EP Wealth Advisors Acquires Conlon Dart Wealth Management

Acquisition enhances EP Wealth's reach in the Northwest, bolsters financial planning and investment management expertise and adds more than $500M in AUM

EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth"), a leading independent registered investment adviser that specializes in client-centric financial planning and investment management services, has announced its acquisition of Conlon Dart Wealth Management ("Conlon Dart") in Seattle. The acquisition expands EP Wealth's presence in the greater Seattle region.

Conlon Dart is an independent, fee-only wealth management firm founded by Mitch Conlon and Stephen Dart. The firm serves as a financial advocate for its clients, with its practice focused on academically grounded investment management, modern financial planning techniques and consistent client communication to prioritize needs and goals. Conlon and Dart will each assume the role of Regional Director and Partner at EP Wealth. Rick Bryan and Joe Boden will each assume the role of Senior Vice President, Senior Wealth Advisor and Partner at EP Wealth.

"EP Wealth remains committed to growth in 2019, expanding our resources, capabilities and geographic reach. Aligning with the right partners who enhance our client offering is central to that mission," said Patrick Goshtigian, CFA, President and CEO of EP Wealth. "Conlon Dart and EP Wealth share a commitment to providing clients with holistic, sophisticated planning and superior service. The addition of Mitch, Stephen and the rest of the Conlon Dart team will enable us to provide additional depth and expertise to our clients."

"Identifying the right professional partner was central to our vision for Conlon Dart and our clients, and we sought to align with a firm that complements our approach and provides an unparalleled depth of services to meet our clients' needs," said Conlon.

"We consider EP Wealth to be an ideal fit and true extension of our core business philosophy," said Dart. "We now have increased our financial planning and investment management capabilities, along with deeper educational resources to support our clients."

This is EP Wealth's fifth acquisition since taking a minority investment from Wealth Partners Capital Group ("WPCG"), a financial services holding company, in July 2017. It also marks the firm's second regional expansion, following last year's acquisition of Donnelly Wealth Advisors in San Diego. Last year, the firm also acquired Rampart Wealth Advisors of Greenwood Village, Colo., Caves & Associates, Inc. of Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Millie Capital Management of Walnut Creek, Calif.

"As the RIA industry continues to consolidate, EP Wealth's thoughtful strategy and emphasis on growth stands out as a particularly attractive option for RIA owners looking to join a dynamic, experienced team," commented Rich Gill, a partner at WPCG.

The acquisition closed May 6, 2019 and will increase EP Wealth's assets under management by more than $500 million, while adding more than 300 clients. Financial and legal terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

About EP Wealth Advisors

EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth") is a fee-only registered investment adviser and financial planning firm based in Torrance, Calif., with additional offices in the San Francisco Bay area, San Diego, West Los Angeles and Irvine, Calif., Seattle and Denver. The firm manages more than $4 billion in AUM as of March 31, 2019, and provides client-centric financial planning and investment management services to individuals and businesses. EP Wealth is led by co-founders and Managing Directors Derek Holman, CFP^®, AIF^® and Brian Parker, CFP^® and President and CEO Patrick Goshtigian, CFA^®. For more information, please visit www.epwealth.com.

About Wealth Partners Capital Group

Wealth Partners Capital Group ("WPCG") is a financial services holding company, which has partnered with EP Wealth Advisors ("EP Wealth"). WPCG assists EP Wealth by identifying and integrating like-minded registered investment advisers who are seeking access to expanded business capabilities, strategic growth and customized transition solutions. The WPCG management team is led by partners John W. Copeland, Rich Gill and Sean Bresnan. For more information, please visit www.wealthpcg.com.

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