Clearstead strengthens alts push with expanded GLASfunds partnership

Clearstead Advisors has expanded its partnership with GLASfunds to deepen access to private market strategies for qualified clients.

The expanded partnership will enhance the Cleveland-based RIA's access through its ClearAccess platform, as part of a broader effort to streamline operations and broaden institutional-level offerings for high-net-worth individuals and families.

The partnership will see a new Clearstead-dedicated fund hosted on the GLASfunds platform, allowing clients to invest in private market strategies vetted and selected by Clearstead. This builds on a relationship between the firms that began in 2011, aimed at simplifying entry into complex alternative investment vehicles.

“The ClearAccess platform will further enhance the ability of Clearstead’s advisors to serve qualified clients with scalable customization, operational efficiency, and institutional access to high-quality private market investments,” Brad Knapp, chief executive at Clearstead, said in an announcement Wednesday.

According to the firm, the improvements are designed to address common investor concerns related to costs, transparency, and reporting complexity. The platform also promises consolidated tax reporting and more seamless operational infrastructure for private investment allocations.

“These enhancements to ClearAccess represent the next generation of our commitment to providing clients with thoughtful, institutional-quality private market investment solutions,” said Aneet Deshpande, chief investment officer at Clearstead.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Cleveland, Clearstead reported approximately $50 billion in assets under advisement as of December 31. The firm integrates tax planning, trust administration, and financial planning with investment management for its private and institutional clients.

The announcement comes shortly after a leadership transition at the firm. The move, announced previously in December, saw Knapp stepping into the CEO role in January to succeed David Fulton Jr., who had held the position for nearly a decade. Knapp, who joined Clearstead in 2016, previously led the private client and trust practices before being named president in 2023.

More recently in March, the firm appointed Albert Leshinsky as senior managing director of advisor recruiting. Leshinsky joined from JPMorgan Chase, where he was vice president and head of advisor recruiting for the JPMorgan Advisors business. 

GLASfunds, a platform that provides financial advisors with access to alternative investments, is supporting the operational foundation of the upgraded ClearAccess initiative. By leveraging this infrastructure, Clearstead aims to scale its institutional manager selection process while retaining control over strategy design and implementation.

GLASfunds offers its users the ability to access opportunities from hedge funds, along with private equity, private credit, private real estate, and private infrastructure. Among other beneficial features for advisors, its website highlights consolidated reporting, a flexible open architecture, and a digitally enabled subscription process.

“Clearstead and GLASfunds have partnered for several years to deliver customized alternative investment access to Clearstead clients,” Knapp said. “This next evolution of ClearAccess builds on that foundation.”