$4B RIA Summitry Founder Steps Down, Elevates Two Co-CEOs
Summitry, the first registered investment advisor to be bought by RIA holding firm Aspen Standard Wealth, has announced a leadership change that will see its founder and CEO step into an executive chairman role.
Colin Higgins founded Summitry in 2003 and eventually sold a majority stake to Aspen Standard in November 2024. Higgins helped build the firm to about $4 billion in client assets and has promoted President Alex Katz and Chief Operating Officer Conor Wilkes to co-CEOs.
Katz will focus on identifying and servicing new clients, leading investment and financial planning offerings, and growth strategies, while Wilkes will work on operations and client experience.
“We’ll continue investing in the talent, capabilities, and advice that help our clients navigate life’s most important financial decisions with confidence, while preserving the personalized experience that has always set Summitry apart,” Katz said in a statement.
The firm did not immediately comment on the new ownership structure following the transition. Katz, Wilkes and Chief Compliance Officer Lynn Rouse are the only individuals listed as having stakes in the firm as of the latest Form ADV from June 30, with Aspen Standard Group holding more than 75%.
Higgins will continue to provide strategic guidance and work with Aspen Standard to support new RIA partnerships, identify advisor talent and expand artificial intelligence-enabled service capabilities.
The San Francisco-based RIA is part of a growing network of Aspen Standard RIA holding companies, which was founded and run by CEO Aly Kassim-Lakha. On July 7, the New York-based Aspen acquired its eighth firm with a deal for Kalamazoo, Mich.-based CWS Financial Advisors, a team of 10 managing $1.3 billion in client assets.
