Tony’s father emigrated from Lebanon in 1960, settling in Youngstown, Ohio. This area was known for having a healthy mix of immigrants, and Tony fondly remembers growing up with Italians, Persians, and other cultures that truly made Youngstown a melting pot.
After leaving high school, he spent a year studying in Sweden where he was on an engineering track. This formative experience led him to get his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Youngstown State.
Jarma hails from the small town of Kinston, NC, and enjoyed spending time at Atlantic Beach as a child. Her dad owned The East Group, an engineering/architectural design firm located in Greenville, and he encouraged her to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson.
After graduation, a job offer from General Electric brought her from Clemson to Cleveland, where she crossed paths with Tony at the apartment complex they shared.
After a few winters in Ohio, they decided to move to North Carolina to be closer to family, enjoy the beach, and have four seasons of weather. They both began working at The East Group with Jarma’s father. Tony worked his way up through the company ranks, culminating in being President for many years and growing the firm, adding an additional location in the Raleigh area. During this time, Tony pursued his MBA through a weekend executive program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, while Jarma did the heavy lifting at home with their children, and enjoyed working as a pharmaceutical rep.
In 2018, Tony was ready for a transition from a successful career in engineering. While charting out what he calls his “third chapter of life,” Tony carefully prioritized all the things he wanted to pursue in this new phase, which included attracting investment capital to eastern North Carolina, helping businesses improve profitability, and providing opportunities for ENC’s population. This process led to their purchase of a Transworld Business Advisory office, now with a team of 12, that helps business owners up and down the east coast confidentially sell. What he is doing today is a culmination of all his personal and professional experiences, which he finds greatly satisfying.
The Khoury’s live in a renovated loft in Downtown Greenville and are active with several organizations working to revitalize and maintain a thriving economy and downtowns throughout Eastern North Carolina. These include the Downtown Greenville Partnership, the NC East Alliance, ECU Health, and the NC Small Business Technology Development Center.
They love the convenience and pace of living in Greenville and having proximity to the water, whether going to the beach or spending time at the river at their second home in Chocowinity.
The Khoury’s are foodies, but it doesn’t have to be fancy for them to enjoy it. They love Eastern NC BBQ or seafood at Sunny Side Oyster Bar in Williamston, where the oysters are shucked right at your table.
Jarma is a lifelong tennis player, still playing three times a week. She passed the love of the game along to their children, two of whom played at the collegiate level. Tony is an avid outdoorsman and cycler, hiking and biking whenever he gets the chance. He also loves astrology and appreciates the dark skies in Chocowinity where they can see the Milky Way with minimal light pollution. He also vividly recalls seeing the Northern Lights in the night sky above Lapland, Sweden, in his teen years.
Tony & Jarma love traveling, especially to “off the beaten path” spots like Croatia and Portugal. They are planning trips to Central and South America, with stops at the Panama Canal (a marvel of engineering) and the Galapagos Islands. Jarma particularly loves WWII history, and has visited the WWII museum in New Orleans many times.
The Khoury’s have three children, Ely (34), Bryn (32), and Gabby (29). They were very excited to welcome their first grandchild, a baby girl born in February.
When asked what financial advice they would offer younger generations, they said to start saving in your 401k from the very beginning of your career. Plus, saving for your kid’s college fund will help reduce stress later in life.
“We’ve been clients of Dave’s for 6 years, and he is truly a trusted partner,” said Tony. “We appreciate his holistic approach, and he has helped us maximize and build wealth.”
