Ben Carlson Joins Ritholtz Wealth as Director of Institutional Asset Management
Ritholtz Wealth Management expands into institutional advisory with top industry thought leader joining the firm
Sep 22, 2015, 12:05 ET
NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ritholtz Wealth Management today announced that Ben Carlson has joined the firm as Director of Institutional Asset Management.
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Mr. Carlson will join Ritholtz Wealth Management's Investment Committee and will report to Barry Ritholtz, Chief Investment Officer and Chairman. He will work in partnership with Michael Batnick, Director of Research, and Joshua M. Brown, Chief Executive Officer.
"We are excited to have one of today's leading investment writers and thought leaders coming aboard," said Mr. Ritholtz. "As a practitioner in the institutional investment field and one of its foremost proponents of reform, Ben's experience will add significant leadership and capability to our firm. Ben has a deep understanding of the true needs of small and midsized institutional investors and he will be the key player as we bring our firm's expertise to this underserved market."
Joshua M. Brown, CEO and co-founder of RWM said, "The world of institutional investment is beginning to embrace a message we've been sending for years, which is that 'less is more' and portfolio construction should be dictated by logic, data and straightforward advice. We've been impressed with Ben and his vast body of written work on these topics at his blog, A Wealth Of Common Sense, which became an overnight sensation from the moment it launched. It is great to have him on the team as his ethos and sense of purpose match up precisely with our own."
Mr. Carlson's responsibilities will include working directly with institutional investors, developing portfolio solutions that address their needs, as well as leveraging and contributing to the firm's internal research program. Ben will add his unique voice to the thought leadership capabilities of RWM, serving as a beacon of plainspoken and insightful investment commentary for the firm's clients, readers and fans.
According to Mr. Carlson, "I have watched with great interest as Ritholtz Wealth Management has built its reputation for transparent and sensible financial planning. Their model and message place them at the vanguard of today's conflict-free, holistic advice movement. The time for these principles to be applied to the institutional market segment is now. I am thrilled to be in the position to help make this happen, not to mention the opportunity to work with Barry, Josh, Mike, Erika, Patrick and Kris while making a positive difference in my industry."
Mr. Carlson joins Ritholtz from his previous role as part of the investment team that managed the endowment fund for the Van Andel Institute, a charitable medical research organization. Prior to that he worked for an institutional investment consulting firm managing portfolios for various endowments, foundations and pension plans. Mr. Carlson earned an MBA from Grand Valley State University and a bachelor's degree in business management from Hope College. He has been a CFA charterholder since 2010.
Mr. Carlson is the author of the new book A Wealth Of Common Sense, which elaborates on many of the themes he's been covering at his popular blog over the last few years. In his new role, he'll be bringing this common sense as well as a wealth of experience to the table on behalf of the firm's institutional and high net worth clientele.
About Ritholtz Wealth Management
Ritholtz Wealth Management is a national Registered Investment Advisory firm based in New York City. Ritholtz Wealth offers a full suite of financial planning and asset management services to high net worth households, corporate retirement plans, endowments and charitable foundations. The firm's sole mission is bringing value-added investment and financial planning help to its clients as a fee-only fiduciary advisor. For more information, please visit www.ritholtzwealth.com and follow us on Twitter @ritholtzwealth
SOURCE Ritholtz Wealth Management