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Overview
Balentine is a wealth management firm that serves ultra-high-net-worth families and entrepreneurs, acting as trusted fiduciaries who always put clients’ best interests first. The firm provides investment advisory and financial guidance to manage and preserve wealth, supported by its SEC-registered status and about $9 billion in assets under advisement. With offices in Atlanta and Raleigh and four decades of client relationships, Balentine emphasizes a client-led approach—families serving families and entrepreneurs serving entrepreneurs—built on long-term relationships, personalized advice, and comprehensive planning. The company’s goal is to help its clients grow and protect wealth through disciplined investment management and financial stewardship, guided by transparent disclosures and professional fiduciary duties.
About Balentine
Industries
Consulting
Financial Services
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia
Founded
2009
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- August 2026 VGA acquisition broadens Balentine’s entrepreneur offering and deepens its business advisory funnel.
- July 2026 partner promotions signal internal succession and likely improve retention across Atlanta and Raleigh.
- Balentine’s $9 billion AUA and 62 employees give it scale without losing boutique positioning.
What critics are saying
- Balentine still depends on founder-led wealth, leaving revenue exposed to market drawdowns by 2027.
- The VGA integration could distract partners and slow service quality during 2026 platform expansion.
- Independent RIAs face consolidation pressure; larger platforms can outspend Balentine on technology and advisor recruiting.
What makes Balentine unique
- Balentine targets entrepreneurs with family office, business advisory, and private markets under one roof.
- Third-generation ownership and 1987 roots create a relationship-driven brand competitors cannot copy quickly.
- Tom Matthesen’s 2026 VGA deal adds middle-market turnaround and succession expertise for founder clients.
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Company News
Balentine, an independent wealth management firm with over $9 billion in assets under advisement, has acquired Valuation Growth Advisory (VGA) in an all-stock transaction. The Alpharetta, Georgia-based advisory firm was founded by entrepreneur Tom Matthesen, who will join Balentine as Head of Business Advisory within its Family Office Solutions group. Matthesen brings more than three decades of experience helping middle-market companies with performance improvement, capital structure optimisation, financing, succession planning, and value maximisation. The acquisition strengthens Balentine's family office platform, which integrates business advisory with wealth management for entrepreneurs and multigenerational families. Matthesen previously founded and exited a specialty finance company and served as CEO of Presidential Financial Corporation before establishing VGA. The deal expands Balentine's capabilities in serving entrepreneurs whose businesses represent their largest financial assets.
Balentine expands Business Advisory capabilities with acquisition of Valuation Growth Advisory. Tom Matthesen is leading Business Advisory services at Balentine after the acquistion of his firm, Valuation Growth Advisory, by the company. Tom Matthesen joins as Head of Business Advisory, expanding Balentine's distinctive approach to serving entrepreneurs and business owners For many entrepreneurs, their business is both their largest asset and integral to their family's identity and legacy. This acquisition will allow US National Times to double-down on what is working for Balentine." - Mark Bell, Chief Strategy Officer ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, August 18, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - Balentine, an independent wealth management firm with more than $9 billion in assets under advisement focused on serving families and business owners, today announced the acquisition of Valuation Growth Advisory (VGA), the Alpharetta, Ga.-based advisory firm founded by entrepreneur and financial strategist Tom Matthesen in an all stock transaction. As part of the acquisition, Matthesen will serve as Head of Business Advisory within Balentine's Family Office Solutions group, led by Mark Bell, Chief Strategy Officer. The acquisition represents the next step in Balentine's long-term strategy to build a differentiated family office platform that integrates business advisory with wealth management for entrepreneurs and multigenerational families. Matthesen brings more than three decades of experience helping middle-market companies improve performance, optimize capital structures, navigate complex financing situations, strengthen leadership teams, prepare for succession, and maximize value. The acquisition expands on Balentine's ability to serve entrepreneurs whose businesses often represent their largest financial asset, greatest source of wealth creation and often most enduring legacy. "When we built Balentine's Family Office Solutions platform nearly a decade ago, we made a deliberate decision that serving successful entrepreneurs required far more than planning and investment management. For many entrepreneurial families, their business is both their largest asset and integral to their family's identity and legacy," said Mark Bell, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Family Office Solutions. "The acquisition of VGA will allow us to double-down and amplify what is working for Balentine and missing from many of our peer firms. Tom's distinctive expertise in helping owners build, finance, and grow their businesses strengthens one of our firm's core offerings and reinforces what we have built in the family office space." Matthesen's career spans corporate lending, turnaround management, debt and equity advisory, executive leadership and entrepreneurship. He founded and successfully exited a specialty finance company before serving as CEO of Presidential Financial Corporation, where he led a significant turnaround and eventual sale to MidFirst Bank. Before founding Valuation Growth Advisory, he served as President of Thrive Farmers, helping to lead the company's growth as an enterprise serving nationally recognized brands including Chick-fil-A and Delta Air Lines. "I've spent my career working alongside business owners as a lender, advisor, CEO and entrepreneur myself, and Balentine is the perfect fit when it comes to joining forces to serve entrepreneurs," said Matthesen. "Balentine understands what it means to build something from the ground up and has a deep appreciation for the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurs face, because they have lived that experience. Together, we're helping owners not only build more valuable businesses, but connect those businesses to the lives, families, and legacies they're working to create." The addition of VGA enhances Balentine's ability to advise clients at the intersection of business, wealth, and family - bringing together business advisory, investment management, private capital, and family stewardship to help entrepreneurs make decisions that strengthen both their enterprises and their legacy. For VGA's clients, the acquisition means continued access to the advisors they know, now backed by a broader team and expanded capabilities to support every stage of their financial and business journey. About Balentine Balentine is an independent wealth management firm that helps entrepreneurs and their families preserve and propel the wealth they have created across generations. Through its offices in Atlanta, Ga., and Raleigh, N.C., Balentine advises on approximately $9 billion of client assets and has repeatedly been recognized as a top financial planning and advisory firm by publications including Forbes, Barron's, The Financial Times, and Investment News. Balentine is a perennial winner of the Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management Award. In September 2021, Chairman Robert Balentine and CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA released First Generation Wealth: Three Guiding Principles for Long-lasting Wealth and an Enduring Family Legacy, a book to help wealth creators think through what it takes to build a meaningful legacy and best support future generations. Balentine LLC ("Balentine") is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about Balentine's investment advisory services can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. US National Times do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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Balentine names Emily Balentine Barbour to EVP & names two new partners. Tuesday, July 28th, 2026 Balentine, an independent wealth management firm based in Atlanta and Raleigh, announces the advancement of Emily Balentine Barbour, CFP(R) to Executive Vice President, and the promotion of Matt Raines and Ben Webb to Partner. The firm, originally founded in 1987 by current Chairman Robert Balentine and his father, has more than $9 billion in assets under advisement and 62 employees. Emily Balentine Barbour, CFP(R) joined Balentine in February 2010 as a Relationship Associate and has since worked her way through nearly every role at the firm, building a deep understanding of client needs and what sets the firm apart. This perspective now guides her as Executive Vice President, directing Family & Legacy, Client Experience, People & Culture, Operations, and Marketing. She still manages key accounts, staying close to clients' concerns. She was elected Partner in 2025, making Balentine Atlanta's only third-generation wealth management firm. "Emily understands our business from the inside out and brings genuine empathy to both clients and colleagues," said CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA. "Her promotion underscores the stewardship of a family-owned business with the exceptional professional leadership team Balentine continues to build. There is no one better suited to serve as a strategic thought partner to me as our firm continues to grow." Matt Raines' promotion to Partner, together with his role as Senior Relationship Manager, recognizes his emergence as a leader in Raleigh and is a testament to his approach to nurturing client relationships. In recent years, Balentine has deepened its offerings to entrepreneurs, supporting them at every stage of their ownership journey. Firm leaders say Matt was among the first to put these offerings into practice. That instinct has shaped his work in Raleigh, where he helped the office nearly triple in staff and mentored relationship managers in the firm's client-first approach. "Balentine is intentionally building our next generation of leadership, and Matt has been an anchor of our Raleigh office and a trusted colleague to many across our firm," said Cronje. "As Partner, he will help shape our strategic direction as we seek to become the go-to-firm for entrepreneurs." Ben Webb, CFA, was also promoted to partner, alongside his role as Head of Private Markets on the Investment Strategy Team. His promotion recognizes both the private capital platform Ben has built over 12 years and his leadership in the process. Ben developed Balentine's platform to give clients institutional-level access to private equity, private credit, and other alternatives without the added costs many other firms charge. Building the platform also includes building a team that has improved efficiency and has enabled continued expansion under Ben's values-driven leadership. "If you want to understand what it looks like to walk the walk on Balentine's fundamentals, look at Ben," said Cronje. "He doesn't just talk about our values - he builds his work and his team around them." Ben is a CFA Charterholder and active with CFA Society Atlanta.
Matt Raines, promoted to Senior Relationship Manager, Partner at Balentine. Publish Date: July 17th, 2026 Balentine is pleased to announce the promotion of Matt Raines to Partner, alongside his role as Senior Relationship Manager. The promotion recognizes Matt's emergence as a leader in Raleigh and his approach to nurturing client relationships. In recent years, Balentine has deepened its offerings to entrepreneurs, supporting them at every stage of their ownership journey. Matt was among the first to put these offerings into practice, tailoring business advisory and family and legacy services to each client relationship, then teaching others to do the same. That instinct has shaped his work in Raleigh, where he helped the office nearly triple in headcount and mentored relationship managers in the firm's client-first approach. "Matt has been an anchor of our Raleigh office and a trusted colleague to many across our firm," said CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA. "As Partner, he will help shape our strategic direction as we seek to become the go-to firm for entrepreneurs." Education. * The University of North Carolina Wilmington More People to know in Balentine. More People to know in raleigh/durham. * Featured Leigh Andrus Leigh Andrus Hartsfield & Nash Agency, Inc. Wake Forest, NC - Hartsfield & Nash Insurance Agency announced the promotion of Leigh Andrus to President. Andrus most recently served as Vice President of the Agency, bringing over two decades of industry knowledge and proven leadership to the role. Andrus began as a Commercial... View Profile * Tammy Smith Tammy Smith TowneBank TowneBank welcomes Tammy Smith as senior vice president. She is a private banking officer based at the TowneBank Cary Parkway location. Smith brings over 30 years of financial industry experience to TowneBank. Active in the community, Smith volunteers with the Cary Chamber of Co... View Profile * Paid Listings Submit People on the Move Share hiring announcements, employee promotions and milestones with the business community. Get Started John Perdue, Jr. John Perdue, Jr. Terracon Consultants Inc. John Perdue, PE, has been appointed to Principal at Terracon, a 100% employee-owned consulting engineering firm. Since joining Terracon in 2003, he has brought more than 23 years of industry experience to the leadership of the company's Materials Group. John leads a group in Sou... View Profile * Featured Haley Bumgardner Haley Bumgardner Thomas, Judy & Tucker PA TJT is proud to announce the hiring of Haley Bumgardner, CPA, as Tax Manager in its Wilmington office. Haley has 8 years of experience in public accounting. Her areas of specialty include construction and real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and multi-state passthrough e... View Profile * Featured Julie Dudley Julie Dudley Thomas, Judy & Tucker PA TJT is proud to announce the hiring of Julie Dudley, CPA, as Tax Manager in its Wilmington office. Julie has more than six years of public accounting experience. She is dedicated to meeting clients where they are, understanding their unique needs, and helping them achieve their... View Profile
Benjamin Webb. Company: Balentine Benjamin Webb's social: Benjamin Webb, promoted to Head of Private Markets, Partner at Balentine. Publish Date: July 17th, 2026 Balentine is pleased to announce the promotion of Benjamin Webb, CFA to Partner, alongside his role as Head of Private Markets on the Investment Strategy Team. The promotion recognizes both the private capital platform Ben has built over 12 years and the leadership he has demonstrated in the process. Private capital can be hard for individual investors to access. Ben has developed Balentine's platform to give clients institutional-level access to private equity, private credit and other alternatives, without the added costs many other firms charge. Building that platform meant building a team too, one that has improved efficiency and enabled continued expansion under his values-driven leadership. "If you want to understand what it looks like to walk the walk on Balentine's fundamentals, look at Ben," said CEO Adrian Cronje, Ph.D., CFA. "He doesn't just talk about our values - he builds his work and his team around them." Ben is a CFA Charterholder and active with CFA Society Atlanta. Education. * Kennesaw State University Military branch. More People to know in Balentine. More People to know in Atlanta. * Featured Melissa Hoffman Melissa Hoffman Geotab Melissa Hoffman is Associate Vice President of Connected Car Partners at Geotab, bringing over 14 years of fleet telematics expertise to lead the global OEM ecosystem strategy. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, she leads teams responsible for executing strategic partnerships with major... View Profile * Anthony Boucher Anthony Boucher Ryan Companies US, Inc. Ryan Companies has promoted Anthony Boucher to Vice President of Construction Operations for the Southeast region. Based in Tampa, Anthony oversees all preconstruction and construction operations, working closely with clients, design, preconstruction and project teams to deliver... View Profile * Paid Listings Submit People on the Move Share hiring announcements, employee promotions and milestones with the business community. Get Started Steven Mitchell Steven Mitchell J.P. Morgan Private Bank Steven Mitchell has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Atlanta as a Vice President and Banker. He advises business owners, executives and families navigating retirement, business succession and multigenerational wealth planning. Steven develops tailored strategies that help clie... View Profile * David Gutt David Gutt J.P. Morgan Private Bank David Gutt has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Atlanta as a Vice President and Banker. He advises entrepreneurs, executives, attorneys and business owners, helping clients navigate liquidity events and complex wealth decisions. Drawing on his family office background, David d... View Profile * Jordan Diab Jordan Diab J.P. Morgan Private Bank Jordan Diab has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Atlanta as a Vice President and Banker. He advises entrepreneurs and corporate executives, helping them align business success with long-term wealth strategies. Leveraging his experience as both an investment banker and CFO, Jor... View Profile
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About Balentine
Industries
Consulting
Financial Services
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia
Founded
2009
There are no jobs for Balentine right now.
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today