The Next Chapter

My 2019 was defined by a significant life change. This year will be no different, only this time it’s of the professional variety.

Some of you may have already seen the news, but for those that haven’t I am delighted to share that Huber Financial Advisors will be joining forces with Savant Capital Management! Savant is a well-respected, fee-only wealth management firm based in Rockford, IL. We are highly confident that our merger with Savant will be beneficial for our clients, our employees and our shareholders.

While only recently made public, this partnership has been in the works for some time. To say that extensive due diligence was conducted by both sides is an understatement. We dotted all the i’s, crossed all the t’s, and then went back and dotted all the lowercase j’s for good measure. Throughout this process, one thing became apparent: this is a world class organization filled with people of the highest caliber. In every interaction, the team at Savant displayed the utmost integrity and professionalism, while conveying a sense of humility and a passion for serving clients.

In addition to the days spent at their offices discussing the finer details of each other’s businesses, we spent many hours together breaking bread and getting to know each other on a personal level. It was in these conversations that the common threads between the two firms continued to surface. Ultimately, it became obvious that we could accomplish more together than separate.

Our Journey Continues

Since our beginnings in 1988, we have always put clients first in every decision. Many of our clients have watched us grow from a solo practice to a firm with nearly 30 employees serving more than 1,000 families and businesses. We are incredibly proud of the team we have built and the relationships we have formed. For the past several years, we have given serious thought about the future of our business and specifically, what path would be mutually beneficial for our clients and employees for the long term.

Our commitment has always been to protect the interests of our clients. Ultimately, we came to the conclusion that our future growth would be best served by merging with a firm that shares the same core values and above all else, a deep commitment to always putting clients first. By combining the talents and capabilities of Huber Financial with Savant, we will have a strong company and culture that will benefit our clients and create opportunities for our employees far into the future.

A History of Mutual Respect

This partnership represents the culmination of two decades of mutual admiration between our firms. Combining with a company like Savant presents a great opportunity to significantly enhance our capabilities and range of services. When combined, we will be one of the largest independent and privately owned fee-only registered investment advisory firms in the nation. The integrated firm will have more than 200 employees and over $8 billion of assets under management. Not only will we be able to serve clients better, but our talented people will have more opportunities for specialization and career growth. Most importantly, our advisors and their teams can leverage Savant’s existing processes and systems to focus on what they do best — serving our clients.

Merging with Savant presents an opportunity to significantly enhance our capabilities and offerings including Savant’s in-house accounting, estate, trust, wealth transfer, and sophisticated business consulting services.

Building the Future Together

Our leadership will integrate with Savant’s executive team and work together to realize a shared long-term vision. Our founder, Dave Huber, CFP® will have the opportunity to focus the majority of his time working with and serving clients, which has always been his true passion. He has also been asked to serve on Savant’s board of directors. Rob Morrison, CFP® will be a member of Savant’s executive team and will help shape the future of the firm; I will be Savant’s Chief Investment Officer and could not be more excited for the opportunity and challenge ahead.

As excited as we are to cross the finish line of this deal and join Team Savant, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t bittersweet emotions involved. With the Huber Financial name and brand eventually going away, I will always look back with such fond memories of this special place that I have called home for nearly twelve years of my career and been surrounded by my entire life. But the name on the door means much less than the people inside, and the values and culture that permeate throughout.

While our entryways and business cards will soon be adorned with new branding (a brand that I will be immensely proud to associate with, I might add), nothing will change what we have accomplished during our time as Huber Financial Advisors. More than anything, I’m excited for the integration to begin and for our team to bring our +30 years of wisdom and experience into Savant so that we can collectively build a best-in-class wealth management firm and unparalleled client experience.

This New Year’s Eve, as my wife and I shared a midnight champagne toast with some close friends (okay, it was 8 PM – we all have young kids!) I couldn’t help but appreciate the timing of the announcement. The turn of the calendar truly represented a new beginning for me and my colleagues. Our internal motto at Huber Financial has long been that “we are a family serving families.” That doesn’t change one bit. The only difference now is that our family is a little bit bigger. And in my opinion, the potential to be a whole lot better.

(P.S. For those wondering, bps and pieces isn’t going anywhere. The blog will absolutely be continuing post-merger and, in fact, I think it will be better than ever before!)