Dimensional Fund alums launch platform to empower RIAs

A team of industry veterans, including two former leaders from Dimensional Fund Advisors, has launched a new firm designed to provide tailored support for RIAs’ growth and succession planning.

Founded by Al Sears and Ed Edwin, both formerly from DFA, alongside Chris Gardner, an experienced RIA practitioner, Parkwoods Wealth Partners seeks to fill a critical niche for advisors at firms that predominantly use DFA’s investment strategies.

“We’ve created Parkwoods to address the diverse succession needs in the RIA industry,” Sears, Parkwoods’ co-founder and CEO, said in a statement Monday.

“Many independent advisors today face a difficult choice: sell their practice and lose control, or maintain independence at the cost of developing sustainable second-generation talent and diversifying what’s often their largest personal asset,” he said.

The firm says its approach emphasizes helping advisors maintain their independence while accessing resources typically reserved for larger organizations. By centralizing operations such as compliance, trading, and human resources, Parkwoods aims to help RIAs focus more on client relationships and strategic growth.

“Our model allows advisors to maintain their well-earned professional autonomy while accessing the benefits and security of a larger organization,” Sears added.

With Sears and Edwin’s deep roots within the DFA ecosystem, Parkwoods is positioning itself as a natural partner for like-minded RIAs.

“Our team’s deep experience across the RIA ecosystem gives us a decisive edge,” said Edwin, the firm’s COO. “We’ve worked with every major service provider and vendor, honing our ability to identify what truly matters for advisor success.”

Along with its debut in the RIA space, the firm revealed its inaugural partnership with FMF&E Wealth Management, based in Syracuse, New York. Gardner, who’s the former president of FMF&E and now co-founder and head of advisory services at Parkwoods, said he made the decision to protect the interests of his clients.

“Joining Parkwoods wasn’t about cashing out or giving up control. It was about serving our clients better and ensuring the long-term continuity of our practice,” Gardner said.