In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Andy Busser, president and CEO of Pitcairn, about how the century-old firm has evolved from a single-family office into an RIA serving approximately 150 families and overseeing roughly $12 billion on their behalf.

Andy shares how Pitcairn combines investment management with trust, tax, accounting, insurance, family education and governance services to support families across generations. He also explains why the firm prioritizes character, curiosity and emotional intelligence when building its team, how it approaches growth and alternative investments, and how artificial intelligence is creating more time for deeper analysis and stronger client relationships.

Andy discusses:

• How shared single-family office services combine investments, trusts, tax, insurance, accounting and family support
• Why Pitcairn selectively evaluates new families to ensure long-term cultural and relationship fit
• How hiring employees for optimism, curiosity, empathy, work quality and self-awareness shapes the firm’s culture
• Why employee engagement is the firm’s leading leadership metric and how it relates to revenue and EBITDA growth
• How the firm is exploring the use of AI to speed up analysis and planning, and create more time for client relationships and staff development

Resources:

• Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on Wealth Management
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify

Connect With David Armstrong:

• Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: David Armstrong
• Twitter: David Armstrong
• LinkedIn: Informa

Connect With Andy Busser:

• LinkedIn: Andrew Busser
• LinkedIn: Pitcairn
• Website: Pitcairn

About Our Guest:

As President and CEO of Pitcairn, Andy guides the firm’s culture and operations, building on a century of gold standard experiences for clients and employees. Andy’s curiosity and energy set the tone for a team focused on deep relationships, integrated service, technological innovation, and continuous learning.

Before becoming CEO in 2023, Andy served as Pitcairn’s President of Family Office, leading the firm’s relationship managers, analysts, and client communications professionals. He came to Pitcairn in 2015 from Symphony Capital, a healthcare-focused manager of private equity and hedge funds, where he was a partner. Earlier in his career, he was a management consultant with The Wilkerson Group/Wilkerson Partners.

Andy advocates for helping families become empowered stewards of wealth across generations, a topic he speaks and writes about often. He presents regularly at events hosted by the Family Wealth Alliance, The UHNW Institute, and Family Business Magazine’s Transitions and Align conferences, and he writes a Forbes column on family office leadership and strategy. His perspective has appeared in Barron’s, Bloomberg, Crain Currency, and InvestmentNews, and on NPR.

He also represents Pitcairn in the Wigmore Association, a global collaboration among the chief executives and chief investment officers of independent family offices located in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Mexico.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Matt Adams, chief executive officer and managing partner at Mission Wealth, about how the firm has grown into a national RIA managing $17.5 billion while continuing to prioritize client service and culture.

Matt shares how Mission Wealth combines organic growth, referral programs, digital marketing and carefully selected mergers and integrations while maintaining a relatively low client-to-advisor ratio. He also explains how employee ownership, expanded planning services, behavioral finance and a thoughtful approach to artificial intelligence and technology are helping shape the firm as it continues to grow across the country.

Matt discusses:

• How organic growth, referral channels, digital marketing and selective mergers work together at Mission Wealth
• Why Mission Wealth keeps a low client-to-advisor ratio while investing in service, training and ownership
• How behavioral finance and Inspired Living are being built into deeper, one-to-one client relationships
• How Mission Wealth approaches smaller advisory firm integrations with a goal of being fully operational on day one
• Where AI, data, cybersecurity and internal technology are improving productivity across the client journey

Resources:

• Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on Wealth Management
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify

Connect With David Armstrong:

• Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: David Armstrong
• Twitter: David Armstrong
• LinkedIn: Informa

Connect With Matt Adams:

• LinkedIn: Matt Adams
• LinkedIn: Mission Wealth
• Website: Mission Wealth

About Our Guest:

Matthew Adams is the CEO of Mission Wealth, a national wealth management firm headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. Having spent 23 years with the firm, he has helped guide its expansion to $17.5 billion in assets under management, approximately 225 team members, and more than 5,000 families served nationwide. His leadership focuses on organic growth, client service, team development, employee ownership, strategic integrations, and the thoughtful use of technology to support the firm’s continued growth.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Mike LaMena, CEO of Wealthspire, about how the firm is bringing together private wealth, institutional advisory, retirement services and family office capabilities as it continues to grow.

Mike shares how Wealthspire structures advisor teams around deeper client relationships, uses a “cross-solving” approach to connect needs across different parts of the firm, and invests in areas such as trust, estate planning, tax and technology. He also explains how M&A, advisor education, international expansion and a long-term approach to profitability are shaping Wealthspire’s next stage of growth.

Mike discusses:

• How Wealthspire connects private wealth, institutional, retirement and family office services around client needs
• Why advisor teams need access to trust, estate, investment, tax and lifestyle specialists across the firm
• How “cross-solving” can connect institutional relationships and private wealth opportunities in both directions
• Why Wealthspire targets 30% to 35% margins while continuing to invest in organic growth, M&A and capabilities
• Where Wealthspire sees room to grow, including integrated tax, Canada, the UK and cross-border client needs

Resources:

• Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on Wealth Management
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify

Connect With David Armstrong:

• Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: David Armstrong
• Twitter: David Armstrong
• LinkedIn: Informa

Connect With Mike LaMena:

• LinkedIn: Mike LaMena
• LinkedIn: Wealthspire
• Website: Wealthspire

About Our Guest:

Mike LaMena is the Chief Executive Officer of Wealthspire, bringing nearly 30 years of experience leading and scaling global wealth management organizations. Since becoming CEO in 2019, he has guided Wealthspire through a period of significant growth and transformation, helping evolve the firm into an integrated independent platform serving individuals, families, institutions, retirement plans, and businesses across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

Mike is known for his people-first approach and his belief in the power of thoughtful guidance and strong relationships to create meaningful impact. Under his leadership, Wealthspire has expanded its capabilities and national footprint while fostering a culture centered on collaboration, innovation, and long-term relationships. He has championed initiatives focused on advisor empowerment, philanthropy, inclusion, and purposeful growth.

Before joining one of Wealthspire’s predecessor firms in 2017 as President and COO, Mike served as President and COO of HighTower Advisors, helping scale the firm from a startup into a nationally recognized wealth management platform. Earlier in his career, he served in multiple senior leadership roles at Morgan Stanley across New York and Hong Kong. Before beginning his career in financial services, Mike served as a volunteer high school teacher at Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx, reflecting his long-standing commitment to education and mentorship.

Mike is a frequent industry speaker and host of Wealthspire’s Great Aspirations podcast, which explores leadership, purpose, and legacy through conversations with entrepreneurs, athletes, and changemakers. In 2024, he was named “CEO of the Year” at the RIA Intel Awards. In addition to serving on the board for Wealthspire, he also serves on the Advisory Council for the Wealth Management program at Columbia University School of Professional Studies, supporting the development of the next generation of industry leaders.