Confluence Wealth Management LLC Will Join Focus Partners

Founded in 2011, Confluence is fee-only and offers comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services to executives, professionals, business owners, retirees and their families along with corporate retirement plans, endowments and foundations in the Portland metropolitan region. The firm will become part of Focus upon completion of the transaction, subject to customary closing conditions. This deal represents the sixth strategic partnership that Focus has announced so far this year.

“Confluence is a well-respected fixture in wealth management and advanced financial planning in Portland and also serves clients nationwide. We are thrilled for our two teams to join forces, building on our collective strengths and shared philosophy of evidence-based investment and planning,” said Justin Ferri, Focus's Chief Operating Officer. “We foresee that the addition of Confluence will provide us with significant opportunities to expand the number of clients we serve in the Pacific Northwest as we continue strengthening our presence in the region.”

“Our philosophy has always been to not just build clients’ wealth, but to enrich their lives,” said Kathleen Kee, CFP, Confluence’s CEO. “Partnering with Focus gives us the support of an industry leader in evidence-based investing, access to national thought leadership in advanced financial planning with Michael Kitces and Jeffrey Levine, and the opportunity to serve clients nationwide while focusing on helping them achieve their goals through holistic financial planning.”

Both Focus and Confluence share an evidence-based investment philosophy, and their similar approaches to a client-first culture were not lost on the leaders of both firms.

“Confluence is well known to us as an important firm in Portland because of their experience with advanced financial planning for complex client solutions,” explains Ferri. “There is a natural fit between our firms culturally and in our approach to serving clients. The services currently offered by Confluence will be complemented and expanded by joining Focus, and our infrastructure and support staff will enable their team to spend even more time directly focused on clients.”

“At Confluence we share a core value with Focus – do what’s best for the client,” Kee continued. “Like Focus, we have worked to build an organization that gives our clients peace of mind while working within a sound strategy, recognizing that all clients are different and require more than a “one size fits all” approach. We took that same holistic approach when looking for a partner. Fiduciary philosophy, fee-only, evidence-based comprehensive wealth planning – Focus met all those requirements and more. Our shared philosophies and values give me peace of mind that we found the right, long-term partner for our team and our clients.”

Focus CEO Adam Birenbaum echoed that sentiment. “We are privileged to have Confluence joining the Focus family. Kathleen and team are leaders in advanced financial planning. With Confluence joining our team, and the addition of Michael Kitces and Jeffrey Levine earlier this year, the robust advanced planning services we offer are strengthened to mutually benefit all of our clients.”

For more information on how Focus partners with top advisors, please visit www.PartnerWithFocus.com.

###

About Focus Partners

Focus Partners, LLC helps individuals, families, businesses, trusts, nonprofits, retirement plans and medical practice owners achieve their most important life and financial goals by creating customized, comprehensive, evidence-based financial plans. Focus’s investment philosophy is rooted in an academic approach tailored to address each client’s willingness and ability to accept market risk. As a registered investment adviser, Focus has a fiduciary obligation to its clients. Focus’s investment approach centers on modern portfolio theory implemented through passively managed mutual funds and the firm’s fixed income portfolio design and execution capabilities. Headquartered in St. Louis, Focus has 42 offices in 22 states. For more information about Focus, please visit www.FocusSW.com.

Focus Partners and the community of independent advisors that make up Focus Strategic Partners collectively managed or administered more than $50 billion as of June 30, 2020.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect Focus’s current views with respect to certain current and future events. These forward-looking statements are and will be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to Focus’s operations and business environment, including, without limitation, uncertainty surrounding the current COVID-19 pandemic, which may cause future events to be materially different from these forward-looking statements or anything implied therein. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Focus on the date of this release. Focus does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any statements expressed or implied therein will not be realized. Additional information on risk factors that could affect Focus may be found in the filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made by Focus Financial Partners Inc.(of which Focus is a partner firm).