News

Hightower Facilitates Its Third Sub-Acquisition for Fairport Wealth, Adding Advisory Team Based in Buffalo

By Hightower Advisors / August 18, 2022

Fairport Wealth continues its regional expansion with the addition of a $350 million team specializing in tax-aware wealth management services and retirement-plan consulting

CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2022Hightower today announced that it has facilitated a merger for Fairport Wealth, a Hightower advisory business in Cleveland, Ohio. A team led by Brian Geary, an advisor in Buffalo, N.Y. with $350 million in assets under management (AUM), will join Fairport Wealth’s growing business of wealth management professionals, bringing Fairport’s total AUM to $3.3 billion.

Mr. Geary and his team specialize in tax-aware wealth management for high-net-worth clients, and retirement plan consulting for corporations. The business will operate in Buffalo under the Fairport Wealth brand name. Prior to joining Fairport, the team operated as part of Linwood Investment Advisors in Buffalo.

With the addition of Mr. Geary’s team, Fairport Wealth will have 4 offices across the Midwest with 55 employees, including 28 advisors, serving nearly 1700 families. Fairport Wealth serves executives, business owners and other affluent individuals to help them reach their life goals, with specific offerings for women and those in transition. Fairport President Matt Logar said, “Brian’s care for his clients and their families was apparent from our very first conversation. We are excited to gain his skillset on our team and help bolster his successful practice to serve and inspire clients for generations to come.”

“For the past three years, our practice has grown organically at a rate of 15%,” Mr. Geary said. “It was becoming clear that, to grow it further, we needed to join a well-resourced entity that could provide us with scale, operational support and a suite of services tailored to our affluent clients. At Fairport, we’ll gain access to a deep bench of investment and tax knowledge, with a direct line to Hightower’s National Trust Company and estate planning services. At the same time, our business-owner clients will benefit from Hightower’s support for client companies undergoing a sale, merger or capital-raise.” 

“Brian and the team are an excellent fit for Fairport Wealth, with its dedicated culture of supporting advisors serving sophisticated clients,” said Hightower Chairman and CEO Bob Oros. “As part of Fairport and the broader Hightower family, Brian and his team will be able to put their focus squarely on serving their clients, while gaining access to institutional-class operational support and value-added services to amplify growth. It was a pleasure overseeing this transaction from start to finish.”

The Hightower M&A team has professionals dedicated to helping Hightower advisory businesses execute sub-acquisitions—providing sourcing, valuation, deal structuring, due diligence, legal and regulatory, pre- and post-close integration, and capital resources for transactions. This is Fairport Wealth’s third sub-acquisition in the last three years, having added to its expansion regionally. In 2021, Fairport added FMA Advisory of Harrisburg, Pa., and in 2019, Fairport added Leonetti & Associates, an existing Hightower advisory business located in Buffalo Grove, Ill.

In addition to inorganic support, Hightower offers its 130 advisory businesses in 34 states and the District of Columbia a range of services designed to catalyze and accelerate organic growth, including business development consulting, leadership and team development, talent acquisition, marketing support, technology, investment management resources, compliance, accounting, payroll and human resources. Advisors benefit from streamlined access to the Hightower National Trust Company, estate & financial planning, and business management services such as personal CFO, bookkeeping, bill pay and tax preparation for their clients.

As of June 30, 2022, Hightower’s assets under management (AUM) were $108.4 billion, and assets under administration were approximately $132.6 billion.

About Hightower

Hightower is a wealth management firm that provides investment, financial and retirement planning services to individuals, foundations and family offices, as well as 401(k) consulting and cash management services to corporations. Hightower’s capital solutions, operational support services, size and scale empower its vibrant community of independent-minded wealth advisors to grow their businesses and help their clients achieve their vision of “well-th. rebalanced.” Based in Chicago with advisors across the U.S., the firm operates as a registered investment advisor (RIA). Learn more about Hightower’s collaborative business model at www.hightoweradvisors.com.

Securities offered through Hightower Securities, LLC member FINRA/SIPC. Hightower Advisors, LLC is a SEC registered investment advisor.

Media Contact:

Patty Buchanan
JConnelly
(973) 567-9415
pbuchanan@jconnelly.com

Hightower Advisors is registered with Hightower Securities, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC, and with Hightower Advisors, LLC, a registered investment advisor with the SEC. Securities are offered through Hightower Securities, LLC; advisory services are offered through Hightower Advisors, LLC.

This is not an offer to buy or sell securities. No investment process is free of risk, and there is no guarantee that the investment process or the investment opportunities referenced herein will be profitable. Past performance is not indicative of current or future performance and is not a guarantee. The investment opportunities referenced herein may not be suitable for all investors.

All data and information reference herein are from sources believed to be reliable. Any opinions, news, research, analyses, prices, or other information contained in this research is provided as general market commentary, it does not constitute investment advice. The team and HighTower shall not in any way be liable for claims, and make no expressed or implied representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the data and other information, or for statements or errors contained in or omissions from the obtained data and information referenced herein. The data and information are provided as of the date referenced. Such data and information are subject to change without notice.

This document was created for informational purposes only; the opinions expressed are solely those of the team and do not represent those of Hightower Advisors, LLC, or any of its affiliates.