Elevation Point builds wealth leadership with new president, wealth solutions head roles

Elevation Point has named Brad Smithy as president of wealth management and welcomed Katie Johnson as head of wealth solutions, moves the Minneapolis-based RIA accelerator says will help drive its next phase of growth and deepen support for independent advisor teams.

Smithy, a founding partner of Elevation Point, steps into the newly created president role after more than three decades in the wealth management industry. He will oversee business development and relationship management, as well as help implement the firm’s strategic objectives.

Prior to co-founding Elevation Point, Smithy spent over 15 years at UBS in various leadership roles, including divisional director, where he managed more than 1,900 advisors and nearly $500 billion in assets. He also held a range of management and advisory positions at Merrill Lynch earlier in his career.

Johnson joins Elevation Point as head of wealth solutions, reporting to Smithy. She is tasked with advancing the firm’s wealth solutions platform, which is central to Elevation Point’s advisor growth strategy. Johnson previously served as president and partner at FiComm Partners, where she played a key role in shaping the firm’s culture and strategy. She will remain involved with FiComm as an advisory board member and equity partner.

Johnson also spent 15 years at United Capital, later acquired by Goldman Sachs, and served as vice president of corporate communications for Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management. In addition, she mentors emerging leaders as a faculty member for BNY Pershing’s NEXT Gen Leadership Forum.

Jim Dickson, founding partner and chief executive of Elevation Point, said in a statement on Wednesday that Smithy “has always championed advisor trust as the foundation for growth and durability,” and that his leadership will be important as the firm continues to mature.

Dickson also noted Johnson’s experience “accelerating advisor growth by unlocking wealth solutions, and creating a seamless, elevated experience across independently operated firms.”

Since its summer 2024 launch, Elevation Point has invested in independent wealth management practices overseeing $9.6 billion in client assets under supervision.

Its most recent minority investments include Loxahatchee Capital, a multi-family office in Florida with $1.4 billion in assets, and Waycrest Wealth, a Minneapolis-based firm with $1 billion under supervision. The company has also broadened its collaboration with Goldman Sachs to provide partner firms with expanded banking, lending, trading, and capital markets capabilities.

In a separate development, Elevation Point has partnered with OnBord, a digital onboarding platform, to streamline advisor transitions and accelerate client onboarding. The technology partnership aims to reduce the time and administrative burden associated with moving to independence, allowing advisors to focus more on client relationships.

Caitlin Douglas, founding partner and chief operating officer at Elevation Point, said the platform “lets [advisors] focus on relationships rather than paperwork,” while OnBord CEO Nick Bernardo said the partnership is designed to help advisors “onboard new clients quickly and transition existing ones seamlessly.”