With great excitement, Verum Partners welcomes Dave Perkins, Walker Shelton, and Justin Louis to the team. Collectively, Dave, Justin, and Walker, who formerly worked together under the Perkins Wealth Management (“PWM”) brand at Carolinas Investment Consulting, bring over 60 years of experience to Verum and its advisory team. The PWM team holds three CFP® designations, one CPA designation, and a law degree among them, further bolstering Verum’s credentials and talent.
After assessing their futures and conducting a comprehensive search for a new firm, PWM concluded there was strong alignment with Verum’s vision, core values (reliability, effective communication, awareness, continuous improvement, and thoughtfulness), and core focus (to improve the lives of others by raising the bar on the wealth management industry).
Additionally, Verum and PWM are strongly aligned in their wealth management philosophies, client service processes, and emphasis on alignment of interests which are further detailed below:
- Alignment of Interests – As a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser (“RIA”), Verum has just one revenue source: transparent fees charged for financial advice. Further, by registering only with the SEC and not under differing regulatory frameworks, Verum serves as a fiduciary to all clients. Additionally, as a private partnership, 100% of Verum is owned by its employees, with no employee owning a controlling interest in the business. The firm is designed to have broad employee ownership. Verum has five owners today; but with the addition of PWM, there will be at least seven owners over the next few years. Further, Verum’s team is committed to increasing ownership for its top performing employees.
- Sophisticated Yet Approachable Wealth Management – Verum’s future-ready wealth management platform was founded with the same emphasis on effective financial planning as PWM’s original vision. PWM’s deep and broad planning expertise complements and further strengthens Verum’s commitment to deliver a world class financial planning experience. Further, Verum’s proactive investment process, led by CFA charterholders and seasoned investment professionals with institutional experience, further enhances PWM’s investment management capabilities. Verum has also made considerable investments in technology to enhance the client experience.
- Ensemble Approach – Verum’s ensemble, or team-based approach, highlights the ability of an empowered team of professionals to provide the best possible wealth management client service by leveraging strengths and specializations precisely where needed. PWM has embraced a team approach for many years and shares the belief that this prepares the firm and team for the future. The ensemble approach will allow the PWM team to seamlessly leverage the existing infrastructure and resources at Verum. This structure also ensures employees and clients benefit from ongoing continuity, allowing the firm the ability to easily build out succession plans for all key members of our team.
In anticipation of this exciting announcement, Verum worked hard to ensure the firm was ready for such a move. In 2023 alone, Verum increased operational capacity with the additions of Client Partner, Angela Connolly, and Senior Client Partner, Darby Garren. Further, the team expects to add another associate adviser in 2023. Additionally, Verum promoted Molly Bohrer to Director of Client Partnership, while Holly Skipper has taken the role of COO and CCO and now oversees the integration of the three primary business segments (Client Service/Advice, Business Enterprises, and Growth). Each business segment is run by one of the Verum Founding Partners; Dustin Barr has the role of Managing Partner and reports to Verum’s board.
Importantly, today’s news is a positive development for all involved. Verum’s team and capabilities are growing in sophistication, yet Verum’s business model, firm values, core focus, and commitment to clients remain unchanged.
To learn more about Dave, Walker, and Justin please check out their bios on the Verum website:
Dave Perkins: Click here
Justin Louis: Click here
Walker Shelton: Click here
