Articles published 1/2023
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Ken Golding, who rewrote RIA software history only after Greg Friedman got three haircuts, stopped griping and acted on his hair stylist's advice, has died; he was 62
The Junxure legend was in Texas as a code writer for hire when he got a call from a shorn, California startup RIA owner, who was tired of using 'mail-merge' to integrate advice processes.
January 31, 2023 at 3:02 AM
In rare form, Schwab's Bernie Clark calls out rivals -- not least Fidelity, Goldman Sachs and LPL -- by name and warns them about challenging Schwab's prohibitive custody business domination
The head of RIA custody says 85% of RIA firms work with his unit, but rival custodians have knives drawn to poach advisors when TD Ameritrade merger wraps.
January 28, 2023 at 2:50 AM
Zoe Financial discloses stealth raise from big RIAs, even as it launches its own RIA and walks tightrope on potential conflicts
The New York City referral machine raised funds last May from Mariner Wealth, Creative Planning and Sequoia Financial and now says those firms won't get preferential dibs on referrals.
January 26, 2023 at 2:20 AM
Vanguard Group kills it (again) in 2022 with winning formula -- low fees and low service -- yet analysts wonder how long customers will tolerate chronic service glitches
The Malvern, Pa. firm mostly blew away the index-investing field in a tumultuous year as its size strained its service; analysts sense a breaking point could come as service aces Schwab and Fidelity shrink its price advantage.
January 25, 2023 at 2:53 AM
Alois Pirker sets up shop in Marblehead by taking a page from the RIAs he advises
The former Aite-Novarica consulting chief wants the latitude of Pirker Partners to take the gigs he wants and avoid corporate consulting economics -- namely selling reports.
January 21, 2023 at 5:03 AM
Pershing restores Ben Harrison as sole heir to Mark Tibergien -- for now -- but solo tenure may be temporary, with other top talent in the wings
Co-Head Maura Creekmore's departure leaves Harrison at the top by default, but the company is mum on future hiring and how much RIA autonomy gets sacrificed in name of 'convergence.'
January 19, 2023 at 3:31 AM
With AUM growth stalled since Bain bought $290-million stake in 2021, Carson Wealth is seeking greener 401(k) pastures by choosing Vestwell's 'dirt cheap' fees
The Omaha, Neb., RIA slid below $19 billion by end of 2022 but has a deal with Vestwell to encourage its RIAs to seek 401(k) plans
January 18, 2023 at 3:33 AM
Lawrence Calcano, flush with $440-million of PE cash, boosts spending, after iCapital adds $37 billion of non-correlated assets in nine months
The New York City-based CEO of the alts supermarket ordered a hiring spree of computer engineers after financial engineering slows and organic growth starts to kick in.
January 16, 2023 at 6:53 AM
Biz Briefs: Schwab puts checks for $52 million in mail to robo-RIA customers allegedly misled about cash allocations • BlackRock blacklisted (again) • iShares beats NZAM-exiter Vanguard • Fidelity makes first acquisition in eight years • CFP board realizes Moms don't like CFPs
BlackRock gets Kentucky coal in stocking, and Vanguard keeps skating; iShares inches above -- by 2.8% -- Vanguard's annual net new ETF asset haul; Fidelity takes "natural next step" for stock plan business; new CFP chair outlines plans and the DOJ is set to become a major Robinhood shareholder..
January 13, 2023 at 3:01 AM
RIAs begin 2023 on top, radically road-tested, and morphing from one undefined state to an even blurrier one -- but also one more valuable
The enormity of the $7-trillion AUM profession's task post-2022 expands, morphs and looks more missionary and underpriced
January 12, 2023 at 5:26 AM
Media magnet Kimberly Foss sells her RIA to Mercer Global and declares cultural fit 'extemely high,' citing shared DFA ties and a woman's touch
The Empyrion owner will now work under the $48-billion, Denver and Santa Barbara RIA rollup, which keeps finding women in wealth who believe it transcends 'pale, male and stale'
January 11, 2023 at 3:28 AM
Wealthfront pounces after Betterment jacks up prices on small investors, but Betterment claims last laugh -- 'thousands' of new customers, it says
The New York City robo-advisor imposes the charge so low balance accounts pay 'fair share,' prompting Wealthfront's CEO to say his rival is 'penalizing' those investors.
January 10, 2023 at 1:40 AM
Bill Crager shuffles the deck on management team created just seven months ago: Tony Leal is out of 'Big Three' inner circle, replaced by Morgan Stanley vet Rose Palazzo
The RIA software 'trailblazer' and co-founder of MoneyGuidePro has been working on departure for a year; will transition to a 'consultant,' company says
January 7, 2023 at 1:50 AM
Lauren Taylor Wolfe goes for Envestnet's throat by demanding four of seven board seats -- including her own -- in what one analyst views as a budding 'hostile [board] takeover'
The 7.5% stakeholder in New York City claims the Berywn. Pa., firm has been run with an 'abandonment of fiduciary responsibility.'
January 5, 2023 at 5:16 AM
Vanguard cites shunned founder Jack Bogle to deflect criticism after epic ESG flip-flop, extoling the founder's 'whole haystack' investing strategy versus finding the 'needle'
The Malvern, Pa. firm played the Bogle card amid an about-face on NZAM, which it joined 21 months ago with heavy hitters like BlackRock, to 'steward' client assets, but external GOP political pressures may have forced it to cave.
