Snowden Capital Advisors Enters Into Agreement With Estancia Capital Partners For A Strategic Growth Capital Investment

NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Snowden Capital Advisors LLC ("Snowden"), an independent, advisor owned, wealth advisory firm dedicated to providing client-focused advice in a values-driven culture, today announced that it has secured a significant strategic growth capital investment from Estancia Capital Partners, L.P. ("Estancia"), a leading private equity fund focused exclusively on the global asset management, wealth management and related business services industries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

Snowden is a nationally branded, open-architecture, hybrid registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides wealth advisory services to individuals, families, and institutional clients.  The firm was co-founded in 2011 by industry executives Rob Mooney and John Morris in the belief that investors deserve the highest quality, comprehensive and un-conflicted financial advice and investment solutions.  

Led by veteran industry executives Lyle LaMothe, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Rob Mooney, Managing Partner and CEO, and Greg Franks, Managing Partner and President, Snowden's leadership team has the experience and perspective to capitalize on the growing industry trend favoring independent wealth management firms, and to ensure the company's value proposition is steadfastly upheld and continuously improved.  John Morris is currently an advisor to the firm.

"The depth of Snowden's leadership, its values-driven culture and the firm's total focus on client service and objective investment solutions impressed us from the beginning" said Takashi Moriuchi, a Partner at Estancia.  "Our principals have invested and operated in the wealth management space for decades and we are tremendously excited to partner with what we believe is the most experienced leadership team in the industry.  Management not only understands the importance of objective, client-centric investment solutions, but the significance of creating a wealth management company where each Financial Advisor is an owner/partner and the advisors' requirements to seamlessly deliver services to their clients are enabled by Snowden's open-architecture platform." 

"We are delighted to partner with Estancia, whose principals share our values and fully support our commitment to continuing our recruiting and organic growth plans," said Managing Partner and CEO, Rob Mooney.  "Estancia's investment further validates our vision and the industry trend toward advisor independence.  It enables us to profitably execute on our business plan for the foreseeable future."  

Snowden will use the proceeds of Estancia's investment to significantly expand its business by recruiting additional Financial Advisor partners in existing markets (California, Connecticut and New York) and opportunistically in the company's other target markets.  Snowden executives, employees and, importantly, advisors will continue to own a significant stake in the business and will operate the company on a day to day basis.

"Snowden differentiates itself from other firms in the marketplace through our unwavering commitment to transparency, our dedication to the highest standards of fiduciary responsibility, our highly selective recruiting process, and uncompromising client service and flexibility," Managing Partner and President, Greg Franks, commented. "We welcome Estancia as our newest partner and look forward to building our business with them."

Snowden is headquartered in New York City and operates an SEC registered investment adviser and affiliated broker-dealer. Snowden provides a multi-custodian, multi-currency platform, with aggregated performance reporting and leading analytical tools for clients and advisors. It further provides full operational, finance, compliance, human resources and advisor transition support to its advisors managed by a highly experienced management team.

Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. served as placement agent and financial advisor to Snowden Capital Advisors.

About Snowden
Snowden is a client-focused, advisor-owned, and nationally branded independent wealth advisory firm. Through its open-architecture platform, Snowden delivers wealth advisory services to high net worth individuals, families and institutions.

For more information about Snowden, please visit www.snowdenadvisors.com.

About Estancia
Estancia is a private equity firm focused on small to lower middle market investments in Institutional Quality asset management, wealth management and related business services firms. The Principals – Messrs. Mendez, Moriuchi, Kang and Kurttila – have a history of partnering with management and investment teams in providing equity, growth and working capital to facilitate strategic development of portfolio companies including management buy-outs from larger financial firms, private ownership/succession transitions, growth initiatives and investment team lift-outs.  Estancia is currently investing its first institutional fund, Estancia Capital Partners, L.P., on behalf of a diversified base of over 35 Limited Partners. 

For more information about Estancia, please visit www.EstanciaPartners.com

For Snowden Capital Advisors LLC
Kris Kagel
Jennifer Connelly Public Relations
973-850-7312
[email protected]

For Estancia Capital Partners, L.P.
Takashi Moriuchi, Partner
Estancia Headquarters, Scottsdale, AZ. Direct Phone 480-448-5002

SOURCE Snowden Capital Advisors LLC