This is Hightower’s fifth deal this year – most recently, the firm facilitated a sub-acquisition for Fairport Wealth.

Chicago-based wealth management firm Hightower has invested in Highland Private Wealth Management, a $1.2 billion wealth advisory and investment management business located in Bellevue. The move continues a run of M&A deals that Hightower has driven made this year.

Highland focuses on high net worth individuals and families in the Pacific Northwest region and beyond. Founded in 1999, Highland provides wealth counseling, investment management and financial planning services to executives, professionals, business owners, wealth beneficiaries and other high net worth households.

It aims to preserve and grow clients’ wealth while also helping them discover how their money can support the things that matter most in life, which Highland refers to as Living Fully®.

“Highland is a high-growth organization with a strong bench of multi-generational leaders and a differentiated approach to client service,” Bob Oros, chairman and CEO of Hightower, said. 

“There is a real synergy between Highland and Hightower, culturally and philosophically,” he said.

“Highland recognizes that the world is changing. They are forward-thinking in the way they’ve evolved their offering to meet their clients’ total life needs – this commitment and approach fits squarely with Hightower’s ethos,” he stressed.

Highland’s CEO and founder John Christianson added: “Our strategic partnership with Hightower – which includes access to institutional-level value-added services, operational scale and support – is a key step in advancing how we serve our clients and grow our business.”

“The partnership enables us to retain our entrepreneurial spirit and autonomy, which has been central to our success,” he said.

Recent months have been busy for Hightower. In April this year Hightower said it had won regulatory approval for a national charter to become a trust company. (Based in Houston with offices in Chicago and Delaware, Hightower National Trust Company provides advisors with a blend of personal trust investment management, custody and safekeeping products for their high net worth and ultra-HNW clients.)

Hightower offers its 131 advisory businesses a range of services designed to accelerate organic growth, including business development consulting, leadership, talent acquisition, marketing support, technology, investment management resources, compliance, accounting, payroll and human resources. Inorganic growth services include sourcing, valuation, deal structuring, due diligence, legal and regulatory, pre- and post-close integration, and capital resources for M&A transactions.

Highland was advised by Raymond James’ Asset & Wealth Management investment banking team; Highland received legal counsel from Peterson Russell Kelly Livengood PLLC.

As of June 30, 2022, Hightower's assets under management were $108.4 billion, and assets under administration were approximately $132.6 billion. Hightower operates as a registered investment advisor.