The COO Roundtable

By Coldstream Wealth ManagmentBusiness Education Arts

The COO Roundtable episodes

September 02, 2020EP 21 - Doug Johnson of Parcion Private Wealth & Chris Keller of Benjamin F. Edwards & Company
In the 21st episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Chris Keller, Executive Vice President and Director of Business Services at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company and Doug Johnson, newly appointed Chief Operating Officer at Parcion Private Wealth. The Benjamin F. Edwards & Company brand dates back 130 years, and the company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with more than 600 employees and advisor affiliates and assets totaling about $27 billion. Parcion Private Wealth opened its doors in October 2019 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington with 16 employees and about $1.2 billion in assets under management. Matt, Chris, and Doug discuss a number of topics, including integrating their technology stack with different vendors, how their firms leverage that technology to provide outstanding client service, and much more including:
Overview of their respective firms and their professional backgrounds, including a funny moment regarding Chris’ LinkedIn bio
The challenges both Chris and Doug have faced when looking to move their businesses toward the RIA model
An interesting conversation about when to hire a COO at an RIA
The value professional management brings to the wealth management space, specifically
Their firms’ respective views and goals regarding inorganic vs. organic growth

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34 min
August 04, 2020EP 20 - Diane Gabianelli of Parallel Advisors & Cecilia Williams of Halbert Hargrove
In the 20th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Diane Gabianelli, Co-President and Chief Financial Officer of Parallel Advisors and Cecilia Williams, Director of Investment Operations and Chief Compliance Officer of Halbert Hargrove. Parallel Advisors manages over $3 billion of client assets and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Denver, Honolulu, Ohio, and Oklahoma City. Halbert Hargrove is headquartered in Long Beach, California and has over $2 billion in assets under management with 44 employees and offices in 5 states. Matt, Diane, and Cecilia discuss a myriad of topics, including how they oversee their firm’s operations, how they manage their time, and much more, including:
Overview of their respective firms and how they provide their clients a high level of service
Diane’s career path that led her to Parallel Advisors and Cecilia’s long tenure at Halbert Hargrove, as well as working to get her MBA while continuing to hold her full time position at the firm
How both firms and their multiple offices have transitioned to the Work From Home model and their plans for returning to collaborative in-person work in the future
The steps each firm has taken to foster a more inclusive and diverse culture
Career development and recruiting at each firm

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37 min
June 30, 2020EP 19 - Mike Reed of Dakota Wealth Management & Michelle Thetford of Hightower Advisors
In the 19th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Michelle Thetford, Chief Operations Officer of HighTower Advisors and Michael Reed, Chief Operating Officer of Dakota Wealth Management. HighTower Advisors is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has $57 billion under management with 108 different advisory businesses and 225 advisors. Founded in 2018, Dakota Wealth Management has $1.2 billion under management, 30 team members, and is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Matt, Michelle, and Mike discuss how, even in the current climate with uncertainty around every corner, the COO continues to play a key role in a firm’s long-term success and goals. Other topics of conversation include:
Overview of their respective firms and how they each became COOs, including Mike’s interesting transition from a “classically trained medical practitioner” to the RIA space
How the transition to Work From Home has affected both of their larger than average firms’ operations
How they have managed team morale, communication, and acknowledged their teams’ needs to ensure great client experience throughout the pandemic
An update on how the pandemic has impacted their firm’s M&A pipeline
Branding after an M&A acquisition
How best to keep advisors focused on their biggest value-add activities
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To read a full transcript of this episode, click here.
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42 min
June 03, 2020EP 18 - Steven Beals of EP Wealth Advisors & Eric Hehman of Austin Asset
In the 18th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Steven Beals, Chief Administrative Officer of EP Wealth Advisors and Eric Hehman, Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Austin Asset. EP Wealth Advisors manages $6B of AUM across 14 offices with their headquarters in Torrance, California. Managing over $1B in AUM, Austin Asset is aptly headquartered in Austin, Texas. As the country adjusts to “the new normal,” Matt, Steven, and Eric discuss how crucial the COO position has been in successfully keeping firms running now and in the future. Other topics of conversation include:
Background on their respective firms, what clients they serve, and a fun story about Luke Sonnen’s playdate arriving at the Sonnen house wearing an EP Wealth Advisors baseball uniform
Their career paths, specifically Eric’s long tenure at Austin Asset and his path from unpaid intern to CEO, and Steven’s interesting journey in the industry that included moving to Arizona and his promotions at Charles Schwab which lead to various management roles
Coordinating their firm’s operations and services to succeed in a work from home environment
How EP Wealth Advisors has made their firm an attractive home for advisors
Eric discusses his book Success and Succession: Unlocking Value, Power, and Potential in the Professional Services and Advisory Space
Career paths for professionals invested in the operational space

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To learn more about Eric Hehman’s book, click here.

To read the CFP Board’s Financial Planning Career Paths report, click here.
To read a full transcript of this episode, click here.

You can listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Stitcher.
49 min
May 05, 2020EP 17 - Vibhaw Arya of Shufro Rose & Brandon McKerney of Columbia Pacific Wealth Management
In the 17th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Vibhaw Arya, Chief Operating Officer at Shufro Rose and Brandon McKerney, Partner and Director of Operations at Columbia Pacific Wealth Management. Headquartered in New York City, New York, Shufro Rose manages approximately $1.5B in AUM and was founded in 1938. Columbia Pacific Wealth Management manages almost $4.5B in AUM and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. As the country continues to navigate the unfolding COVID-19 crisis, our guests detail their respective firms’ response to this operating challenge. Matt, Vib, and Brandon discuss the COO’s role in supporting a firm’s “People, Culture, and Vision” and much more, including:
Their backgrounds, including Brandon being drafted as a pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
The role of the COO in continuing firm productivity and boosting morale during this time
Their firms’ transition to working from home and their experience in two major cities seriously affected by COVID-19
The COO’s responsibility in implementing the firm’s vision by empowering employees and finding the best solutions available
How they drive integration and user adoption in their firms
Career paths their firms have created for their teams

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43 min
April 07, 2020 EP 16 – David Aaron of Cerity Partners & Jim Atkinson of STA Wealth Management
In the 16th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes David Aaron, Partner at Cerity Partners* and Jim Atkinson, COO and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at STA Wealth Management. Prior to selling his firm in January 2020 to Cerity Partners, the $26B AUM aggregator, David was Co-CEO and CIO of EMM Wealth, a $3 billion RIA in New York City. STA Wealth Management is headquartered in Houston, TX, and manages approximately $2.1 billion.

With most of the country under quarantine and practicing social distancing, many firms are experiencing major transitions themselves to partial or entire remote work models. Dubbing this interview the “Stay at Home” episode, Matt, David, and Jim highlight the COO’s key contributions to successful transitions in both business continuity and M&A. Their discussion also covers the importance of planning for contingencies, routine continuity plan testing, strategic use of leadership teams, and much more, including:

How a tested, strong Business Continuity Plan makes for a smooth transition to remote work
Their respective paths to leadership roles at their firms
Comparing and contrasting their experiences on each side of an M&A transaction
The role the COO plays in transitions—either M&A transactions or emergency continuity situations
How adopting a strategic operating system, such as the one described in the best-selling book “Traction” can unlock higher levels of productivity

*All uses of the name Cerity Partners, and any derivations of the name Cerity Partners, refer exclusively to Cerity Partners LLC, a national wealth management firm headquartered in New York. For more information about Cerity Partners, visit www.ceritypartners.com.

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48 min
April 07, 2020EP 16 - David Aaron of Cerity Partners & Jim Atkinson of STA Wealth Management
In the 16th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes David Aaron, Partner at Cerity Partners* and Jim Atkinson, COO and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at STA Wealth Management. Prior to selling his firm in January 2020 to Cerity Partners, the $26B AUM aggregator, David was Co-CEO and CIO of EMM Wealth, a $3 billion RIA in New York City. STA Wealth Management is headquartered in Houston, TX, and manages approximately $2.1 billion. With most of the country under quarantine and practicing social distancing, many firms are experiencing major transitions themselves to partial or entire remote work models. Dubbing this interview the “Stay at Home” episode, Matt, David, and Jim highlight the COO’s key contributions to successful transitions in both business continuity and M&A. Their discussion also covers the importance of planning for contingencies, routine continuity plan testing, strategic use of leadership teams, and much more, including:
How a tested, strong Business Continuity Plan makes for a smooth transition to remote work
Their respective paths to leadership roles at their firms
Comparing and contrasting their experiences on each side of an M&A transaction
The role the COO plays in transitions—either M&A transactions or emergency continuity situations
How adopting a strategic operating system, such as the one described in the best-selling book “Traction” can unlock higher levels of productivity
*All uses of the name Cerity Partners, and any derivations of the name Cerity Partners, refer exclusively to Cerity Partners LLC, a national wealth management firm headquartered in New York. For more information about Cerity Partners, visit www.ceritypartners.com. We hope you enjoy, share, and subscribe! You can listen and subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Stitcher. Sign up here to be notified of new practice management content added to our blog on a regular basis.
48 min
April 06, 2020 EP 16 – David Aaron of Cerity Partners & Jim Atkinson of STA Wealth Management
In the 16th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes David Aaron, Partner at Cerity Partners* and Jim Atkinson, COO and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at STA Wealth Management. Prior to selling his firm in January 2020 to Cerity Partners, the $26B AUM aggregator, David was Co-CEO and CIO of EMM Wealth, a $3 billion RIA in New York City. STA Wealth Management is headquartered in Houston, TX, and manages approximately $2.1 billion.

With most of the country under quarantine and practicing social distancing, many firms are experiencing major transitions themselves to partial or entire remote work models. Dubbing this interview the “Stay at Home” episode, Matt, David, and Jim highlight the COO’s key contributions to successful transitions in both business continuity and M&A. Their discussion also covers the importance of planning for contingencies, routine continuity plan testing, strategic use of leadership teams, and much more, including:

How a tested, strong Business Continuity Plan makes for a smooth transition to remote work
Their respective paths to leadership roles at their firms
Comparing and contrasting their experiences on each side of an M&A transaction
The role the COO plays in transitions—either M&A transactions or emergency continuity situations
How adopting a strategic operating system, such as the one described in the best-selling book “Traction” can unlock higher levels of productivity

*All uses of the name Cerity Partners, and any derivations of the name Cerity Partners, refer exclusively to Cerity Partners LLC, a national wealth management firm headquartered in New York. For more information about Cerity Partners, visit www.ceritypartners.com.

We hope you enjoy, share, and subscribe!

You can listen and subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Stitcher.

Sign up here to be notified of new practice management content added to our blog on a regular basis.

48 min
March 03, 2020 EP 15 – Loren Pierson of Mercer Advisors & Michael Kossman of Aspiriant
In the 15th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Loren Pierson, COO of Mercer Advisors and Michael Kossman, COO, CCO, and Partner of Aspiriant. A trailblazer in the RIA industry in the field of mergers and acquisitions, Mercer Advisors has acquired 31 firms to date. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Mercer has over 400 employees and approximately $18 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Aspiriant has 11 offices around the country and manages over $12 billion in client assets. With the goal of highlighting how a COO’s key contributions to a firm’s operations lead to successful mergers and acquisitions, Matt, Loren, and Michael sit down to discuss the importance of an organized, scalable infrastructure, alignment of common core values, translating vision into action, and much more including:

Their individual paths that led them to become COOs at powerhouse RIAs
The story behind San Francisco’s “Michael Kossman Day”
Comparing and contrasting their respective firms’ philosophies on M&A
The role the COO plays in each of their respective firms’ M&A strategy
How to create a culture and scalable process that gives a unified, stand out client experience across offices nationwide
How they each plan for their respective firms’ future

We hope you enjoy, share, and subscribe!

You can listen and subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Stitcher.

Sign up here to be notified of new practice management content added to our blog on a regular basis.

53 min
March 03, 2020EP 15 - Loren Pierson of Mercer Advisors & Michael Kossman of Aspiriant
In the 15th episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomes Loren Pierson, COO of Mercer Advisors and Michael Kossman, COO, CCO, and Partner of Aspiriant. A trailblazer in the RIA industry in the field of mergers and acquisitions, Mercer Advisors has acquired 31 firms to date. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Mercer has over 400 employees and approximately $18 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Aspiriant has 11 offices around the country and manages over $12 billion in client assets. With the goal of highlighting how a COO’s key contributions to a firm’s operations lead to successful mergers and acquisitions, Matt, Loren, and Michael sit down to discuss the importance of an organized, scalable infrastructure, alignment of common core values, translating vision into action, and much more including:
Their individual paths that led them to become COOs at powerhouse RIAs
The story behind San Francisco’s “Michael Kossman Day”
Comparing and contrasting their respective firms’ philosophies on M&A
The role the COO plays in each of their respective firms’ M&A strategy
How to create a culture and scalable process that gives a unified, stand out client experience across offices nationwide
How they each plan for their respective firms’ future
We hope you enjoy, share, and subscribe! You can listen and subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Stitcher. Sign up here to be notified of new practice management content added to our blog on a regular basis.
53 min

About The COO Roundtable

From the publisher's feed

Join host Matt Sonnen and a panel of COOs, as they share an open discussion about operational and technology best practices for the RIA industry, and shed a light on the tremendously important work…