With Kestra Private Wealth Services (PWS), Matt West and David Combs found a team of people with the experience and expertise to help them break away from the wirehouse space and successfully assist the team in launching Canton Wealth Partners in Roswell, GA
We looked at dozens of firms with different models, but what stood out with Kestra PWS was the people. There are a lot of logistics that go into this type of transition, but Kestra PWS has the expertise to easily navigate complex situations, making this a smooth journey. We’re excited to have Kestra PWS backing our business so we can focus on what matters most to us — helping our clients reach their financial goals
Canton Wealth Partners Team
Matt West and David Combs, each with 14 years at Merrill, built a strong business at the firm serving corporate executives and small business owners in reaching their financial goals.
With a combined $650mm in managed assets, Matt and David felt limited in how they could serve their clients and wanted a more open architecture platform. As such, they were drawn to the potential of independence.
For them, this move was about gaining control over their business: Getting out from under the bureaucracy of a large firm and being free from the agenda of an outside institution. The only constituency Matt and David wanted to answer to was their clients. Additionally, as they looked to the future, the opportunity to grow inorganically via acquisition was intriguing.
In conducting due diligence with Diamond Consultants, the partners considered various models of independence, and what became clear was that they wanted a partner that would handle the heavy lift on the front-end while providing ongoing support.
Ultimately, Kestra Private Wealth Services’ model of supported independence fit the bill.
They considered other models of supported independence, yet they were most attracted to the Kestra PWS turnkey platform, the full-service support and high-touch boutique-like experience as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kestra Financial.
All that said, it was the “people” of Kestra PWS – specifically Rob Bartenstein (Senior Managing Director and CEO) and Scott Wilson (Senior Managing Director and COO), who both have decades of experience in the wirehouse world – that Matt and David felt made this the right decision.
Ultimately, it was with Kestra that Matt and David found a team of people with the experience and expertise to help them to break away from the wirehouse space and successfully assist them in launching Canton Wealth Partners in Roswell, GA.
“The Canton Wealth Partners team brings decades of experience to the platform with a proven track record of success, making them the perfect partner to expand our geographical footprint. We’re excited to see the firm reach new heights with our deep level of support and resources fueling them,” Rob said.
Joining them from Merrill as Managing Partner is Benji McLeod, Registered Client Associate Angela Moore, and Client Associate Hardy Fortson.
Diamond Consultants is pleased to have represented Matt and David and looks forward to hearing more about Canton Private Wealth’s journey in the future.
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