Mercer Advisors announced the acquisition of Sigma Investment Management Company.
The addition of Sigma's office in Portland, Oregon deepens Mercer Advisors' footprint in the Pacific Northwest and builds on its significant West Coast presence, including an office in Seattle and seven offices in California.
The Sigma acquisition brings Mercer Advisors' total offices to over 30, and, with over $500 million of AUM, increases its AUM to close to $14 billion.
Sigma was founded in 1992 and services approximately 270 clients across Oregon and surrounding states and is led by Harmon Laurin, President, William A. Berg, CFA, CFP, CEO and Chief Investment Officer, and Timothy J. Wylder, Esq. Sigma is extremely active in the Portlandcommunity supporting a long list of non-profits including The Oregon Community Foundation, Portland Art Museum, Boys and Girls Club of Portland, Oregon Symphony, OHSU (Oregon Health Science University) Foundation, Youth Rights and Justice, St Mary's Academy, Bravo Youth Orchestra, The Ford Family Foundation, MIKE Program and Ethos Music for Kids, among others.
Dave Welling, CEO of Mercer Advisors, said, "Sigma is an established and highly respected firm, a very attractive business in a dynamic and growing market. More importantly we are delighted to be joining forces with a team that shares our values and culture. Sigma's commitment to excellence, professional acumen, and high integrity result in superior client satisfaction." Welling added, "Sigma's executive team led by Harmon Laurin and Bill Bergare seasoned professionals and pillars of the Portland community, and their 12-member team adds bench strength helping to fuel our intention to grow market share in Portland and surrounding communities."
Commenting on the transaction, CEO and CIO William Berg stated: "I am excited about being able to offer our existing and new clients a much broader suite of wealth management services in addition to our investment management program." Sigma's President Harmon Laurin added, "This strategic partnership allows us to offer our clients so much more while still remaining part of a privately held fiduciary company that has the same culture and values as ours."
Mercer Advisors' Vice Chairman David Barton, who leads the company's M&A activity, said, "Sigma is a well-known and highly respected firm in a competitive and crowded Portland market.
They have become a pre-eminent RIA firm relying principally on their investment management acumen. While many buyers were highly interested in partnering with them, Mercer Advisors won this transaction because our family office business model is complementary to their investment management platform. Stated differently, adding Mercer Advisors' services like comprehensive financial and retirement planning, in-house estate planning, asset protection, tax return preparation, and corporate trustee services made the choice clear – Mercer Advisors' multi-disciplinary approach to financial care was superior to other firms seeking to acquire Sigma. This, combined with our strong organic growth made Mercer Advisors stand out in a hyper-competitive M&A market. This transaction is a true win-win for all concerned."
