MAI extends acquisition streak with Harbor Wealth deal

MAI extends acquisition streak with Harbor Wealth deal
The high-net-worth RIA has added $321M to its network with the addition of a women-owned and operated practice in Colorado.
MAY 06, 2024

MAI Capital Management, a registered investment adviser focusing on comprehensive investment and financial planning for high-net-worth clients, has snapped up another practice in the southwestern US.

The RIA announced Monday that it has acquired Harbor Wealth Management, a women-owned and operated firm.

With the transaction, MAI has added approximately $321 million more in client assets under management to its business.

Based in Boulder and Denver, Colorado, Harbor has served private individuals, families, businesses, retirement plans, and private foundations since it was founded in 1988 by Elyse Foster.

“We are thrilled to welcome Harbor to our growing MAI team and to expand our presence in Colorado,” Rick Buoncore, managing partner at MAI, said in a statement.

“Harbor not only shares our client-first mentality, but also has a track record of creating innovative solutions for clients, such as unique services for young professionals and women,” he said.

The acquisition will see Harbor adopting MAI's brand identity and benefiting from MAI's internal infrastructure, including HR, operations, and marketing support.

Elyse Foster and Megan Miller, Harbor's principal, chief investment officer, and wealth manager, will both assume the roles of senior wealth advisor and managing director at MAI.

In a joint statement, Foster and Miller explained their need to partner with a firm with the resources to “bring our practice to the next level, while allowing us to focus on … serving our clients.”

“MAI is equipped with the right tools to move our business forward, help our team grow in size and in expertise, and match our deep-rooted, client-centric culture,” they said.

Apart from being MAI’s 37th acquisition since embarking on an inorganic growth strategy in 2018, Harbor represents the firm’s 5th deal in its 2024 acquisition streak, which included $1.4 billion Madison Wealth Management in Ohio and Northern Virginia, and $562 million LWS Wealth Advisors in New Jersey.

Latest News

SEC orders Vanguard, Empower to pay more than $25M over failures linked to advisor compensation
SEC orders Vanguard, Empower to pay more than $25M over failures linked to advisor compensation

The two firms violated the Advisers Act and Reg BI by making misleading statements and failing to disclose conflicts to retail and retirement plan investors, according to the regulator.

RIA moves: Wells Fargo pair joins &Partners in Virginia
RIA moves: Wells Fargo pair joins &Partners in Virginia

Elsewhere, two breakaway teams from Morgan Stanley and Merrill unite to form a $2 billion RIA, while a Texas-based independent merges with a Bay Area advisory practice.

Consistent participation leads to sizable 401(k) gains, EBRI/ICI study finds
Consistent participation leads to sizable 401(k) gains, EBRI/ICI study finds

Analysis of four-year data shows average account balances nearly doubling among steady savers, with younger workers seeing the largest percentage growth.

Gen X investors feeling underserved as affluent investors split on advisor satisfaction
Gen X investors feeling underserved as affluent investors split on advisor satisfaction

Survey research shows just over half of Gen Xers satisfied with advice as retirement and economic anxieties take a toll.

Retail investing activity has been rising for a decade, crypto adoption is more niche
Retail investing activity has been rising for a decade, crypto adoption is more niche

Two reports reveal investor behavior including earlier participation of young Americans.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.