Press Release: Long-Standing Financial Services Firm Rebrands to ‘Clearstead’
Long-standing financial services firm rebrands to ‘Clearstead’, reflecting strategic growth and emerging national leadership in institutional and private client services.
Firm expands its Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) practice; increases industry thought leadership with first of several roundtable discussions to take place today
(CLEVELAND, OH) Oct. 23 Hartland & Co., LLC, an institutional and private client advisory firm headquartered in Cleveland, today announced a strategic rebranding to reflect significant growth in the firm’s capability and reach. Beginning today, Hartland will now be known as Clearstead Advisors, LLC, marking an important milestone in the firm’s 29-year history: Its emergence as a national leader in institutional and private client advisory services. The rebranding will kick off with the first of several planned ClearPoint Roundtables to take place today.
“The decision to rebrand resulted from the significant growth, both in reputation and scope, of our company since our inception nearly three decades years ago,” said Dave Fulton, Clearstead’s CEO. “What began as a small, proprietor-owned enterprise has grown first into a multi-regional firm, and now stands as an emerging national leader in institutional and private client advisory services. As we advise on several billions in assets for our institutional clients, our wealthy families and entrepreneurs benefit from our institutional approach to investments which includes a robust in-house research team. Our new brand is a natural progression reflecting that growth and communicates who we are as a company.”
Since its inception, the firm has bolstered service offerings in specialized areas including its customized outsourced chief investment officer practice (OCIO) . It is also expanding communications regarding its comprehensive wealth management services to next-generation clients. At the heart of these efforts lies the firm’s dedicated in-house research team, which drives advice and decision making through a rigorous combination of both quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Founded in 1989 as an institutional advisory firm, the firm has grown both through organic and inorganic growth and now advises on approximately $20 billion in assets — overseeing institutional and private clients in 36 states. Over the past three years, the firm has expanded in employee count by 34 percent — with nearly 80 employees — while assets under management have doubled during the same time period. Recent acquisitions in Portland, Maine and Columbus, Ohio, have expanded the firm’s geographical reach. And a strategic investment from Rosemont Capital two years ago allowed the firm to grow its employee ownership from 13 to 28.
With a brand tagline of “Steadfast Clarity For Your Complex World,” the new name is a conjunction of two important attributes of the financial advisory firm — clarity and steadfastness.
“We are advocates for our clients, nurturing steadfast relationships that lead with clarity and a thorough understanding of their personal and institutional objectives. Our firm has not been sold or acquired. We remain an employee and board member-owned firm and will continue to offer objective, independent, thoroughly researched advice that has been our hallmark since our inception,” continued Fulton.
The rebranding effort includes a focus on Clearstead’s institutional advisory services, namely its outsourced chief investment officer service — now known as Clearstead Prism — which has been augmented to provide engaged, customized solutions for institutions.
“We began providing outsourced solutions in 2011, when at the time the idea wasn’t widely popularized, but something that we customized for our clients who needed more autonomy to manage day-to-day challenges,” said Mike Shebak, Clearstead’s Head of Institutional Consulting. “As the concept has gained industry traction, our approach stands apart in our deep collaboration with our clients to clearly define objectives, quantify risk, create benchmarks, and explain all results. We do not take a one-size-fits-all approach because we view ourselves as an extension of the institution’s own team.”
The firm today also launched the first of its ClearPoint Roundtables and panels on timely industry topics, beginning with OCIO. Today’s first roundtable, “Discretionary Management: Finding an Appropriate Balance,” features Brad Whitehead, President, Fund for Our Economic Future, as well as a panel of experts from organizations ranging from Case Western Reserve University School of Law to Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation.
In addition, the firm will continue communicating industry trends to its clients through its monthly publication, ClearPoint (formerly Standpoint), as well as other publications, and will broaden its communications to social media.
Other rebranded service offerings include:
ClearSight Tax and Financial Planning: Using the firm’s signature approach incorporating all aspects of the client’s investments, taxes, and financial planning, this service offers thoughtful, insightful advice customized to the client’s individual needs and objectives.
Clearstead EmpowHER: Originally known as the HEELS initiative, this groundbreaking commitment to advancing the careers of women at the firm and within the investment industry has expanded to encompass inclusiveness in recruiting, hiring, and firm decision making.
Clearstead Responsible Investing: With a rising number of organizations and individuals seeking to align their investments with their core values, Clearstead offers a comprehensive, layered approach to Responsible Investing that brings our signature rigor and research to bear on a strategy that is mindful of each client’s unique needs and goals. Our objective is to help each client realize optimal financial returns with investments that align with their core values and mission, following a clearly defined roadmap that delivers results across multiple points of measure.
About Clearstead
Clearstead is an institutional and private client advisory firm that is focused on providing superior solutions so our clients can exceed their aspirations, and build stronger legacies for their families, their communities, and themselves. We accomplish this goal with our authentic, steadfast, innovative and independent firm employing nearly 80 professionals who work together to tackle the complex investment, financial, tax, and governance needs of our private and institutional clients.
We bring our clients objective financial leadership through our fee-only advisory model, which enables us to remain objective. We do not offer proprietary products and take no commissions from the investments we recommend: our only source of revenue is fees we receive for financial advice. True to our founding principles, we’re here to do the hard work: the day-to-day investment management integrated with organizational priorities and family aspirations.