Two Veteran-Owned Financial Firms Team Up to Launch Bastion Fiduciary

Islamorada Investment Management acquires Picket Fence Financial to provide a full suite of advanced investment and planning services.

ISLAMORADA, Fla., April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Islamorada Investment Management (IIM), a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser specializing in value investing, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Picket Fence Financial (PFF), another fee-only Registered Investment Advisor specializing in financial planning.

The combined companies will re-brand as Bastion Fiduciary, www.lastbastion.com.

Highlights of the new firm:

• $110 million in assets under management
• SEC-registered
• Multiple proprietary value investing strategies
• Full-service financial planning for all levels of complexity
• Credentials among the staff of seven include two CFPs^®, three MBAs, a CFA^® charterholder, and five other master's degrees
• Committed to staying a fee-only firm and fiduciary
• Combining active value investing strategies with low-cost index ETFs
• Founding team includes three veteran military officers, each former service academy graduates
• Offices in the Florida Keys, Maryland, New Orleans, Southeast Texas, Raleigh, North Carolina, Philadelphia and Southern California

Cale Smith, Managing Partner of IIM, will become Bastion Fiduciary CEO. Smith said, "I am thrilled to team up with Kirk. We graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1994 and have been friends ever since. In my opinion he is a brilliant financial planner and has one of the best B.S. detectors of anyone I've ever known. Forming the Bastion team together expands our in-house expertise to include tax and retirement planning, and we can also build more diverse portfolios with low-cost index funds."

Picket Fence Financial CEO Kirk Kinder will become Bastion's Director of Financial Planning. "This has been brewing for a couple of years, and I'm excited to team up to benefit our clients. I love the Bastion ethos, the team, and our commitment to giving clients full transparency into what we do with their money and why. I intend to manage PFF clients at Bastion for a long time; there is no better home for them."

"The Bastion name and the symbol of a 'star fort' felt like a good fit because our founding team includes three veteran military officers. It was also important to us to include the word 'fiduciary' in that new name, to underscore that as a fee-only firm, we will continue to be stewards, not salesmen," Smith added.

Bastion Fiduciary will be headquartered in Islamorada, Florida, and will soon announce more new service offerings in 2025. Investors interested in learning more can sign up for emails at www.lastbastion.com/subscribe.

About Bastion Fiduciary
Bastion Fiduciary is a fee-only, SEC-registered investment advisor built on the three Cs: Culture, Community, and Character. We are a fiduciary financial firm founded by veteran military officers committed to disciplined processes, personal integrity, and transparent client relationships. Our focus is on long-term investment success. We provide clear, consistent communication and education to help clients make informed financial decisions.

Investment advisory services are offered through Bastion Fiduciary, an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission nor does it indicate that the adviser has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation or investment advice. For additional information about Bastion Fiduciary, including fees and services, please contact us or refer to our Form ADV Part 2A Brochure and Form CRS available on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website.

SOURCE Islamorada Investment Management