We’re proud to share that one of the industry’s largest and most decorated advisor teams has launched OpenArc Corporate Advisory, a new national firm based in Atlanta, GA. It’s a hallmark transition from Merrill, with more than a decade of consulting and guidance from Diamond Consultants.
The group, led by Senior Managing Partner Erik Bjerke and Managing Partners Jeff Crowell and Jim Kaufman, previously advised on an extraordinary $129B in institutional and personal client assets at Merrill. OpenArc will operate with the support of Dynasty Financial Partners and custody with Charles Schwab.
A Vision That Outgrew the Wirehouse
For more than two decades, the team built a reputation as one of the most accomplished in the industry, advising more than 95 Fortune 1000 companies while also being ranked as the #1 Institutional Consulting Team and #3 Private Wealth Team by Barron’s in 2025.
Yet, with demand from both corporations and families growing, the founders recognized the limits of the traditional brokerage model. As Jeff Crowell shared: “Our institutional clients have consistently told us that traditional brokerage models no longer meet the needs of their people. From C-suite executives to entry-level employees, everyone deserves better tools, greater choice, and personalized service.”
Their answer was to design a new model—one that integrates corporate benefits, executive services, and private wealth management in a seamless, high-touch platform.
As Erik Bjerke added: “OpenArc empowers families by delivering the same expert care and resources typically reserved for corporations. It is the powerful integration of corporate benefits and family financial services that we believe will define the future of all wealth management.”
Why Dynasty and Schwab
Launching a firm of this scale required a partner with unmatched resources. The OpenArc team chose Dynasty Financial Partners for:
- Expertise executing dozens of large-scale wirehouse transitions.
- Strategic support in equity compensation design, PR, legal, investment platform development, marketing, technology, and office buildout.
- Access to capital and long-term infrastructure.
They also selected Charles Schwab as their custodial partner—bringing credibility, scale, and client choice.
Diamond Consultants’ Role
Diamond Consultants had the privilege of guiding this landmark transition through:
- More than 10 years of dialogue and education on the evolving industry landscape.
- Helping the team envision the enterprise value they could create through independence.
- Building consensus across multiple partners with diverse needs and perspectives.
- Educating on the full spectrum of options and aligning them with the right model.
- Partnering closely with Dynasty and Schwab to bring the launch to life.
This extraordinary move validates that no team is “too big” or “too complex” to consider independence.
Diamond Consultants is proud to have played a role in helping Erik, Jeff, Jim, and the entire OpenArc team design a model that redefines what’s possible for both corporations and families.