Author: Patrick Goshtigian
SAN MATEO, CA (June 1, 2017) – Local wealth management firm Private Capital Management Associates, LLC announced today that it will join with EP Wealth Advisors, a Torrance, California-based, fee-only registered investment advisory and financial planning firm with more than $2.6 Billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2017. PCMA is the second Northern California firm to join EP Wealth Advisors in the last 16 months, and will operate as EP Wealth Advisors effective immediately.
“We see a crossroads in wealth management, where technology and financial planning play an increasing role. And we wanted a partner who has those resources, but still understands the value of the relationships we have,” says Nikki Chicotel, founder of PCMA and consultant with EP Wealth Advisors. “We have a lot of tech executives and engineers as clients and they want the latest technology and detailed and transparent reporting. The lower fees are a big bonus too. That’s what scale gives you.”
“EP Wealth Advisors is client-centric, independent and a fiduciary, which matches the philosophy on which we founded PCMA in 2003,” says Chicotel, founder of PCMA. “EP Wealth, like PCMA, is a client-focused organization with similar values, goals, and culture.”
For Chicotel, joining a firm that was female friendly was “a must.” Many of her clients appreciate PCMA’s gender-balance. In the last year, EP Wealth Advisors launched their “Investing in Women” corporate program, led by another NorCal female advisor, Lynn Ballou, as well as their director of financial planning Erin Durkin Voisin, MS, CFP®, ChFC®, CDFA®, director of operations Sherryl Ray, and marketing manager Austin King. The program has garnered industry-wide attention for its commitment to provide better services for female clients and recruit more female advisors.
“The partnership is a natural fit for both companies,” says Ryan Schwartz, CFP®, CFA, now vice president for EP Wealth Advisors. “Our active management investment strategy is closely aligned with EP’s methodology, making the transition very smooth for our clients. To compliment the investment strategy, our clients will benefit from more robust financial planning resources.”
“Nikki, Ryan, and Scott are more than a good wealth management team – they are great partners,” says Patrick Goshtigian, president of EP Wealth Advisors. “As trusted advisors to their many technology sector clients, Nikki, Ryan and Scott are an ideal team to support our growth in Northern California.”
The former PCMA team will continue to be based in the Silicon Valley serving its unique niche of providing investment advice to computer and software executives, many of who benefitted from strategic management of their options and concentrated stock positions accumulated in the tech boom.
“For our clients, this is good news,” says Scott Toomasson, RP, now regional operations manager. “EP is large for an independent firm but operates like a boutique financial advisory firm, one that prioritizes long-term personal relationships with clients. They pride themselves on making a difference in people’s lives no matter what the specific wealth management need may be - investment management, financial planning, tax planning, estate planning, retirement strategies, or risk management.”
EP Wealth Advisors has experienced continuous growth since its inception in 2004. Increasing demand for its financial services prompted EP’s expansion into the Bay Area and Silicon Valley markets. The partnership with the new firm is part of EP’s five-year growth plan for California. In January of 2016, the financial services firm Ballou Plum Wealth Advisors in Lafayette joined EP Wealth Advisors.
All former PCMA personnel will be retained in the agreement.
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About EP Wealth Advisors: EP Wealth Advisors is a fee-only registered investment advisory and financial planning firm headquartered in Torrance, California. EP Wealth Advisors manages $2.68 Billion in AUM as of March 31, 2017. With additional offices in the San Francisco Bay area, West Los Angeles, Irvine, California and Denver, Colorado, the firm provides client-centric financial planning, wealth management, and investment management services to individuals and businesses. EP Wealth was listed among the Top RIA Firms in 2015 by Financial Advisor magazine and in 2016 by Financial Planning magazine (This ranking is based on a firm's assets under management as reported on Form ADV. Firms eligible for this ranking must be independent registered investment advisors providing services to individual clients with at least 50 million in assets under management as of December 31, 2015. Our presence in these rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor is it representative of any one client’s evaluation or opinion of the advisor. Third-party rankings are no guarantee of future investment success. Working with a ranked adviser does not ensure that you will experience a higher level of performance or results.). For more information, visit: www.epwealth.com.
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