The Eleventh Annual Family Wealth Report Awards 2024

The Rudin Group founder April Rudin is a widely acknowledged top marketing strategist for the financial-services and wealth-management sectors. Her firm designs bespoke marketing campaigns for leading wealth-management firms, fintechs, and family offices; campaigns that strengthen brand value and drive client acquisition. Recognized as an IBM “influencer,” she is a regularly-featured source of expertise, contributes to Capgemini’s World Wealth Report, produces the CFA Institute’s annual U.S. outlook, and often speaks about wealth, next-gen, and fintech. She’s been published extensively and judges the Family Wealth Report’s annual Wealth Management Industry Awards and is a member of their advisory board. Her two sons say she has always been an “influencer”.

Bruce is a chartered accountant with over 37 years financial services experience, previously a partner in PwC, latterly as Global leader of their Wealth Management practice and the key driver of their bi-annual Wealth Management Report. Bruce is now CEO of Weatherill Consulting providing advice on client centricity and wider strategic matters to wealth managers. He is the author of The Value of Trust: the quest by Wealth Managers for Trusted Advisor status and a number of other thought leadership reports. Bruce is chairman of ClearView Financial Media and a non-executive of a number of companies including Fidelity Holdings UK, The Wisdom Council, ComPeer, JDX Consulting and Ten Group.

Buzz Bray founded RMG Associates in 2005, and transitioned to Bray Executive Search in 2019.   Buzz is one of the leading recruiters in the family wealth industry, focusing on wealth management serving families with significant multi-generational wealth.  His recruiting network includes family offices as well as ultra-affluent wealth advisory, and he has had the privilege of being a trusted consultant with leading industry talent in their career considerations and transitions.  Buzz has working knowledge and relationships with executive leadership of many leading firms, and has consistently been a productive resource in connecting top talent with opportunity.

Carol R. Kaufman consults to HNW families, entrepreneurs and trusted advisors.  Her newly released software venture, Pinventory®, coupled with her consulting service, www.homeinventoryacademy.com, focus on the responding to the need for home inventories, ensuring that important possessions and their supporting information are properly catalogued, securely shareable and easily accessible, anywhere and anytime that information is needed.  Her first software product, InvesTier®, was acquired by SunGard in 2002.  An entrepreneur for over 35 years, Ms. Kaufman’s specialties include public speaking, training and software/service-based solutions to organizational problems.  She resides in Hawthorne, NJ and Otis, MA.

Dennis is responsible for developing strategies to help SEI Family Office Services reach new markets, attract new leads and acquire new clients. In this role, he leads speaking engagements at industry events and manages the sales cycle. With a core focus on family offices, accounting firms and other wealth management organizations selecting a technology solution, Dennis has worked with many of the Forbes 185 families and Forbes 400 individuals for over 17 years. Prior to joining SEI, Dennis served as Managing Director of Sales and Marketing at Financial Navigator, Inc.. Dennis holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from San Jose State University.

James “Jamie” McLaughlin founded J. H. McLaughlin & Co., LLC, a management consulting firm focused on strategy and practice management for wealth management and investment advisory firms, private banks, trust companies, single and multi-family offices, in 2010.  He is a co-founder of The UHNW Institute, an independent “think tank” directed at the needs of ultra-high-net-worth families and their advisors.  Previously, he was CEO of Geller Family Office Services, a partner at Convergent Wealth Advisors, the regional president of Mellon Private Wealth Management’s New York region, and a financial advisor at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc.

Mr. Reilly is an investment and strategy consultant to family offices and the host of the Private Capital Podcast. He was the co-founder and founding president of the Family Office Association, a global forum for single-family offices that is based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Previously Mr. Reilly helped to start a single-family office and foundation in New York where he was an investment manager for five years. He was an energy specialist focused on options and futures trading at Credit Agricole Indosuez in New York prior to that and started his career at Salomon Smith Barney. Mr. Reilly has spoken on family office issues at many conferences and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Forbes, and Bloomberg, and currently does a monthly interview series with notables in the family office world for Family Wealth Report, where he is on the global editorial board.

Having joined WE Family Offices as one of its three managing partners in 2013, Michael Zeuner oversees the firm’s US business. A management consultant by training, Michael has considerable experience as a leader in the wealth management industry. This included a leadership position at GenSpring Family Offices, where he was a member of the firm’s operating committee and senior executive partner responsible for the firm’s local family offices across the US. Before this he was managing director and global head of wealth solutions at JP Morgan Private Bank, having been head of strategy and marketing worldwide at Chase Manhattan Private Bank prior to its merger with JP Morgan in 2002. Michael is also a board member and co-founder of the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard.

Mike Slemmer is Sales Director at Dynamo Software. Dynamo powers investment decisions of clients representing $4tn+ of assets and serves over 1,000 clients including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations, family offices, funds of funds, private equity firms, M&A teams, venture capital groups, hedge funds, fund administrators, prime brokerages, and insurance firms. Previously, he was a senior consultant at The Collaborative. Mike has deep experience in investment technology, having had many sales, marketing and leadership roles at SS&C, Thomson Financial/ThomsonReuters, FundCount and Chase. Mike earned his BA from the University of Delaware, an MBA in finance from the University of Houston and an executive degree from the Columbia University Graduate Business School. He is a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter holder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Boston.

Richard Chen is the Founder of Richard L. Chen PLLC, a law firm that serves the investment advisory community. Richard advises on numerous compliance matters including compliance program development and implementation, mock audits, and SEC examinations. Richard also counsels investment advisers concerning business formation/structuring, contract drafting, mergers, employment matters, succession planning, private fund formation, and operational due diligence. Before launching his practice, Richard spent many years at several preeminent law firms in New York after graduating from Harvard Law School and Harvard College. Please visit his firm’s website and visit his LinkedIn page to learn more about him and his practice.

Ronna Gyllenhaal leads the strategic direction of The Family Office at Synovus’ marketing and communications initiatives. A highly skilled marketing and communications expert, Ronna has spent her career helping firms advance corporate growth and innovation by remaining at the forefront of industry trends, technologies, and audience preferences. Her deep knowledge of the family office and wealth management industry and understanding of family dynamics bring a distinctive view into the world of family and wealth.

Susan R. Schoenfeld, JD, LL.M. (Taxation), CPA, MBA, is CEO and founder of Wealth Legacy Advisors LLC. She is an award-winning Thought Leader to families of wealth, and Public Speaker to the financial services industry who serve them -- or want to! -- on the human issues that keep families of wealth up at night: Legacy, Next Generation, Stewardship, Governance, Leadership Succession, and Philanthropy. Based in NYC, she is a “recovering” Attorney and CPA, and “one of the few women on the national speaking circuit who is guiding financial services firms and their clients to connect with the human side of the client relationship.” - Family Wealth Report Awards 2020. Susan’s passion is helping families (and their provider organizations) with the tools to take them to their full potential. For more, visit
SusanSchoenfeld.com and WLALLC.com.

William Trout serves as Director of the Securities and Investments practice at Datos Insights, focusing on technology strategy and innovation in the capital markets. He has particular expertise in platform automation; data capture, storage and analytics; and portfolio management and optimization. Within the wealth and asset management arena, his interests include investment advisory and wholesaling and distribution services, as well as private banking and trust.

Will's research and consulting work is informed by more than more than two decades of industry experience. Prior to joining Datos Insights, Will led wealth and asset management in the U.S. and the U.K. at Celent, a division of Oliver Wyman, before launching separate advisor- and investor-focused research practices at Javelin Strategy & Research. Prior to those roles, Will spent many years in product and segment management at BBVA Compass, where he helped guide the introduction of a pioneering managed-accounts platform and the expansion of banking and investments services targeting high-net-worth and institutional investors.

An authority on digital advice delivery, Will has been widely quoted in the trade press as well as in publications such as the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal. He is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and gatherings. In his spare time, Will is an avid runner and reader of history.

Will holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College.

Leading results-driven strategic planning for growth-focused organizations, Patti operates two distinct yet compatible consultancies. As Founder and President of Boyle Consulting Group, she applies her expertise in developing brand positioning, mission/vision/values and digital marketing to private equity-owned businesses, including those in WealthTech and FinTech.  Following an early career in global marketing agencies, such as JWT and FCB, Patti led SEI Investments’ UK-based Marketing Team for Private Banking. Patti is also CEO of an early-stage venture, Sapience Leadership, affiliated with The University of Pennsylvania.  In this role, Patti works with a team of inspiring educational leaders in the areas of Educational Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Executive Coaching.  Applying business principles and leadership experience to Education brings a unique balance to Patti’s work and has resulted in dynamic growth for both of her client communities. She has been active with the FWR Awards, since its inception in 2013.

Gio Maso is a CPA with global experience supporting the world’s largest family offices, institutional allocators, and asset managers across USA, Europe, & Australia. He is currently Chief Financial Officer of the Jordan Park Group, a $20bn multi-family office headquartered in San Francisco.

Prior to Jordan Park, Gio was a Managing Director in the EY Family Office Advisory team. In this role he supported family offices by advising them on how to institutionalize their infrastructure by leveraging off his significant experience in the design, selection, and implementation of accounting and investment reporting systems, governance and risk frameworks, as well as operating models across people, processes, data and technology.

Gio was then previously with Citco leading its client and product development efforts to institutions and asset allocators (family offices, endowments, & pensions) that invest in complex alternatives and required outsourced operations, accounting and technology solutions.

Before that he was at Man Group for over a decade, where Gio initially ran the middle office unit that designed and monitored systems and processes for their hedge fund platform. Gio was then appointed Global COO/CFO of the Fund Accounting & Operations division as part of Man’s expansion into continental Europe and North America, focusing on FP&A and integrating middle & back office operating systems & staff from externally acquired fund managers. Gio began his financial services career at Royal & Sun Alliance as Financial Controller of the Australian financial services arm, where he specialized in mergers & acquisitions, & leading strategic projects ranging from GL system integrations to audit and IPO readiness.

Neil is a trusted and respected figure in the Canadian financial services industry. With 50 years of experience, Neil has served as President of Fiera Private Wealth, as the company’s Executive Vice Chairman and a member of its Board of Directors. He was also President of YMG Private Wealth, Chairman of Nisker Associates and was a driving force behind Brown Baldwin Nisker Ltd for more than 25 years, before it was sold and became HSBC Securities in 1998. He is also well known for being one of three managers of Sir John Templeton’s personal global mutual fund, Best Investments International, having been selected by his mentor in 1990. Active in philanthropy, he’s acted as Co-Chair of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto Annual Campaign, Co-Chair of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Campaign, Vice-Chair of Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation and Chair of its Investment Committee, Chair of the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto and Chair of its Investment Committee.

Rusdi oversees a division of Client Services and leads both the Financial Planning Program and the Operations Team, working closely with all specialists to deliver full financial plans to clients. Prior to joining Market Street, Sumner was Vice President and Managing Director of Tompkins Financial Advisors, while serving on the Tompkins Trust Company’s leadership team and as an Innovation Ambassador. Sumner received a B.A. from Cortland State University summa cum laude in Business Economics and Communications. She also holds a dual-degree MBA with distinction from Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson School of Management and the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University (Ontario, CA).

Rebecca guides family enterprises as they navigate the complexities of intergenerational ownership and planning for transitions. With the benefit of a systems perspective, she helps family enterprises address the need for evolving governance while enhancing leadership and collaboration skills among family members. This work enables families to embrace the gifts and talents of all family members to help ensure a sustainable enterprise. A key part of her focus is preparing next generation family members to take on new roles. Prior to joining Relative Solutions, Rebecca spent over 15 years as a business leader working in and with family offices, advising families on governance, communication, and family learning. She also wrote a guidebook for social impact investors as part of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. Rebecca enjoys contributing to industry publications and speaking at conferences. Her focus is exploring practical approaches to helping enterprising families address the challenges that arise from sharing financial resources. Rebecca earned her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and her MBA from the University of Maryland. She trained at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family in Washington, DC, is a 21/64 Certified Advisor, and a member of the Family Firm Institute (FFI).

Brian is the President and Founder of Hughes Growth Strategies, a management consulting firm serving the family office and wealth management advisory industry.

Hughes Growth Strategies is focused on helping firms who serve the ultra-high net worth accelerate their growth. Brian brings a unique set of experiences, systems, processes, strategies and expertise to an area that continues to challenge firms in the ultra-affluent market. His firm has direct experience working with hundreds of successful families and family offices and understands what drives their decision-making process in hiring a firm to serve their individualized needs. His vast network of advisors across the globe includes wealth managers, attorneys, accountants, family business and family systems consultants, technology consultants, philanthropic advisors and organizations that provide social and environmental impact advisory solutions to multi-generational families.

Prior to the launch of Hughes Growth Strategies in 2012, Brian was responsible for building and cultivating family and private foundation relationships that fit the personalized client service model at Threshold Group (now part of AITi Tiedemann Global), a privately held multi-family office started by George Russell. He was also a managing director and Head of National Business Development for Pitcairn, a privately owned multi-family office, where he led the firm’s business development efforts on a global basis. He spent 15 years with Lincoln Financial Group, where he served as regional CEO for LFG and Sagemark Consulting, a fee-based financial planning firm in St. Louis, Missouri.

With extensive knowledge of wealth management and the family office space, Brian has been a featured speaker at many programs around the country, including the Wealth & Giving Forum, Impact Capitalism, RayLign’s Family Frontiers, the IIR Family Office Forum, the Family Wealth Alliance Advisor Forum, the Family Firm Institute Annual Meeting, FOX IWAC, Worthy Circles, the Family Office Symposium, Schwab IMPACT and the CFA Society of Philadelphia Private Wealth Conference. He currently serves as the Managing Director of the Southeastern Family Office Forum, the Advisory Board and Faculty of the Ultra High Net Worth Institute and Ambassador of R360.

Brian earned a BA in Economics and Marketing from University of Tampa and completed the Private Wealth Management Program at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a Chartered Life Underwriter from the American College.

Brian and his two children reside in a Northwest suburb of Philadelphia.

Michael Wagner, CFP® is co-founder and chief operating officer at Omnia Family Wealth. In this position, Michael is responsible for the ongoing operational and business strategy of Omnia, as well as ongoing analysis of each client family relationship and development of Omnia’s team. His responsibilities also include participating in the firm’s investment committee, where he assists in manager selection, analysis and risk management. Michael works closely with Omnia’s clientele and functions as the firm’s chief technology officer.

Michael is an avid photographer, and is also heavily involved with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation (GMJF), where he sits on the board of directors and several committees. He is currently serving as Co-chair of the Agency Support Committee, which builds and enhances Federation’s relationship with its key local agencies, manages the oversight of each agency, discusses communal trends, and identifies areas of concern. Michael resides in Fort Lauderdale.

Michael is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience building successful wealth management firms. Most recently, Michael served as the CEO of Cresset Asset Management, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Cresset offers individuals and families access to a comprehensive suite of family office services, personalized wealth management, investment advisory, planning, access to third-party and direct private investments and advanced technology and reporting solutions. Before joining Cresset, Cole was founder and president of Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank, an award-winning multi-family office. Prior successes include head of Wells Fargo Family Wealth, now called Abbot Downing, and President of Merrill Lynch Trust.Cole is author of the book More Than Money: A Guide to Sustaining Wealth and Preserving the Family. Since its release, the book has consistently been in the top 100 of Amazon’s best-selling books in Wealth Management and Financial services.

Kelly Lora Ewart is the Head of Marketing at the firm. In her role, she leads the firm’s marketing department and creates strategies to enhance the firm’s brand and position it for continued success.

Kelly joined Ballentine Partners in 2023 and brought with her 20+ years of leadership experience. Prior to joining Ballentine Partners, Kelly served as VP of Strategic Relationships at PURE Insurance and as an AVP of Sales and Marketing at W.R. Berkley Companies. She began her career at Chubb, where she spent 14 years growing from an Insurance Underwriter to AVP and Strategic Partnership Manager. Kelly is an active member of ALPHA (Association of Latino Professionals for America) and BEPC (Boston Estate Planning Council).

Kelly graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She also completed an executive certificate program at the Latino Leadership Institute of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Kelly is bilingual and is fluent in Spanish. She is also an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Kelly is the Chair of the UHNW Institute’s DEI Advisory Committee and was a judge for the Family Wealth Report’s DEI Categories awards.

Kelly lives in Sudbury, Massachusetts, with her husband and three children. In her spare time, she enjoys hosting holiday and family celebrations, mentoring young women, volunteering to support local businesses’ marketing efforts, and attending little league baseball games.

Steve is an innovator and thought leader in the global financial services industry. He has built leading MFOs and asset management firms and has advised industry leaders and UHNW families and family offices for over 30 years. Prior to PKFOD, Steve was the Head of Family Wealth Advisors, the first global MFO in the U.S. and a division of Bank of the West | BNP Paribas, where he served on the Bank’s Senior Management Committee. He is also the founder of The UHNW Institute. Steve previously served as the CEO of Silver Bridge, President of Atlantic Trust, President of Chase Global Asset Management and he also held senior positions with Fleet, Mellon Bank, and KPMG.

Lisa leads a team of highly experienced and credentialed professionals who provide customized financial, business transition and wealth transfer planning advice. Lisa has advised UHNW individuals and multi-generational families for more than 30 years.   She has been quoted in various media regarding tax and estate planning topics including Bloomberg TV, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Prior to joining Comerica, Lisa spent over 20 years at Wells Fargo and predecessor banks building and leading wealth planning groups,  Lisa also spent 11 years at Arthur Andersen in Washington, D.C.  She is a CPA (not practicing), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) and a CFP® professional. As a member of the American Institute of CPAs, Lisa has served on several committees and is currently chair of the Advanced Estate Planning Conference committee.