Steve Abernathy – Founder and Chairman of The Abernathy Group II

Steve Abernathy, the founder and chairman of The Abernathy Group II family office, brings extensive investment experience as an investment professional and was the pioneer of collaborative investing – a method pairing investors with industry experts to make informed investments decisions.

Steven Abernathy creates art inspired by adventure, nature and wanderlust to stimulate the mind and connect. His one-of-a-kind fungi sculptures and custom installations can be found at Billy Reid Nashville and Joanna Gaines’ home as well as other celebrity residences.

Early Life and Education

He was a man of many talents, with particular expertise in creating and documenting programs and procedures for later use. He served with both Texas Bureau of Radiation Control and Nuclear Regulatory Commission before transitioning into working for energy company Haliburton.

He joined Cesar Chavez to support migrant farmworkers, as well as negotiate a peace settlement between American Indians and the federal government at Wounded Knee. He was an unyielding advocate for those less fortunate, believing it was their duty as wealthy individuals to help those in need.

Abernathy was instrumental in keeping the bus boycott movement organized and active through his frequent speeches at its weekly mass meetings. King had the charisma to motivate crowds but it was Abernathy who ensured its momentum was sustained with weekly mass meetings dedicated to this cause.

Professional Career

No matter the project he worked on for his customers, he always gave it his all. He enjoyed fast cars, off road racing and being an outstanding father and friend to so many.

Abernathy has long been regarded as a key figure in nuclear safety, natural gas, and oil fields. He has worked for companies like Texas Bureau of Radiation Control and Haliburton where his expertise was essential in creating programs and providing advice regarding safety procedures.

He is a member of both the CFA Institute and New York Society of Security Analysts, as well as having cofounded SquareTrade, a consumer electronics warranty service. With 39 years of senior leadership experience across multiple functional areas – Nelson’s World’s Best Money Managers and Barron’s have both acknowledged him – he is well respected within these professional associations.

Achievement and Honors

Abernathy was both an accomplished professional and tireless activist working tirelessly for racial equality. As leader of the civil rights movement and eventually an address at the United Nations, Abernathy put others ahead of himself; family meant everything to him, so anything they asked him for would always come first.

His activism and philanthropy made him an inspiration to generations of activists to come. He was widely revered for his ability to bridge differences while acting as an effective leader, often organizing protests to improve cafeteria conditions or living quarters on campus.

Abernathy leaves behind two daughters he dearly cherished: Sophia and Shay. Additionally, he had special bonds with both of his grandsons Connor and Aspen.

Personal Life

His greatest joy in life was his family: he was a loving husband, father and papa who cared deeply about all he met. Always ready to listen or help in any way possible, he particularly enjoyed working on cars, off road racing and customizing any mechanical device or part. In addition to building and renovating homes he also enjoyed working on cars! He leaves behind Leslie Calhoun; Christy McKiel and Branden Abernathy along with sister RoJean Johnsen plus two dachshunds named Scout and Cody.

After graduating high school, he worked in railway but quickly realized it wasn’t for him. So he enrolled at TSTI under Bill Kesler and ultimately selected nuclear technology program as it provided invaluable experience documenting and creating programs which could be implemented into energy industries.

Net Worth

Abernathy has over 39 years of experience as a senior leader, using business strategy and planning, financial expertise, technology solutions and other disciplines to foster growth across a variety of functional disciplines. He has played an instrumental role in multiple acquisitions and strategic partnerships as well as helping establish and grow numerous family businesses within the floor covering industry.

In 2010, he co-founded The Abernathy Group II Family Office, a multifamily office for high net worth families that provides heritage design and legal asset protection as well as investment management, banking services, tax-related services, real estate brokerage services and concierge services for high net worth families with assets totaling more than $1.4 billion. Based in New York and operating out of its headquarters location.

In July 2011, the company became one of the first in the country to introduce a Specialty Physician Family Office dedicated exclusively to high net worth doctors, with a mission of providing and coordinating critical business, financial, legal, estate trust management services within a confidential setting for these individuals and their families.