$23B RIA Summit Trail taps Jeff Ringdahl for president and COO role

Summit Trail Advisors has named Jeff Ringdahl as its new president and chief operating officer, bringing in a seasoned executive to help steer the $23.6 billion RIA through its next phase of growth.

Ringdahl joins the New York-based firm as partner after more than 14 years at Resolute Investment Managers, where he most recently served as president and chief executive. His appointment marks a significant addition to Summit Trail’s executive ranks as the firm continues scaling its ultra-high-net-worth business.

“Jeff has a longstanding reputation as a leader and innovator within the investment management industry,” Jack Petersen, co-founder and managing partner at Summit Trail, said on Monday. “Our firm is committed to serving the complex needs of UHNW individuals and families who have outgrown traditional investment management, and the addition of Jeff to our senior leadership team reinforces this commitment.”

Summit Trail was launched in 2015 by a group of former Barclays advisers, including Petersen, following a major industry shakeup. When Barclays sold the assets of its US wealth management unit to Stifel Financial that year, a number of its advisers chose to go independent or move to large wirehouse firms.

Among them, Summit Trail’s founders – including Petersen, who at one point led Barclays' wealth management operations in the US – opted to create their own RIA with support from Dynasty Financial Partners, which provides services and platform infrastructure to breakaway teams.

Since then, Summit Trail has expanded its footprint and diversified its talent base to meet rising demand from UHNW clients. Over the past year, the firm has added key personnel from BNP Paribas’ former Key Client Group, including a June move by a $3 billion team from BNP Paribas/Bank of the West assets and Newport Beach, California-based advisor Paul Hoskin joining as partner in August. As of today, the firm has more than 100 employees and offices in 10 cities across the US.

Ringdahl will be tasked with further institutionalizing the firm’s operating structure, enhancing its service model, and helping scale its family office and estate planning offerings.

“The ultra-high-net-worth and registered investment advisor industry has become increasingly sophisticated and institutionalized over the past decade,” said David Romhilt, founding partner and chief investment officer at Summit Trail. “With extensive executive leadership experience and a proven track record of successfully guiding organizations through periods of strategic growth, we believe Jeff is the perfect fit to help take our firm into its next decade.”

Ringdahl emphasized Summit Trail’s forward-looking approach to serving the needs of UHNW individuals and family offices. 

I look forward to joining their ranks and helping to build on the firm’s solid foundation of excellence across client service, comprehensive estate and investment planning, and technology,” Ringdahl said.