Imagine this: a budding screenwriter approaches a major Hollywood studio with a blockbuster movie pitch.

“It’s about a small wealthtech firm with humble, honest roots,” the screenwriter explains. “Their CEO founds the business after searching the industry high and low for the kind of technology that would help financial advisors succeed beyond their wildest dreams. He soon realizes that caliber technology doesn’t exist, so he sets out to build it himself.

And from a small enterprise based in Omaha, Nebraska, his business begins to flourish. It grows from a suite of best-in-class back office solutions to something much bigger as the firm forges partnerships with heavy-hitting CRMs, creates innovative client experience tools, and even offers powerful automated marketing technology. They begin a series of strategic acquisitions, expanding their offerings to include a turnkey asset management platform and robust financial planning software.” The screenwriter pauses, drawing a breath for effect.

“The climax of the movie,” he tells the executives, “is completely epic. Something that will change the trajectory of the wealth management industry forever. You see, the firm’s majority owner doesn’t sell off the firm like the audience expects. No. They see the firm’s incredible growth potential, and they reinvest—but this time, they do it alongside another powerful investor. And it gets better.”

The screenwriter is animated now: hands waving, cheeks flushed. “With that massive influx of support, our hero firm is able to merge with another business, which just so happens to be one of the most successful investment firms in the industry.”

Triumphant, the screenwriter sits back and grins. “Think of it! Two industry titans bringing their solutions together to create the ultimate advisor-client journey!”

The executives from the Hollywood studio laugh. “It’s a great story,” they tell the screenwriter. “But the problem is, it’s too far-fetched. No one will believe it.” 

And yet that’s exactly what happened for Orion Advisor Solutions this week. 

Renewed Investment Support from TA Associates; New Backing from Genstar Capital

Since TA Associates became Orion’s majority owner in 2015, we’ve enjoyed a successful relationship—one defined by trust, collaboration, and a shared vision for the future. With TA’s strategic contributions, we’ve been able to take the necessary steps to grow beyond helping advisors achieve operational efficiency through the delivery of a number of key initiatives, each aligning to a pillar of our tech-enabled fiduciary framework:

Now, alongside TA Associates, Genstar Capital, a private-equity firm based in San Francisco, CA, will also be investing in the future of Orion. And because Genstar currently has other successful, growth-driven wealth management firms within their portfolio, they are uniquely positioned to help us drive hard toward supporting the needs of modern advisory firms and the investors they serve.  

With this dual investment support from TA and Genstar, we were able to capitalize on an industry changing merger with Brinker Capital Inc.

Our New Partnership with Brinker Capital

Founded in 1987 by Charles Widger, Brinker Capital supports over 5,500 advisors and 60,000 end investors, with over $25B in assets under management, bringing our total TAMP assets to $40 billion. The privately held firm is based in Berwyn, PA, just a short drive from our own King of Prussia office, in an area where we already enjoy solid relationships with our advisors.

Brinker Capital was built on a disciplined yet dynamic approach to investment management that prioritizes investor returns over investment returns, a philosophy that aligns well with our own commitment to empower you to build your business by delivering the best possible experience and outcomes for your clients.

We see this merger as an opportunity to increase the value to your business through Brinker Capital’s differentiated solutions and expertise, including their:

  • Comprehensive High-Net-Worth Offering, through its Wealth Advisory service providing advisors with a bespoke investment solution to meet the specialized needs of high-net-worth and institutional investors. The offering includes access to a dedicated portfolio management team, tax management, and specialized service offerings, including ESG, banking and lending, and trust services.
  • Behavioral Innovation Lab, providing advisors with the tools, training, and technology for the practical application of behavioral finance—an increasingly popular and innovative approach for offering financial advice and delivering a tailored client experience that, with the support of Orion, will become a predictive model for identifying points within the advisor-client relationship that need attention, especially during times of great market volatility.
  • Proprietary Investment Strategies, offering deep investment expertise and capabilities, most notably utilizing an institutional multi-asset class investment approach that applies the principles of diversification, innovation, and active management to help investors achieve better outcomes. Brinker Capital’s Destinations mutual fund portfolios have more than $12 billion in assets and a 25-year track record.
Even more exciting for Orion advisors? Brinker Capital will be added to Orion’s Communities model marketplace, offering advisors who use Communities access to even more leading strategies with the flexibility to make more intelligent, personalized investment decisions for their clients.

We are thrilled to join forces with Brinker Capital, and we’re so excited to be able to offer you a host of new investment solutions and capabilities following the merger’s expected close between the end of Q3 and early Q4 of this year. 

For more information about what the merger means for our industry, our plans for unifying the two companies, and how our collective advisors will benefit, please register for our webinar on July 15.

In the meantime, visit our landing page to learn more!

 

2011-OAT-6/27/2020