Savant Wealth Management taps William Blair exec for new CFO

Savant Wealth Management taps William Blair exec for new CFO
Jon W. Zindel has more than 30 years of industry experience.
FEB 08, 2024

Savant Wealth Management has appointed Jon W. Zindel as its new chief financial officer.

He joins the firm from William Blair, where he spent 12 years as a senior leader across technology, human resources, real estate, and philanthropy, and served as partner and CFO at the Chicago-based firm.

Zindel's experience, which spans 30 years, will assist Savant in its continued fast growth as an employee-controlled and founder-led firm. In 2023 alone, Savant acquired 11 RIA and tax and accounting firms, bringing its reach to 40 offices in 15 states while growing its AUM to nearly $26 billion.

“We realized about a year ago that we needed someone with in-depth knowledge, experience, and creative problem-solving ability to help Savant accelerate its long-term growth,” Brent Brodeski, Savant’s CEO, said in a statement. “We made the decision to part ways with our previous CFO at the end of August and began a nationwide search to find a proven industry leader to help us scale our platform for growth. Jon more than fits the bill, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him join our team.”

Employees own around 65% of Savant, and Zindel becomes one of 170 member-owners among 538 employees across the country.

“Savant is different from typical aggregators or financial buyers because it’s backed by patient capital – investors who are interested in solid growth versus just a quick return on their investment,” Zindel said. “Instead of growing for growth’s sake, Savant seeks partners who can help provide an unparalleled client experience, a deep bench of specialists, and a wide variety of services. This kind of stable, strategic growth will help Savant expand on its industry leadership for the long term.”

Latest News

Edward Jones facing more race bias claims in new lawsuit
Edward Jones facing more race bias claims in new lawsuit

A private partnership, Edward Jones is a giant in the retail brokerage industry with more than 20,000 financial advisors.

Advisor moves: LPL recruitment momentum continues with $815M Northwestern Mutual team
Advisor moves: LPL recruitment momentum continues with $815M Northwestern Mutual team

Meanwhile, Raymond James and Tritonpoint Partners separately welcomed father-son teams, including a breakaway from UBS in Missouri.

SEC chief Atkins signals caution on prediction market ETFs amid broader rethink of novel fund structures
SEC chief Atkins signals caution on prediction market ETFs amid broader rethink of novel fund structures

Paul Atkins has asked staff to solicit public comment on novel ETFs, pausing the clock on as many as 24 filings linked to the booming event contracts market.

Private capital's $1 trillion bet on the American retirement account
Private capital's $1 trillion bet on the American retirement account

From 401(k)s to retail funds, Deloitte sees private equity and credit crossing into mainstream investing on two fronts at once.

Advisor moves: Wells Fargo Advisors pulls in $9.6b in fresh talent during first half of May
Advisor moves: Wells Fargo Advisors pulls in $9.6b in fresh talent during first half of May

Big-name defections from Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Merrill Lynch headline a busy two weeks of recruiting for the wirehouse.

SPONSORED Are hedge funds the missing ingredient?

Wellington explores how multi strategy hedge funds may enhance diversification

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management