RIA Edge

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Arthur Ambarik, CEO of Perigon Wealth Management, about the firm’s growth from a small Bay Area RIA into a multi-state, $12 billion firm with a partnership-driven model and large ambitions for the future. Ambarik shares how cultural alignment shapes mergers, why specialization within firms is becoming a critical growth driver and how long-term thinking around talent and capital structure is redefining the future of wealth management firms. Key takeaways: How Ambarik has led Perigon’s journey toward becoming a national RIA, starting with $150 million in assets when he joined the firm, to a $12 billion enterprise today, supporting teams across 16 states How intentional growth plans and a partnership-driven model have fueled the success How Perigon’s first equity-based acquisition in 2020 became a springboard for the future How he sees the role of the niche advisor driving future growth How the influx of private equity has impacted firms and the larger industry How Perigon sees technology as a tool for better segmenting client accounts profitably How he envisions RIAs becoming the go-to career choice for young talent, with firms driving talent generation and mentorship Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Arthur Ambarik: Company: Perigon Wealth Management LinkedIn: Perigon Wealth Management LinkedIn: Arthur Ambarik About Our Guest: Arthur Ambarik, CFP, is Chief Executive Officer of Perigon Wealth Management. Under his leadership, Perigon has grown to over $10.2 billion* in assets under management and expanded its national footprint through strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Named CEO of the Year in 2024 by WealthManagement.com, Arthur has played a pivotal role in Perigon’s rapid ascent in the industry. He was also recognized on the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors 2024 list for California. Thanks to his leadership, Perigon has earned national recognition, including: Forbes America’s Top RIA Firms Newsweek America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms USA Today Best Financial Advisory Firms Financial Advisor Magazine’s: Fastest-Growing RIAs Top RIAs RIA Discretionary and Non-Discretionary AUM Rankings San Francisco Business Times: Bay Area’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies Arthur brings more than 20 years of experience to the role, with a career spanning advisory and operational leadership at Ameriprise and LPL. He is also a member of the Financial Advisor IQ Leadership Council. Arthur holds a B.A. in Economics from Williams College.

How do leaders of wealth management firms balance advisor independence with the need for centralized efficiency? What does it take to build a platform that serves both traditional RIAs and advisors seeking a more integrated model? In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong interviews Larry Restieri, CEO of Hightower Advisors, about Hightower’s evolution from a wirehouse lift-out platform to a comprehensive wealth management firm managing over $300 billion in assets.  He discusses the launch of Hightower Signature Wealth, a new direct-to-consumer offering designed to leverage the Hightower brand while maintaining support for independent advisory practices. Key Points: How Larry’s 25-year Goldman Sachs background shaped his approach to wealth management and his leadership at Hightower Why Hightower Signature Wealth was launched as a firm within a firm, and how Restieri thinks the model strengthens both brand reach and advisor support How he views the balance between advisor independence and an efficiently centralized middle- and back-office, while maintaining a personalized client experience The influence of private equity, the long growth runway that remains for RIAs, and his thinking around future consolidation in the space The challenge of an aging advisor population and the need to attract new and diverse talent into the profession Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong:  WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Larry Restieri: Website: Hightower Advisors LinkedIn: Hightower Advisors LinkedIn: Larry Restieri About Our Guest: Larry Restieri is Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors at Hightower, a national wealth management firm that empowers financial advisors to deliver sophisticated investment and financial services to clients. He joined the firm in June 2025, bringing with him decades of experience in wealth management and a history of scaling businesses and driving growth. Prior to Hightower, Larry was a partner at Goldman Sachs and served as CEO of its AYCO business, which specializes in workplace financial planning and private wealth advisory services. During his tenure, he led efforts to modernize AYCO’s operations, deepen client relationships, and accelerate business expansion. Larry spent 25 years at Goldman Sachs in a variety of leadership roles across its wealth and asset management divisions. Before joining Goldman Sachs in 2000, he practiced law at Finn Dixon & Herling LLP in Stamford, Connecticut, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York City. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law, where he served as an editor of the Fordham Law Review. Outside of work, Larry is a lifelong musician and plays lead guitar in a classic rock cover band.

Cresset’s rise from a family-led vision to one of the nation’s leading multifamily offices shows how purpose and culture can shape enduring organizations. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Eric Becker, co-founder and co-chairman of Cresset, about the firm’s mission to build a 100-year wealth management business focused on families, not just finances. Eric shares how Cresset was designed by clients, for clients, to combine investment excellence with family governance, education and community. David and Eric explore how RIA principals and executives can avoid short-term thinking, especially amid the frenzy of day-to-day operational planning and the quest for the elusive “personalization with scale” client service model. Eric suggests lessons other RIA leaders can learn from his study of the world’s longest-surviving companies, which he captured in his recently published book The Long Game: A Playbook of the World’s Most Enduring Companies.  David and Eric discuss: How Becker and his co-founder started Cresset because they couldn’t find a wealth management platform that met their own family’s needs, making them their own first two clients and fundamentally shaping their client-centric approach The goal to put the “family back into family office,” moving beyond investment management to include governance, education, health resources, concierge services and community Becker’s belief in pursuing “just the right amount of growth” and his four-pillar framework for managing expansion without sacrificing service quality or burning out teams—that includes culture, people, numbers and business model. Cresset’s unique employee-ownership model (60% employee-owned, 30% client-owned, 10% strategic investor) and how this structure aligns incentives for long-term thinking 100-Year Business Thinking: Drawing from his book The Long Game, Becker explains why building for longevity actually creates more valuable, attractive businesses and better serves clients who are also thinking generationally about their wealth. Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Book: The Long Game: A Playbook of the World’s Most Enduring Companies by Eric Becker & Avy Stein Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com  LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Eric Becker: Cresset Capital LinkedIn: Cresset LinkedIn: Eric Becker About Our Guest: Eric Becker is the Founder and Co-Chairman of Cresset, an award-winning multi-family office with more than $70 billion in assets under management. Alongside Founder and Co-Chairman, Avy Stein, Eric was one of Cresset’s first two clients. He and his team designed the firm to meet a specific need, and also for growth and sustainability; His desire to build a “100-year-old” firm led him to study some of the longest-running companies across different industries, and recently published The Long Game: A Playbook of the World’s Most Enduring Companies, which captures his observations on what they all have in common. 

The future of RIAs is being shaped by technology, talent, and a renewed focus on client-centric leadership. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Jon Beatty, head of advisor services at Charles Schwab, on the eve of Schwab Impact, about how the industry is adapting to the accelerating pace of technological change and what qualities differentiate the most successful advisory firms.  In the conversation, you’ll hear: What Beatty looks forward to the most at Schwab Impact, the firm’s annual conference for advisors and industry executives—and it’s not only what’s happening on the stage. The takeaways from Schwab’s most recent Independent Advisor Outlook Study that Beatty found most revealing. How some firms are maintaining, or even growing,  profitability even as they add new client services on top of a fixed revenue base. How the most successful advisors are evolving in their use of technology, including artificial intelligence. The key to balancing scale and efficiency without sacrificing personalized client service. The most critical metric RIAs have to track meaningful growth. Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Schwab Advisor Services’ 2025 Independent Advisor Outlook Study  Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Jon Beatty: Website: Charles Schwab LinkedIn: Charles Schwab LinkedIn: Jon Beatty About Our Guest: Jon Beatty is a member of Charles Schwab’s Executive Council. As Managing Director and Head of Schwab Advisor Services, he oversees the business that serves over 16,000 independent advisory firms that trust Schwab with $4.7 trillion in assets under management.  Schwab Advisor Services provides RIAs with everything they need for custody and beyond, including innovative technology, the latest wealth management solutions, and an unmatched breadth of solutions to help advisors take their businesses further, all powered by more than 3,000 dedicated Advisor Services employees.  You likely won’t meet anyone more passionate about helping independent advisors succeed than Jon. He joined Schwab 28 years ago and has been a member of the Advisor Services leadership team for 16 years. Jon has dedicated his career to working with RIAs and loves to hear from clients and prospects on how Schwab can best meet their needs. Jon has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wittenberg University. He is registered with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and holds Series 7 and 9/10 registrations.

Balefire Wealth’s transformation from two thriving RIAs into a unified enterprise business with national ambitions showcases the strength of shared vision and cultural alignment. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Jason Hester and John Hoffman, co-CEOs of Balefire Wealth, a new RIA born earlier this year from the merger of their two established firms. The episode explores how the duo combined their complementary businesses—one focused on ultra-high-net-worth clients and the other serving the mass affluent/HNW market with a strong corporate retirement plan business—to create an integrated wealth management enterprise designed to be greater than the sum of the parts. The discussion reveals their strategic approach to building a comprehensive service platform while maintaining a collaborative leadership structure that prioritizes both client outcomes and advisor growth, and their plans to accelerate the firm’s growth trajectory in 2026. The three discuss: Why it took two years of discussions before the Hester and Hoffman formally combined their firms, followed by a “32 second” decision to serve as co-CEOs, and how they make the partnership work. How they built an infrastructure that brings advisors into a team-based practice designed to serve the diverse needs of clients, from mass affluent to UHNW, under one roof. This includes their unique approach to financial planning, how they developed their client segmentation strategy and how they envision client services evolving to sustain and manage family wealth.   How they launched the firm with 16 advisor-owners, a pathway to ownership for recruits and—as of yet—no outside capital. Why they feel the future belongs to hybrid advisors who don’t focus only on AUM as a measure of success, and how that approach reshapes client relationships for the better. What their plans are to transition from recruiting like-minded advisors to approaching the M&A market as acquirers in 2026, and their thoughts on potentially working with the “smart money” investors who have entered the RIA space to support that growth. What their approach is for the firm’s corporate retirement plan business, with approximately 130 companies and around 45,000 participants, and how it sees the qualified and unqualified retirement plan market not as investment advisors but as strategic HR partners helping companies meet talent and retention challenges. Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Balefire Wealth: Website: Balefire Wealth LinkedIn: Balefire Wealth LinkedIn: Jason Hester About Jason Hester: As Managing Partner and Co-CEO of Balefire Wealth, Jason Hester leads the firm’s strategic vision and oversees its multi-division growth across a national footprint. With 25 years of experience in organic growth, strategic leadership, and private wealth frameworks, he guides the development of holistic planning solutions for affluent families and corporate clients. Jason is deeply involved in capital strategy, advisor acquisition, post-merger integration, and platform optimization, while mentoring leadership and cultivating a culture of clarity, accountability, and innovation. He works closely with the Executive and Organic Growth Teams to ensure Balefire continues to set a new standard for enterprise advisory firms. Jason and his wife, Brandy, have been married for 25 years and have three children—Henley, Hayes, and Bryce—who are each launching careers of their own. They live on a farm in Central Mississippi, where they enjoy gardening, outdoor sports, and traveling together. Jason also spends his free time reading, playing golf, riding motorcycles, working with his hands, and tackling home projects. About John Hoffman: With over 25 years in the financial industry, John Hoffman leads with a bold vision of growth and transformation. For 20 years at Principal Financial, he excelled as an Advisor, Managing Director, and ultimately Regional Managing Director—roles where he shaped strategy, developed high-performing teams, and attracted top talent. Now, as Managing Partner of Balefire, John is responsible for the firm’s inorganic growth and has built a “one-team” culture in an industry that often operates in silos. He has created team-based values aligned with a bold new vision, ensuring talent thrives in an authentic and collaborative environment. His leadership centers on finding the right team players, creating alignment, and scaling the organization as a unified company. Beyond Balefire, John is deeply engaged in his community. For over three years, he has served as a Board Member at Bolder Options, a nonprofit that provides wellness-based, activity-centered mentoring for youth. For the past 10 years, he has also chaired the Finance and Investments Committee at Portico Benefit Services, a nonprofit ministry of the ELCA that provides health, retirement, and investment benefits to faith-based organizations and their leaders. John currently lives in Dallas, Texas.

Wealthcare Capital Management’s evolution from a software pioneer to a national advisory platform reveals the power of strategic reinvention. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Matt Regan, president and CEO of Wealthcare Capital Management, about Wealthcare’s journey from its roots in Richmond, Va., to its sale to Sammons Financial. Matt shares how the firm is blending technology, M&A strategy and advisor support to create growth opportunities for independent advisors nationwide. Matt and David also discuss the firm’s acquisition approach, the rise of supported independence and the ongoing transformation of the RIA space. Matt discusses: Wealthcare’s beginnings as an investment planning software firm and its evolution into a full-service wealth management enterprise with some 200 affiliated advisors and $10 billion in AUM. The recent transaction, which saw ownership of the firm move from private equity investors NewSpring Capital to employee-owned Sammons Financial, a mid-sized financial services firm, and the potential to set up an independent wealth management vertical inside that organization. Why Wealthcare still purposefully targets sub-$1 billion firms for acquisitions, and how the war for talent, particularly next-gen, is feeding into Wealthcare’s dealmaking roadmap. (In fact, Wealthcare’s advisors are, overall, younger than the industry average.)  Why the firm has a goal to move more affiliated advisors, largely 1099 employees, into Wealthcare’s W-2 channel. Regan’s view on most of the digital marketing platforms currently available to advisors, and how AI may be the answer to truly move the needle on organic growth via improved lead generation and prospect nurturing. Why Regan is looking for an AI-enhanced small account investment platform for advisors to offer younger prospects who don’t—yet—make profitable full-service clients.  Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Matt Regan: Wealthcare LinkedIn: Wealthcare LinkedIn: Matt Regan About Our Guest: Matt Regan serves as Wealthcare’s President. Most recently and prior to Wealthcare, Matt served as the Chief Operating Officer of Wescott Financial, a $2 billion RIA based in Philadelphia. With more than two decades in the financial services industry, Matt has been involved in a number of transformative business models and has remained focused on building world-class organizations with a focus on the client. As a founding partner of WR Hambrecht+Co, Matt launched the retail brokerage offering and helped to design and launch the auction-based OpenIPO system. As a consultant to Vanguard, Matt was involved in the technology and business transformation that created the infrastructure that underlies the firm’s Personal Advisor Services offering. Matt is a graduate of the University of Toronto and resides outside Philadelphia with his wife and three children.

In this episode of the RIA Edge podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Kay Lynn Mayhue, president of Merit Financial, about the firm’s approach to growth as it reaches $24 billion in assets under management and celebrates its 50th acquisition. Mayhue discusses Merit’s recent capital partnership with Constellation Wealth and how the firm balances aggressive M&A activity with organic growth initiatives. Mayhue explains Merit’s three partnership models—succession, leadership, and growth—and how the firm has evolved to attract larger, more sophisticated advisory practices. She emphasizes Merit’s philosophy that organic growth responsibility belongs at the company level rather than with individual advisors, allowing advisors to focus on client relationships while the firm develops strategic alliances and referral programs to drive new business. Key insights: How Merit Financial maintains a unified brand across all 50+ offices, which Mayhue credits with creating operational efficiencies while still allowing advisors significant autonomy within established guardrails How the firm’s approach to advisor efficiency varies based on client demographics and advisor growth potential, with top producers receiving additional support to maintain growth capacity How strategic partnerships with CPAs, banks, and retirement plan advisors serve as critical organic growth channels for Merit advisors How Merit’s leadership team development has been crucial to its scaling strategy, with Mayhue advising firms to hire strategic leadership positions earlier than they think necessary Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com  LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Kay Lynn Mayhue: Merit Financial Advisors LinkedIn: Kay Lynn Mayhue, CFP®, AEP®, RFC®  LinkedIn: Merit Financial Advisors About Our Guest: Kay Lynn Mayhue, CFP®, AEP®, RFC®, has played many roles in the financial advisory industry: as a successor, partner, seller, and buyer. This unique and diverse background allows her to be able to relate to advisors in all phases of their careers and mergers and acquisitions. With a background in financial planning and leadership, her career spans several areas, including advising clients, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic growth. Kay Lynn worked her way up from an entry-level position to earn her seat at the C-Suites table as President of Merit, which oversees $15.96 billion* in RIA and Brokerage assets under management. She holds her CFP®, AEP®, and RFC® and has been a critical decision-maker for two firms over the past twenty years. Kay Lynn has overseen multiple mergers and acquisitions over the past four years and has been recognized for her position as a female leader in the financial services industry. She is passionate about helping people take their careers – and themselves – to exceptional levels. Kay Lynn’s influence in the industry and her drive for success a driving factors in Merit’s ongoing growth and appeal to growth-oriented advisors. 

Is true independence possible at scale? In this episode of the RIA Edge podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Concurrent CEO Nate Lenz about how his fast-growing RIA platform is helping advisors stay independent while accessing the scale, capital and talent needed to grow.  From multi-custodial flexibility to a unique minority partnership model, Lenz shares what is energizing younger advisors looking to remain independent, even as pressures to scale drive business strategy and soaring RIA valuations keep many from being able to afford the benefits of firm ownership.  Key takeaways: Why Concurrent launched a “minority, non-control” capital program backed by capital partner Merchant to take ownership stakes in RIAs, arguing the approach aligns incentives with advisors and avoids the roll-up model that often strips away autonomy. How the firm’s “Basecamp” platform creates efficiencies that advisors could not achieve alone, even as they retain their own brands and client relationships, and how a “powered by Concurrent” co-branding with partner firms can preserve local culture while signaling national strength. How his firm is addressing the “talent wars” by turning inward and building training programs for new advisors. Lenz has a goal to train 100 new advisors over five years through a structured apprenticeship model. How Concurrent is using its large 401(k) plan sponsor base and partnerships with firms like TIFIN to create new organic growth channels. How higher interest rates have compressed valuations and raised the cost of capital in the RIA M&A market, yet not all firms will respond in the same way. Some well-capitalized firms with equity to deploy still have a strong edge even as they steer clear of auction-style deals where buyers pay unsustainable multiples. Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Nate Lenz: Website: Concurrent LinkedIn: Concurrent LinkedIn: Nate Lenz About Our Guest: With more than a decade of financial industry experience, Nate Lenz is a leader for advisors looking to realize their potential as entrepreneurs. He is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Concurrent, a $7 billion OSJ turned RIA that was named an InvestmentNews Best Place to Work in 2023. Concurrent is driven by partnering with advisors to help them grow their independent businesses. Nate’s career has focused on supporting financial advisors, empowering them to succeed without the backing of big financial services companies. Prior to his work at Concurrent, he was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at I&A Consulting, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and recruiting experienced advisors. Before that, he was VP of Succession Planning & Acquisitions at Raymond James Financial Services, where he led the in-house consulting team that provided support to 4,000+ RJ independent financial advisors. His previous work helped shape his vision for Concurrent and deepen his investment in guiding independent financial advisors through all phases of the business life cycle. He graduated from Columbia University and was recognized in 2022 as an InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 honoree.

Scaling growth isn’t just about getting bigger; it’s about vision, discipline and striking the right balance between legacy and innovation. So how does a $30 billion-plus RIA navigate the complexities of rapid acquisitions, evolving culture and the disruptive promise of AI? In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong sits down with John Bunch, CEO of Allworth Financial, to unpack how he’s guiding a founder-led firm into a professionally managed enterprise. From people and strategy to the smart use of technology, John shares what it takes to shape the future of advisory services at scale. John discusses: The evolution of Allworth from a founder-led practice to a $30 billion-plus RIA with a national footprint His leadership philosophy in transitioning firms from founder-driven to professionally managed organizations How acquisitions, large and small, fit into Allworth’s growth strategy and culture Why investment management, tax planning and estate services are central to serving today’s high-net-worth clients How the firm is using AI and why it is being employee-driven Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With John Bunch: Allworth Financial LinkedIn: Allworth Financial LinkedIn: John Bunch About Our Guest: John Bunch is the Chief Executive Officer at Allworth Financial. Universally recognized within the wealth management industry, he has accumulated an extensive 30-year history of successfully leading and expanding award-winning organizations that serve both retail and institutional clients. Before coming to Allworth, John spent over three years as the Chief Financial Services Director at Evelyn Partners (formerly Tilney Smith & Williamson), a leading integrated wealth management and professional services firm headquartered in the United Kingdom. Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Edelman Financial Engines – where he oversaw 130 branch offices – and the Chief Executive Officer of The Mutual Fund Store. Before that, he held several key institutional sector leadership positions, including Executive Vice President at TD Ameritrade and Divisional Senior Vice President at Charles Schwab & Co.

Explosive growth doesn’t happen by accident. It’s fueled by intentional partnerships, strategic resources, and cultural alignment. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong sits down with Stan Gregor, CEO of Summit Financial, who shares how his firm has grown from $3 billion to nearly $25 billion in assets since 2020.  He reveals the minority investment model that prioritizes partnership over control, the resources Summit provides to help advisors grow organically and through acquisitions, and the importance of cultural fit. Stan also offers his perspective on private equity’s role in the industry and emerging service trends for RIAs. Keypoints: Summit Financial’s minority investment partnership model and how it differs from roll-up and aggregator structures The selective approach to onboarding partners, focusing on cultural fit, aspiration, and willingness to leverage resources In-house resources, from legal and estate planning to marketing via Chapman Communications, that drive above-market organic growth Industry shifts toward private equity, private credit and alternative investments, and how Summit vets boutique opportunities Views on competition, partnership pitfalls and future monetization strategies while maintaining focus on growth and enterprise value Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify  Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter/X: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Stan Gregor: Website: Summit Financial LinkedIn: Summit Financial LinkedIn: Stan Gregor About Our Guest: Stan Gregor is the CEO of Summit Financial LLC. As a senior executive with over 30 years of experience, Stan has operated in banking, private wealth management, investment management, fiduciary trust services, fixed income trading, investment banking, retirement services, insurance, financial planning, and public finance. He has also been involved in acquiring and integrating some of the largest and most complicated banking, wealth management, insurance, and capital markets businesses and cultures with a demonstrated track record of increasing productivity, profitability, and shareholder value. Most recently, Stan was the founder and co-CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald Wealth Partners (CFWP). Under his leadership, CFWP grew to over $5 billion in assets in less than two years through several strategic acquisitions of RIAs, independent advisors, and wirehouse teams. Prior to joining Cantor Fitzgerald, Stan was the Head of Wells Fargo Wealth Management -Eastern US Markets and President of Wachovia Wealth Markets. He provided executive leadership to the Eastern U.S. Markets and headed up the Wealth Insurance Division, overseeing the private bank, wealth brokerage, investment management, fiduciary trust services, financial planning, and insurance. Stan was responsible for leading nearly 5,000 team members, generating revenues of $2.5 billion with $69 billion of investment fee-based AUM, $19 billion of deposit balances, and $16 billion of loans. Prior to Wachovia, Stan was CEO of Commerce Capital Markets, where he directed private wealth management, brokerage, asset management, fixed income trading, derivatives, investment banking, retirement services, insurance, and public finance. Subsequently, Stan was CEO of Quick and Reilly (Q&R) as one of the visionaries who transformed Q&R from a transactional discount broker to a full-service advisory company. When Q&R was acquired by Bank of America, Stan stayed on as co-CEO of Bank of America Investment Services until 2005. Over nearly a decade at Citigroup, Stan had several senior executive-level roles leading different divisions, including consumer banking, private wealth management, and Citigroup as Northeast Group Executive Vice President.

James Bogart, founder of Bogart Wealth, has created an organic growth machine, going from $526 million to $3 billion in assets in less than 10 years—client by client, no M&A.  His story shows the benefits of putting in place a strategic, repeatable and intentional growth program (especially for smaller entrepreneurial advisors) and focusing on a distinct niche where those efforts are more easily amplified. But at $3 billion, and with 40 employees, the growth path starts to look a little different.  In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, James describes to host David Armstrong what he is doing now to continue the trajectory—from letting go of some operational oversight to a trusted management executive, to building internal training programs and tapping institutional funding to support the business—all while eyeing his first acquisition. James and David discuss:  His early start as a new advisor focused on ExxonMobil executives, hosting education-only retirement planning lunches and dinners—and the metrics he tracked to fine-tune the strategy. How COVID-inspired digital seminars dramatically accelerated the firm’s growth When, and how, he started to adapt the organization, including departmentalization and multi-point client servicing models.  Solving the human capital problem with home-grown internal training programs  The decision to hire Jeffrey Fuhrman, formerly head of Focus Financial firm Coastal Bridge Advisors, as president Taking on outside capital for the first time with Constellation Partners Why he’s beginning to eye M&A for the first time to continue the growth trajectory.  Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With James Bogart: Website: Bogart Wealth LinkedIn: Bogart Wealth LinkedIn: James Bogart About Our Guest: As CEO of Bogart Wealth, James Bogart focuses on maintaining the highest level of customer service possible and seeking to deliver the most effective technology, reporting tools, and analysis to every Bogart Wealth client. A charismatic visionary and next-gen founder with seemingly endless energy, he surrounds himself with people who complement his skills. James promotes a collaborative environment, leading by example and always exemplifying Bogart Wealth’s core values. He sets a high bar for himself and his employees, encouraging everyone to acquire designations that will help them advance their careers and better serve clients.  A seasoned wealth advisor and visionary leader, James takes personal pride in assisting executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals in pursuing their dreams through highly customized financial planning strategies. James’s practice spans wealth plan design, investment management, estate planning, family legacy planning, business succession, charitable giving, asset protection, and retirement concerns, with a special insight and focus on multi-generational strategies. He regularly addresses audiences of industry professionals and senior corporate executives on new and upcoming developments in this field. Educated at the University of Virginia and Georgetown University, James is an Investment Adviser Representative, a Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®). James and his wife, Ashley, enjoy spending time with their children, Makenna, Peyton, and Landon. He serves on the board of directors for local non-profit The Hopkins Society. He is also a proud Eagle Scout, remaining active with the Boy Scouts of America. He enjoys golf, travel, reading, and cooking. 

It’s not surprising that tech-native firms see the wealth management industry’s high margins and sticky revenue, even with its notoriously disjointed and sometimes subpar tech stacks, and think, “Good business. But it could be better.”  At the recent WealthManagement EDGE conference in Boca Raton, Fla., David Armstrong, director of editorial strategy and operations for the Wealth Management Group at Informa Connect, spoke with Taylor Matthews, co-founder and CEO of Farther, to explore how the firm is seeking to improve the advisor experience and increase the operational efficiency of wealth management firms with home-built technology.  Backed by a handful of well-known venture capitalists, Farther is a “tech-forward” RIA where the user experience improvements are as much for the advisor’s benefit as it is for the client: The goal was to create workflow efficiencies for advisors that translate into increased time spent with more clients than is found at a typical RIA.  Taylor outlines how Farther also supports advisors with built-in marketing, lead generation and operational support. The conversation touches on the firm’s philosophy, use of AI, Taylor’s thoughts on the business investment environment for RIAs, and what the future may hold for his team’s firm. David and Taylor discuss: How Farther’s technology was built from the ground up to solve daily inefficiencies that advisors face with disconnected tech stacks Why returning time to advisors is central to Farther’s strategy, enabling them to focus more on client work and growth The four-part growth engine at Farther, including done-for-you marketing and lead generation How Farther’s internal teams support advisors in areas like estate planning, tax consulting and financial planning The firm’s long-term approach to growth without the constraints of private equity and why consolidation is reshaping the industry. Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Taylor Matthews: Website: Farther Finance LinkedIn: Farther Finance LinkedIn: Taylor Matthews About Our Guest: Taylor leads Farther’s executive team and shapes the overarching strategy for the firm. Prior to founding Farther, Taylor was a member of the leadership team at ForUsAll, where he helped build the fintech retirement advisory firm from $25 million in assets under management to just under $1 billion in his two years there. Taylor previously co-founded Essmart, a social enterprise distributing tech-for-development products in India, and was an investment banker and management consultant in his early career. He graduated from MIT Sloan with an MBA and Yale with degrees in philosophy and political science. Taylor lives in San Francisco with his wife, three children, and a very excitable dog. As Victor Hugo wrote, “There is nothing like a dream to create the future.”

Join host David Armstrong, fresh off the Wealth Management Edge Conference in Boca Raton, Fla., as he interviews Michael Henley, founder and chief executive officer of Brandywine Oak Private Wealth. Michael talks about the firm’s rapid growth since leaving Merrill Lynch in 2018 with the help of Dynasty Financial Partners and the focus that helped the firm double its AUM to $1.5 billion since breaking away.  Like many serving HNW and UHNW clients, Henley’s firm takes a tax-centric approach to planning; unlike many similarly sized firms, Brandywine has brought tax preparation in-house, a service enthusiastically embraced by their clients. Henley talks about the conference panel he saw that led him and his firm to dive deep into crypto, educating clients on the technology and, for those who want it, adding a small sleeve to their portfolios.  A culturally young firm of advisors mostly in their 30s and 40s, Henley and his team believe growing the business is important not just for the principals, but for the clients, arguing scale is needed to bring HNW and UHNW families the range of services they will come to expect. The team is grappling with the best way to make that happen and whether or not to look for a partner or a source of capital to fuel their next chapter.  David and Michael discuss: Why he and his team left the wirehouse, and how opening their own firm unlocked an ability to serve clients with fewer conflicts and more opportunities. How the firm is “obsessed” with taxes, arguing proper tax planning moves the needle for HNW and UHNW clients like few other strategies. Why bringing tax preparation in-house (unique for a firm of their size) ensures advisors maintain control of the financial plan’s implementation. How the barriers have fallen around alternatives and structured products, and the role illiquid investments can play for clients. The decision to add a sleeve of cryptocurrency to their portfolios, and how clients reacted. He and his partner’s thinking around M&A, “acquihires,” and the possibility of bringing on a capital partner to accelerate the next phase of growth.  Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Michael Henley: Brandywine Oak Private Wealth LinkedIn: Brandywine Oak Private Wealth LinkedIn: Michael Henley About Our Guest: Michael Henley is the Founder and CEO of Brandywine Oak Private Wealth, a distinguished private wealth management firm headquartered in Kennett Square, Pa. Over the course of his 20-year career, Michael has partnered with wealthy individuals and families to help streamline the complexity associated with significant wealth. Michael built his team with a singular purpose: to provide a preeminent private wealth management experience to executives, retirees, and their family members, founded on exceptional service, transparency, and consistency. A skilled leader, he surrounds each client with a dedicated team of credentialed professionals who are sensitive to that family’s unique needs, values, and goals. Michael resides in Chadds Ford, PA, with his two children and their dogs. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification, the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation, the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC®) designation, and the Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®) designation.

Economic uncertainty, heightened volatility and on-again, off-again trade policies are challenging for investors. But similar to the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, fiduciary advisors can use this opportunity to assert their value and give clients confidence that their broader financial plans aren’t as negatively impacted as they may think, given the daily doom-and-gloom market headlines. Some RIAs can turn volatility into a growth engine. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, Jalina Kerr of Charles Schwab shares how the most adaptive firms are expanding beyond portfolio management, into areas like estate and tax planning, which have far more profound impacts on client outcomes than marginal tweaks to an allocation model or changes in asset managers and investment funds. Top-tier RIAs are also using technology to scale more personalized client experiences, communicating to clients that their personal plans remain resilient, despite the daily ups and downs in the markets. Kerr discusses: The resilience of RIAs during down markets and how bear markets can be an opportunity for growth The increasing demand for comprehensive wealth management beyond portfolio construction, including estate and tax planning Integration of technology to deliver personalization at scale and the benefits of all-in-one platforms The rising interest in alternative investments and how they’re being integrated into many RIAs practices If the wealth management industry is any closer to solving the talent shortage, and how RIAs are doing in forging career development tracks within firms. Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Jalina Kerr: Charles Schwab LinkedIn: Jalina Kerr LinkedIn: Charles Schwab About Our Guest: Jalina Kerr is the Managing Director, Head of Advisor Experience for Schwab Advisor Services. Kerr’s team shapes the constantly evolving client experience with progressive technical and human resources designed to support the custody needs of a diverse advisor base. Kerr began her career at Schwab in 1994 on the Advisor Services trading desk. During her tenure at Schwab, Kerr has held roles in client service delivery, operations, advisors in transition, strategy, and technology. In 2016, AZ Business Magazine recognized Kerr as one of Arizona’s Most Influential Women. Kerr also serves on the Board of the Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum. Kerr holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and her Series 7, 9, 10, 24, and 63 registrations.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, join host David Armstrong for an insightful conversation with Susie Cranston, president and COO of Cresset, as they explore how the firm rapidly scaled to $65 billion.  David and Susie discuss: How Cresset grew out of a family office for the founders, and how the firm defines “family office” services.  How the firm made the decision to source and offer clients private market investments via affiliate Cresset Capital Partners. How Cranston views the tension between growth via acquisitions and maintaining the integrity of the service model. “When you have to integrate multiple systems, when you have to be the one building those integrations, it really, really slows down your ability to grow and scale.” How crossing the $40B mark in AUM brings benefits to the firm and the clients by opening up “industrial scale” options for tech and service: “That is a real advantage when you can cross there because then you don’t have to change out your infrastructure, you can just scale on what you have.” Insights on evolving advisory models and the future of the RIA.  Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Susie Cranston: Cresset LinkedIn: Cresset LinkedIn: Susie Cranston About Our Guest: Susie Cranston is President and Chief Operating Officer of Cresset, an award-winning multi-family office and private investment firm. In this role, Susie oversees Cresset’s Wealth Advisors, Client Service, Operations, and Compliance. Susie most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer at First Republic Bank, where she was responsible for the sales, client service, operations, strategic planning, and administrative management of the First Republic Investment Management business. After the firm’s acquisition by JP Morgan Chase, Susie served as the COO and Head of Integration. Susie originally joined First Republic in 2013 as EVP of Private Wealth Management, moving on to build one of the most successful wealth management businesses in the industry. She started her career at McKinsey & Company, where she spent 12 years consulting in various roles of increasing seniority and focused on strategy, risk management, and transformational change for financial services companies. Active in the San Francisco business community, Susie is a “Forever Influential” honoree and three-time recipient of the San Francisco Business Times “Most Influential Women in Business” designation and a member of C200. Susie is also a board member of the Commonwealth Club. She has authored several published articles and a book on women and leadership, “How Remarkable Women Lead.” Susie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and an MBA in business from Stanford University.

How can a firm truly put families first in wealth management? Join host David Armstrong as he interviews Chris Erblich, co-founder of TFO Family Office Partners. Chris shares the origin story and evolution of TFO’s three distinct but interconnected entities: a full-service multifamily office in Phoenix, a wealth management firm in Ohio and a South Dakota-based public trust company. He explains how each was built in response to real client needs rather than a grand business plan. It all started with a family office sparked by a gap in legal-client relationships, expanded into wealth management and ultimately the firm formed a trust company to address trustee challenges for ultra-high-net-worth families. Throughout the conversation, Chris emphasizes TFO’s purpose-driven mission: to help families, however and wherever they need it. David and Chris discuss: What prompted estate attorney Elbrich to first convince his law firm to back an in-house multi-family office, and why he and his partners eventually bought it outright. How an opportunistic meeting with a Genspring advisor looking for a new home led him to build a separate MFO in Phoenix. The firm’s approach to client services, tax preparation and estate planning. Building an in-house South Dakota Trust company that was, at first, seen as an accommodation, but soon became a profitable business service highly valued by clients.  Elbrich’s mission statement and the one question that helps him decide where to focus his efforts growing the business.  Future growth plans, and how he feels about mergers and acquisitions in the RIA space.  Resources: Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify  Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Chris Erblich: TFO Wealth Partners TFO Family Office Partners LinkedIn: Chris Erblich LinkedIn: TFO Wealth Partners LinkedIn: TFO Family Office Partners Husch Blackwell https://www.huschblackwell.com/ About Our Guest: Chris is a nationally recognized estate planning attorney, business owner, and speaker focusing on helping individuals and families connect their wealth and purpose. His clients are those who have truly lived the American dream, and Chris values the opportunity to work with and learn from them. In addition to Chris’ role as Partner at Husch Blackwell, Chris is the CEO and Chairman of TFO Family Office Partners (based in Phoenix, Arizona), CEO of TFO Wealth Partners (based in Maumee, Ohio), and President and Director of TFO Trust Company (based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota). Chris also has multiple real estate investments. It is this experience that enables him to understand firsthand the challenges and complexities of managing both companies and properties, and he readily identifies with clients’ goals and desires for their own businesses. In addition to the services he provides to clients, Chris is a highly sought-after speaker in the world of high-net-worth estate planning and has delivered more than 200 presentations nationwide to attorneys, accountants, financial service professionals, and business owners.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong chats with Andrew Leonard, founder and partner at Geometric Wealth Advisors, about how the firm has rapidly grown to over $1 billion in AUM since Leonard founded it by catering to a specific client niche: executives working inside large consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.  In fact, many of its advisors, as well as the firm’s chief operating officer, come from those same firms. Geometric Wealth’s advantage is a deep understanding of the internal resources, career paths and investment plans available to its clients, as well as the professional trajectories and personalities of those who work there. By focusing on such a narrow pool of prospects, the firm ironically brings in twice as many referrals as it can onboard annually—a capacity problem, not a growth problem.  Leonard talks about how the niche focus drives most strategic decisions at the firm. That includes a commitment to 100% remote work, the firm’s business development strategy (and how “marketing” looks very different when focusing on a specific niche) and the commitment to remaining an employee-owned partnership with no outside investor taking ownership. Leonard also discusses: The benefit of hiring career-changers from the same consulting firms where they prospect for clients, and the advantages that brings in terms of subject-matter expertise and new client referrals.  Why he made the decision five years ago, as a much smaller firm, to bring not just tax planning, but tax preparation in-house and the difference that has made for his clients (many with unique tax situations that come with the partnership arrangements of the consulting firms). Resources: RIA Edge Podcast Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Andrew Leonard: Geometric Wealth Advisors LinkedIn: Geometric Wealth Advisors LinkedIn: Andrew Leonard About Our Guest: Andrew founded Geometric Wealth Advisors in 2015.  He spent the prior eight years as a Partner with Classic Capital, where he served as a Wealth Advisor for high net worth families and individuals.  He sold his stake in Classic to build a firm devoted entirely to serving his peers. Andrew lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Shelley, and daughters, Eve and Brooke.

What makes a financial advisory firm truly sustainable in the competitive world of wealth management? Join David Armstrong as he engages with Mark DeLotto, partner and corporate development officer at Simon Quick Advisors, on the firm’s distinctive growth journey and his roadmap for future growth. Mark offers insights into cultivating a culture of broad ownership, team collaboration, and strategies for organic growth driven by deep expertise in trusts and estate planning, and his ambition for more dealmaking in the RIA space.  David and Mark discuss: The transformation of Simon Quick Advisors from an early focus as a family office, to advising a few institutions, to becoming a full-service wealth management firm for HNW and UHNW clients.   How broadening the number of next-gen employee owners has aligned the team around the firm’s goals and incentives, and the impact that decision has had on the firm’s growth trajectory.  Why the firm decided to bring estate planning intelligence in-house. The firm’s first three M&A deals, and how Mark and his partner believed in the mission to the point where they made personal guarantees to the bank to raise the capital to pursue a deal.  Resources: RIA Edge Podcast Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Mark DeLotto: Simon Quick Advisors LinkedIn: Simon Quick Advisors LinkedIn: Mark DeLotto Facebook: Simon Quick Advisors  Twitter: Simon Quick Advisors About Our Guest: Mr. DeLotto joined Simon Quick in April 2007 and currently serves as the Partner and Corporate Development Officer, with primary responsibility over the areas of finance and operations. He also oversees human resources, legal, compliance, technology, and infrastructure, and, as a member of the Management Committee, contributes to the firm’s strategic direction, business development, and business planning. He also sits on the firm’s Operating Committee. In early 2013, Mr. DeLotto became an equity partner of Simon Quick. Mr. DeLotto began his career with Fleet/Quick & Reilly as a Financial Advisor. At the Bank of America Investment Services, he managed and serviced client assets. He earned Series 7, Series 66, and New Jersey Life and Health Insurance Producer Licenses and was selected to partner with a successful team of advisors in 2005. Prior to joining Simon Quick, Mr. DeLotto supervised, mentored, and coached over forty financial advisors and sales assistants as a licensed market principal at Bank of America Investment Services, Inc. Mr. DeLotto has a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Villanova University School of Business. He is an active member in the Morris/Somerset Chapter of the Villanova Alumni Association and was an active member of The Villanova School of Business and served as a mentor in the Commerce and Finance Counselor program. A graduate of the Delbarton School in Morristown, NJ, he currently serves on the Board of the Alumni Association and is the Co-Chair of the school’s annual fundraising effort. Mark currently sits on the Technology Advisory Board for both Pershing LLC (an affiliate of BNY Mellon) and Fortigent LLC (an affiliate of LPL Financial). Mark sits on the Board of Directors for the ARC of Morris County, an organization dedicated to people affected by intellectual and related developmental disabilities and their families in Morris County.

Snowden Lane entered 2025 on a high note. The firm had an active recruiting year, expanding its national footprint and posting record profitability and revenue with approximately $12 billion in AUM.  Yet the highlight for CEO Robert Mooney was the decision to buy back a significant portion of the firm’s equity from its original financial backer, Estancia Capital. The firm also broadened ownership to more employees and managers while letting longer-tenured advisor partners cash in some vested chips at “an attractive valuation.”  Now, 75% of firm ownership is in the hands of managers and employees. Mooney sees the pivot away from outside capital as something to celebrate, particularly as more competitors run toward private equity.   In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Mooney about the recent changes at Snowden Lane and how his firm is navigating the shifting dynamics in wealth management.  Rob shares insights on: Why the wirehouses are still Snowden Lane’s best hunting grounds for talent, though he is starting to see serious opportunities to recruit from other RIAs; the firm recently added Charles Schwab as a custodian alongside its traditional partner Pershing. A new proprietary retirement transition plan that offers advisors eyeing the exits an early payout. The growing role of alternative investments, where the demand is coming from and how advisors are integrating them. Why firm executives are bringing more practicing advisors from the field offices into managing director roles to help with strategic growth decisions. The sustainability of current RIA valuations and what firms might be getting wrong.  The firm’s recent recapitalization and the benefits of broadening ownership in the firm to advisors and home-office employees.  Resources: RIA Edge Podcast Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Rob Mooney: Snowden Lane Partners LinkedIn: Snowden Lane Partners LinkedIn: Rob Mooney About Our Guest: Rob is the Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Snowden Lane. Rob spent 22 years at Merrill Lynch, in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, and London. He was General Counsel and Chief Business Risk Officer of Global Wealth Management and a member of the GWM Executive and Operating Committees. He previously held senior executive positions in International Private Client and the Asia Pacific Region. Rob started at Merrill Lynch in London (Europe, Middle East, and Africa Region) and before that worked at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He has a BA from Franklin and Marshall College and a JD from George Washington University. He is Chairman of the Board of Centurion, the oldest organization in the U.S. dedicated to freeing the wrongly convicted, and a founding Board member of the Christina Seix Academy, a residential school for underprivileged inner-city children. He is a former Board Chairman and Board member of the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong interviews Grant Rawdin, founder and CEO of Wescott Financial Advisory Group, which manages $4 billion in AUM. Grant shares the story of founding his firm in 1987 as an offshoot of a law firm, his passion for client advocacy, and how the firm grew through strategic networking and a commitment to professional management. He emphasizes Wescott’s unique culture, including its B-Corp certification and involvement in the Net Positive Consortium for Wealth Management, as essential elements of its identity, and most important, talent retention. Key takeaways from this episode include: Rawdin’s belief that net organic growth starts with client retention, and how the firm achieves its high numbers with multi-generational clients. Beyond retention, the other activities that help the firm create “rivers of referrals,” the core of Wescott’s growth engine. The firm’s commitment to social justice and positive community involvement, including what its coveted “B-Corp” designation means, and why it became a founding member of the Net Positive Coalition for Wealth Management, a growing group of RIAs committed to sustainability. The mindful approach he takes to acquisitions, and the importance of integrating the right talented professionals into the firm culture to the benefit of employees and clients. What data Rawdin follows to make growth-oriented business decisions and track ROI The firm’s unique inclusion of an organizational psychologist to support clients and staff through transitions Resources: RIA Edge Podcast Net Positive Wealth Connect With David Armstrong: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com LinkedIn: David Armstrong Twitter: David Armstrong LinkedIn: Informa Connect With Grant Rawdin: Website: Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC LinkedIn: Grant Rawdin LinkedIn: Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC Facebook: Wescott Financial Advisory Group LLC About Our Guest: Grant Rawdin is the founder and CEO of Wescott.  Wescott grew from the tax, business and estate services he provided to clients at Duane Morris LLP, a venerable AMLaw 100 law firm; Wescott was founded in 1987.  Grant is an attorney, an accountant and a Certified Financial Planner® professional and has served as advisor to many businesses and families.  He is admitted to both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bars. Grant is a graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law and Temple University, where he received his B.A. in English Literature.  He is the very proud father of four children and resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife, Laura Rawdin.