Balentine Makes Key Promotions to Bolster Service Offerings

Leading wealth management firm promotes veteran employees to chief investment officer, head of institutional relationships, and head of client experience to create a strong foundation for its continued rapid growth.

ATLANTA, Dec. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Balentine, an independent wealth management firm advising on more than $6 billion of assets, has doubled its assets under management in the last four years, increased employee headcount by 50% in the last three years, and plans to take additional office space in 2023 — all despite market headwinds. Amidst these exciting advances, it has made the following key promotions to bolster its service offerings: David Damiani, CFA to Chief Investment Officer, Rob Ragsdale CFP^®, AIF^® to Head of Institutional Relationships, and Emily Barbour, CFP^® to Head of Client Experience.

David Damiani, CFA, a founding partner of Balentine, assumes the Chief Investment Officer role after three years as Deputy CIO. With more than two decades of experience in the financial industry, and with 12 years of experience on Balentine's Investment Strategy team, David is well-positioned to lead the firm's investment efforts, which have consistently ranked in the top quartile within eVestment's rankings of similar managers for the past decade.

"Balentine's investment process has been built on a foundation of a model-driven, repeatable approach," said CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA. "David becomes only the third CIO in our company's 35-year history, and his promotion will ensure the continuation of this legacy."

David's expertise is also recognized in the financial industry at large: A CFA Charterholder, he has contributed articles to the CFA Journal. He is passionate about educating the next generation, serving as a guest lecturer at the University of Georgia and on the board of directors of the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). David frequently lends his expertise on panels; recent engagements include the CFO Leadership Council and the Southeast RIA Summit.

In addition to David's promotion, which ensures the longevity of Balentine's investment process, Balentine has promoted longtime firm members Rob Ragsdale, CFP^®, AIF^® and Emily Barbour, CFP^® to roles that centralize service efforts for institutional and wealth management clients.  

As Head of Institutional Relationships, Rob will lead Balentine's servicing of foundations, endowments, and public funds clients — in addition to serving ultra-high net worth families. Rob is a partner at Balentine and founded Balentine's North Carolina office in 2011. In the 11 years since, his leadership efforts have led to explosive growth. The Raleigh office has doubled its team over the past three years and is moving to larger office space in 2023. In addition, as the hub for Balentine's institutional business and an ever-growing client list, the Raleigh office now advises on nearly one-third of client assets.

As Head of Client Experience, Emily creates and oversees a seamless client experience across the firm. Her passion for client service, and the various roles she has had during her 12-year tenure at the firm, has uniquely positioned her to help Balentine refine a high-touch, white-glove experience for individual client needs while optimizing future growth. Emily continues to serve as Relationship Manager for a handful of clients, providing her with first-hand knowledge of their desires for customization and simplification.

"Rob's and Emily's roles centralize our service support efforts for each audience, enabling us to go deeper in our relationships with them and ensure they receive the best possible experience as our firm continues to grow," said Cronje.  

About Balentine: Balentine provides entrepreneurs and their families with conflict-free advice and sophisticated wealth management solutions that provide peace of mind. As an employee-owned firm with offices in Atlanta, Ga., and Raleigh, N.C., Balentine advises on more than $6 billion of client assets and has repeatedly been recognized as a top financial planning and advisory firm by publications including Forbes, Barron's, The Financial Times, and InvestmentNews. Balentine is also a perennial winner of the Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management Award. In September 2021, Chairman Robert Balentine and CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA released First Generation Wealth, a book to help wealth creators think through what it takes to build a meaningful legacy and best support future generations.

Media contact:
Liz Thomas
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SOURCE Balentine