Mariner Wealth Advisors has added two RIAs and one consulting firm in its latest mass acquisition round, boosting Mariner’s assets under administration to $6.7 billion. 

Rochester, NY-based Forté Capital, founded in 1996, provides “comprehensive” portfolio management, investment management, wealth planning services, 401(k) investments, asset management and tax and estate planning to high-net-worth individuals, families, non-profit organizations and institutions. 

Forté Capital, which manages $1.6 billion in client assets, is led by managing directors David Henion, Adil Masood, and Edmond Sheidlower and includes a team of 13 advisors and 16 associates, who will all continue to serve from Forté Capital’s offices in Rochester, following the acquisition, the firm said. 

Forté Capital’s presence marks the firm’s second location in Upstate New York and fifth in the state for Mariner. 

Mariner’s other addition, Scottsdale, AZ-based Ultra Financial Partners, formed in 2021, is a “full-service” financial planning and retirement firm, offers financial planning, risk management strategies, charitable giving strategies, and wealth preservation through portfolio management to high-net-worth individuals, families, federal employees, physicians and business owners. 

Ultra Financial Partners, which was formed after a spin-off from a larger RIA, is led by president Logan Varela and includes five advisors. The team will integrate offices with one of Mariner’s two existing locations in Scottsdale, Mariner said. 

The deals will close on August 31, and September 30, respectively, with both firms adopting Mariner’s name and branding and adding $1.7 billion in combined assets under advisement to Mariner. 

Separately, Mariner added Atlanta-based Southeastern Advisory Services, a pension consultancy firm, into its institutional division.  

Southeastern Advisory Services, which has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission since 1986, provides performance measurement and investment consulting services to high-net-worth families with investment policy, asset allocation, and manager selection, and public funds, endowments, and non-profit organizations. 

The team, which is led by Jeff Swanson, includes four other members and serves approximately 35 institutional relationships across Florida, Georgia, and Texas, that Mariner Institutional will integrate into its service structure, a Mariner spokesperson said to Connect Money. 

The deal, which is set to close in September, will add about $5 billion in assets under advisement to Mariner Institutional. 

This acquisition expands our presence in key markets and strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional service and outcomes to institutional clients nationwide,” Mike Welker, head of Mariner Institutional, said. “The Southeastern team brings expertise and dedication to a client-first service model that aligns perfectly with our own approach, setting the stage for immediate momentum once they join our team.” 

In June, Mariner added New York City-based asset manager Taurus Asset Management, which oversees about $1.4 billion in assets under advisement.