PALM BEACH, Fla. – March 11, 2008 – GenSpring Family Offices (formerly Asset Management Advisors), the wealth management firm for ultra high net worth families, announced today significant senior staff additions to its New York office. Bruce Arella, a former senior executive with Orion Capital Management LLC, joins GenSpring as president of its New York office. In addition, respected industry executives Marcia Lyons Wilson and Felicia Yieh join GenSpring’s New York office from Goldman Sachs.
These additions to the executive staff reflect continuing strong growth for GenSpring in New York and throughout the country. GenSpring appeals to top industry professionals attracted to the firm’s successful business model of having talented professionals, aligned with the family without conflicts, providing an intimate level of service with unconditional trust.
For over 16 years, Mr. Arella has been involved in professional investment management working with high net worth families, foundations, endowments and institutions. As Managing Director and Director of Manager Research at Orion Capital Management LLC, Mr. Arella applied his extensive investment expertise, directing hedge fund manager research with Orion’s investment team, including sourcing of new managers, strategy research, qualitative due diligence and on-site visits. He also served on the firm’s Investment Committee, recommending fund manager additions and liquidations,
strategy limits, fund limits, overall asset allocation and economic research. Prior to joining Orion, Mr. Arella was founder and portfolio manager at Ardent Fund Management LLC, an equity long/short hedge fund. Previously, he was co-head trader at Standard & Poor’s Securities, Inc.
Jim McCarthy, the former president of GenSpring’s New York office, continues to help the firm develop its trust and fiduciary advisory capabilities.
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Ms. Wilson joins GenSpring’s New York office as a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Strategist. Prior to joining GenSpring, she was a Private Wealth Advisor at Goldman Sachs’ Private Wealth Management Group, focusing on the needs of high net worth individuals, families, family offices and endowments. Her responsibilities included advising on asset allocation, investing and integrating family needs such as financial and estate planning, lending and family governance. Before joining Goldman Sachs, Ms. Wilson was a Senior Vice President at the United States Trust Company, where she ranked as a top relationship manager and new business developer for the Ultra Wealthy Client sector. Ms. Wilson previously held executive positions at Citibank, Swiss Bank Corporation and Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company.
Ms. Yieh has been working with affluent individuals and their families for over 20 years. Her extensive wealth management experience includes investment management, asset allocation, liquidity management, financial planning, trust and estate planning, mortgages and tailored credit. She joins GenSpring’s New York office as a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Strategist from Goldman Sachs, where she was a Private Wealth Advisor. At Goldman Sachs she invested money for her clients and helped to integrate all of their wealth management needs. Previously, at U.S. Trust Company she served as a Senior Vice President/Business Development Officer. Before joining U.S. Trust Company, she held senior positions with Citibank Private Bank, Chemical Bank’s Private Banking unit and Bank of America.
“Bruce, Marcia and Felicia are outstanding professionals with tremendous experience and we’re fortunate to have them join us, especially during this period of significant growth and opportunity for our firm in New York and nationally,” said Maria Elena Lagomasino, CEO of GenSpring. “Attracting three executives of their caliber is a reflection of our appealing business model that is working for our clients and staff. Their extensive experience will hugely benefit our clients and our firm.”
Once limited to a few of the world’s wealthiest families, the benefits of the family office business model are becoming known to a wider circle of ultra high net worth clients. As a result, GenSpring has been growing rapidly. The GenSpring model is built on three family office principles: complete separation of advisors from the makers of financial products, pre-set size limits on number of clients per advisor, and a strictly integrative approach that treats financial capital and human capital as part of a whole system.
The structure eliminates all conflicts of interest to ensure objectivity and transparency, ensures total focus on the family at a personal level, and removes financial service boundaries so that all dimensions of wealth management can work in concert for each family.
About GenSpring Family Offices
Founded by families for families in 1989 as Asset Management Advisors (AMA), GenSpring Family Offices, an affiliate of SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE:STI), is one of the nation’s premier wealth management firms for ultra-high net worth families. With nearly $15 billion under advisement, GenSpring, including its affiliates GenSpring International (TBK Investments, Inc.) and Inlign Wealth Management, LLC, has been chosen by more than 600 families to manage their wealth across generations. GenSpring is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and has local family offices in Atlanta, Charlotte, Greenwich, New York City, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Washington, DC and Phoenix. For more information please visit GenSpring.
