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

JPMorgan tells fintech firms to start paying for customer data
JPMorgan tells fintech firms to start paying for customer data

The move to charge data aggregators fees totaling hundreds of millions of dollars threatens to upend business models across the industry.

FINRA snapshot shows concentration in largest firms, coastal states
FINRA snapshot shows concentration in largest firms, coastal states

The latest snapshot report reveals large firms overwhelmingly account for branches and registrants as trend of net exits from FINRA continues.

Why advisors to divorcing couples shouldn't bet on who'll stay
Why advisors to divorcing couples shouldn't bet on who'll stay

Siding with the primary contact in a marriage might make sense at first, but having both parties' interests at heart could open a better way forward.

SEC spanks closed Osaic RIA for conflicts, over-charging clients on alternatives
SEC spanks closed Osaic RIA for conflicts, over-charging clients on alternatives

With more than $13 billion in assets, American Portfolios Advisors closed last October.

William Blair taps former Raymond James executive to lead investment management business
William Blair taps former Raymond James executive to lead investment management business

Robert D. Kendall brings decades of experience, including roles at DWS Americas and a former investment unit within Morgan Stanley, as he steps into a global leadership position.

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.