarded the prestigious Torch Award for “Marketplace Ethics” by the Better Business Bureau in 2013. Brad earned a Six Sigma Black Belt and is certified in Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) Change Management Methodology.

John is an insurance industry professional who opened his agency in 1984 and as an independent agent assisted individual and commercial clients manage their risks. His expertise spans multiple lines. He has assisted clients reach their retirement goals by analyzing their needs and determining how financial products can help them adequately plan for retirement. He has experience in the municipal market working with local government clients as a project manager and business development specialist for Utility Service Partners.

He is widely recognized for his understanding of the insurance industry and his outstanding performance having garnered numerous industry awards. He is a licensed insurance agent in numerous states and is an Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). John also receives Medicare Supplement Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan Annual Certifications. John is the agent of record for the John C. Matheny Agency, the agency Bearing Advisors uses in connection with the Attentive Preventative Care Management Program.

John is an insurance industry professional who opened his agency in 1984 and as an independent agent assisted individual and commercial clients manage their risks. His expertise spans multiple lines. He has assisted clients reach their retirement goals by analyzing their needs and determining how financial products can help them adequately plan for retirement. He has experience in the municipal market working with local government clients as a project manager and business development specialist for Utility Service Partners.

He is widely recognized for his understanding of the insurance industry and his outstanding performance having garnered numerous industry awards. He is a licensed insurance agent in numerous states and is an Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). John also receives Medicare Supplement Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan Annual Certifications. John is the agent of record for the John C. Matheny Agency, the agency Bearing Advisors uses in connection with the Attentive Preventative Care Management Program.

John is an insurance industry professional who opened his agency in 1984 and as an independent agent assisted individual and commercial clients manage their risks. His expertise spans multiple lines. He has assisted clients reach their retirement goals by analyzing their needs and determining how financial products can help them adequately plan for retirement. He has experience in the municipal market working with local government clients as a project manager and business development specialist for Utility Service Partners.

He is widely recognized for his understanding of the insurance industry and his outstanding performance having garnered numerous industry awards. He is a licensed insurance agent in numerous states and is an Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). John also receives Medicare Supplement Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan Annual Certifications. John is the agent of record for the John C. Matheny Agency, the agency Bearing Advisors uses in connection with the Attentive Preventative Care Management Program.

Emily is a growth strategist with 14 years of experience in marketing, sales enablement, and product strategy. She has worked in B2B, B2C, and B2B2C markets and in both the healthcare and education industries. She has extensive experience in managing cross-functional projects, developing content strategy, designing captivating collateral assets, and coaching teams toward success.

Emily is skilled in creative problem-solving and innovating on-demand. She enjoys listening and learning about the needs of clients in order to produce targeted, high-value business strategies. She leverages a background in diverse roles across organizations to lead through genuine motivation. She has been trained in the Agile methodology, Google’s SIY Leadership Institute, as well as being nominated for numerous executive training programs at prior companies.

Emily is a growth strategist with 14 years of experience in marketing, sales enablement, and product strategy. She has worked in B2B, B2C, and B2B2C markets and in both the healthcare and education industries. She has extensive experience in managing cross-functional projects, developing content strategy, designing captivating collateral assets, and coaching teams toward success.

Emily is skilled in creative problem-solving and innovating on-demand. She enjoys listening and learning about the needs of clients in order to produce targeted, high-value business strategies. She leverages a background in diverse roles across organizations to lead through genuine motivation. She has been trained in the Agile methodology, Google’s SIY Leadership Institute, as well as being nominated for numerous executive training programs at prior companies.

Emily is a growth strategist with 14 years of experience in marketing, sales enablement, and product strategy. She has worked in B2B, B2C, and B2B2C markets and in both the healthcare and education industries. She has extensive experience in managing cross-functional projects, developing content strategy, designing captivating collateral assets, and coaching teams toward success.

Emily is skilled in creative problem-solving and innovating on-demand. She enjoys listening and learning about the needs of clients in order to produce targeted, high-value business strategies. She leverages a background in diverse roles across organizations to lead through genuine motivation. She has been trained in the Agile methodology, Google’s SIY Leadership Institute, as well as being nominated for numerous executive training programs at prior companies.

Tabitha brings Bearing Advisors the benefit of her background and experience in editing, quality control, and financial modeling. Tabitha began her work at Utility Service Partners (USP) in the accounting area focusing on payment processing and later developed and built USP’s financial model for investment evaluation. From there, she joined the marketing group and supported USP’s direct mail marketing efforts.

As USP’s market reach grew, Tabitha was charged with implementing a comprehensive quality assurance program for all external marketing communications that adhered to all internal policies, was error free, and met all partner and regulatory guidelines.