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ABOUT US

If you’re thinking about the proverbial next chapter for yourself and your Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm, add this to your considerations: Do you want a transaction or a transition? It’s an important question, because just about any financial entity that’s courting you probably has the wherewithal for a transaction. You name your price, you receive a payout, you hand over your clients. It’s a straightforward, yet often unsatisfying, end to a career.

So, instead of opting for a transaction, why not consider a transition? In other words, consider teaming up with a holding company that has not only the size, scale, and stability to deliver for your clients but also enduring core values of trust, honesty, and fiduciary excellence. Not to mention a client centric service model that puts your clients’ best interests ahead of all others.

Perhaps now is a good time for you to meet Greenleaf Financial Holding Company? We’re interested in RIAs with like-minded owners and leaders whose success, like our own, is the result of being honest and honorable, talent-driven, and dedicated to its clients’ financial success from generation to generation.

One key distinction is that Greenleaf Financial Holding Company is not an age-old bank with historic generations of blue bloods set in their ways. To the contrary, our 20+ year history is relatively short, yet highly productive. Our trust-only financial institutions have grown to in excess of $17 billion in assets under advisement, enjoy a client retention rate of 99%, earn nearly perfect marks in client satisfaction surveys, and have averaged over 16% growth in terms of new assets annually since year one.

Through our trust-only (non-depository) bank and trust company structures, we have a broad and impressive team with formidable expertise in wealth management, institutional investment research and management, retirement plan services, personal trust services (with trust powers in Michigan and Delaware), estate settlement, and family office services.

You will appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing the wealth you’ve worked so hard to create for your clients will be positioned to grow for generations to come. We’ll apply a holistic strategy integrating asset management with tax planning, risk management, retirement needs, trusts and estate planning, charitable giving, and so on. The big picture is nearly always bigger—and often better—than clients realize.

In addition to the importance of a like-minded culture, here’s a broader profile of an RIA we’re interested in meeting:

Candidate Attributes

  • Long-term, high integrity practice with long-standing client base
  • Clean SEC examination history
  • Strong alignment with our existing philosophy on:
    • Client profile
    • Investment vehicles
    • Portfolio construction
  • Targeted AUM of $250,000,000 and above
  • Engaged ownership willing to agree to a client retention-based earnout
  • Geographic alignment with Michigan brand-dominance strategy
  • Reasonable growth in the trailing five-year period
  • Firm’s existing fee schedule aligns with our planned “target fee”

We make every effort to ensure that the transition of your RIA to Greenleaf Financial Holding Company is a low-stress, transparent, and straightforward approach.

On day one, our emphasis will be on maintaining existing:

  • Investment philosophy
  • Fee structure
  • Custodians/platforms
  • Technology and tools
  • Client service teams
  • Locations

So that you can focus on your clients and the transition task at hand, the same day or soon after, we will assume responsibility for:

Human Resources

  • Succession planning and talent placement
  • Benefits

Governance and Compliance

  • Regulatory oversight
  • Risk management and insurance

Finance

  • Accounts payable
  • Payroll
  • Audit and assurance

Business Information Systems

  • Cyber security
  • Administrative systems infrastructure

Marketing

  • Long-term brand building and advertising

Facilities

  • Lease

There is peace of mind in knowing that Greenleaf Financial Holding Company is respectfully looking after your clients’ best interests and financial well-being. Through our client centric approach, we’ll provide reliable, appropriate guidance and exceedingly high levels of personalized service. You can take comfort in knowing that the wealth you’ve created for your clients will be positioned to grow for generations to come.

If you are seeking a successful transition for yourself and your RIA firm, it would be our honor to discuss your plans and needs. Please call Jim Gray at 269.547.8890 for a confidential conversation. Thank you for your consideration. We hope to hear from you.

 

*For our consolidated entities, our assets under advisement are $17B as of December 31, 2021.