Press Release – Snowden Capital Advisors and Estancia Capital Partners Close on Strategic Growth Capital Investment

January 2014

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 Estancia Capital Partners, L.P. (“Estancia”) has completed a significant strategic growth capital investment in Snowden. Estancia is 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.

Snowden is led by an experienced team of industry executives, including Lyle LaMothe, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Rob Mooney, Managing Partner and CEO, and Greg Franks, Managing Partner and President, who are dedicated to building a client-focused, nationally branded, boutique wealth advisory partnership.

“As we approach $1 billion in client assets under management, we are gratified to start 2014 with our funding in place. We anticipate more high quality financial advisor partners joining our firm and we are encouraged by the increasing number of financial advisors who appreciate both the ownership opportunity and the client service benefits of our boutique environment,” said Managing Partner and CEO, Rob Mooney.

Snowden will use the proceeds of Estancia’s investment to 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, financial advisor partners will continue to own a significant stake in the business.

“Snowden is focused on uncompromising client service and objective investment solutions. Estancia shares our values and desire to build a client and financial advisor centric boutique,” 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 financial advisor transition support to its financial advisors and is 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 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 approximately 40 Limited Partners.