About AFI Advisors

Guidance Grounded in Experience

At Aldebaran Financial Insights (AFI), we believe financial advice should feel steady, personal, and grounded in trust. Our work is built on long-term relationships, not transactions, and a commitment to helping individuals and families move forward with clarity.Serving Kingsport and the greater Tri-Cities area, we provide thoughtful financial planning designed to support life’s most important decisions.

Our Team

The Faces You work with

At AFI Advisors, we believe meaningful financial planning begins with listening. Every client’s situation is unique, which is why we take a personal, face-to-face approach to understanding your goals, concerns, and long-term vision.

From investment management and retirement income planning to tax-efficient strategies and estate coordination, we provide integrated guidance designed to help you make informed decisions at every stage of life.

Our Team

The Faces You work with

At AFI Advisors, we believe meaningful financial planning begins with listening. Every client’s situation is unique, which is why we take a personal, face-to-face approach to understanding your goals, concerns, and long-term vision.

From investment management and retirement income planning to tax-efficient strategies and estate coordination, we provide integrated guidance designed to help you make informed decisions at every stage of life.

Our Approach

What Guides Us

Relationship-First

We build long-term partnerships centered on trust, communication, and personal understanding, because effective planning starts with knowing you.

Honest Perspective

Clarity and transparency matter. We explain recommendations in plain language so you always understand not just what we propose, but why.

Collaborative Team

Our team brings expertise in investing, retirement planning, tax management, estate planning, and more to deliver coordinated guidance.

Steady Direction

Like a North Star, sound guidance helps provide orientation and confidence even when life or markets shift.

Our History

A Legacy of Personal Attention

AFI was founded on the belief that every financial situation is unique and deserves advice grounded in personal understanding and long-term perspective.

The firm’s name is inspired by the USS Aldebaran, the first ship on which founder Don Raber served after joining the U.S. Navy. Just as that ship provided steady support to its crew, Don built AFI to serve as a reliable source of guidance for the individuals and families it serves.

When Don launched the firm in 1991, his office desk was a simple kitchen table — because, as he often said, “that is where people make decisions.” From the beginning, AFI was built around conversation, trust, and personal attention.

Today, that legacy continues under the leadership of his son, Peter Raber, now President of AFI. While the firm has grown and evolved, its core philosophy remains unchanged: provide honest guidance, build lasting relationships, and help clients move forward with clarity and confidence.

Our History

A Legacy of Personal Attention

AFI was founded on the belief that every financial situation is unique and deserves advice grounded in personal understanding and long-term perspective.

The firm’s name is inspired by the USS Aldebaran, the first ship on which founder Don Raber served after joining the U.S. Navy. Just as that ship provided steady support to its crew, Don built AFI to serve as a reliable source of guidance for the individuals and families it serves.

When Don launched the firm in 1991, his office desk was a simple kitchen table — because, as he often said, “that is where people make decisions.” From the beginning, AFI was built around conversation, trust, and personal attention.

Today, that legacy continues under the leadership of his son, Peter Raber, now President of AFI. While the firm has grown and evolved, its core philosophy remains unchanged: provide honest guidance, build lasting relationships, and help clients move forward with clarity and confidence.

Timeline

A Further Look back

1960

Our story begins in 1960 when Don graduated high school in New York and enlisted in the Navy. Our firm’s name comes from the first ship he served on, the USS Aldebaran AF-10. The Aldebaran got its name from the star Aldebaran which can be found in the constellation Taurus, where it sits as the cosmic bull’s eye. The Aldebaran, which was part of the Cuban Missile blockade, was a supply ship that provided our sailors with the resources they needed to be best in the world. Don also served on the USS Preserver which admittedly would have been a more logical ship to name a financial business after.

1966

Don was discharged from the Navy in 1966, and then graduated from Hofstra University and married Sue in August of 1967. Don’s career in finance began almost immediately at Jamaica Savings Bank as a management trainee, and he found his way to Wall Street in 1968 as an options trader for Henry Blair & Co.

1972

After a successful start to his career on Wall Street, he was recruited to Bache & Co. to be broker. This ultimately led to his transfer to their Charleston, WV branch in 1972, which promised shorter commutes and better weather. From there Don was recruited to Kingsport to head up the Trust Department of the First National Bank of Sullivan County, which eventually became First American (then AmSouth and now Regions). He was recruited from First American to be the Senior Vice President of Home Federal Bank (now First Tennessee) in Johnson City.

1991

When First Tennessee acquired Home Federal in 1991, Don decided it was time to take the small investment advisory business he had formed in 1987 and head out on his own. Aldebaran Financial was born. Don, Sue and their two sons, Don 2 and Peter made up the first Board of Directors.

1991 - 2019

With a solid team behind them, Don and Sue were able to travel more and spend time at their favorite places, Scotland and the Cayman Islands. Sadly, Sue passed in 2016 and Don passed in 2019. However, Sue’s joyful spirit and Don’s dedication to doing things the right way continue to guide Aldebaran in helping to making things better in whatever way it can for their friends.

Present

Since its founding, Aldebaran has built a reputation for doing whatever was necessary to make the lives of its clients better. Don and Sue passed on their highly personal way of doing business to their son, our current President, Peter and together they and the rest of the team established Aldebaran as a source of financial insights for our region.

Your Financial North Star

Every financial decision should move you in a clear direction. At AFl, we provide steady guidance to help you move forward with confidence. Call our Kingsport office today to schedule your personal consultation and take the first step toward lasting financial clarity.