General
Awards and rankings are historical. No award or ranking is indicative of future performance of Freestone or any of our employees.
Recognitions
Barron’s
The Barron’s rankings are based on data provided by individual advisors and their firms. Advisor data is confirmed via regulatory databases, cross-checks with security firms and conversations with individual advisors. The formula used by Barron’s to rank advisors is proprietary to Barron’s. It has three major components: assets under management, revenue produced and quality of practice. Investment returns are not a component of the rankings because performance is often a function of each client’s appetite for risk. The quality of practice component includes an evaluation of each advisor’s regulatory record. In addition to the examination of the advisor’s regulatory record, the Top 1,200 Financial Advisors review internal company documents and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. For the Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors and the Top 100 Financial Advisors rankings, the scoring system assigns a top score of 100 and rates the rest of the advisors by comparing them with the winner.
Below are the Barron’s rankings for Erik Morgan and Bob Mellon:
Barron’s Top 1200 Independent Financial Advisors (by State)
2022:
Erik Morgan – #1 of out 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2021:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2020:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #30 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2019:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #28 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2018:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #25 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2017:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #26 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2016:
Erik Morgan – #3 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #30 out of 30 ranked advisors in Washington
2014:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
2013*:
Erik Morgan – #1 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #4 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
2012*:
Erik Morgan – #2 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #13 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
2011*:
Erik Morgan – #2 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
Bob Mellon – #10 out of 25 ranked advisors in Washington
*During these years, Barron’s ranked the top 1000 independent financial advisors (by state)
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors
2020:
Erik Morgan – #16 out of 100 ranked advisors
2019:
Erik Morgan – #12 out of 100 ranked advisors
2018:
Erik Morgan – #18 out of 100 ranked advisors
2017:
Erik Morgan – #20 out of 100 ranked advisors
2016:
Erik Morgan – #30 out of 100 ranked advisors
2015:
Erik Morgan – #40 out of 100 ranked advisors
2014:
Erik Morgan – #6 out of 100 ranked advisors
2013:
Erik Morgan – #16 out of 100 ranked advisors
Bob Mellon – #54 out of 100 ranked advisors
2012:
Erik Morgan – #17 out of 100 ranked advisors
Bob Mellon – #29 out of 100 ranked advisors
2011:
Erik Morgan – #22 out of 100 ranked advisors
Bob Mellon – #70 out of 100 ranked advisors
2010:
Erik Morgan – #31 out of 100 ranked advisors
Bob Mellon – #86 out of 100 ranked advisors
Puget Sound Business Journal – Washington State’s Largest Wealth Management Firms
Information was obtained from ADV reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, firm representatives and company websites. Information on The List was supplied by individual companies through questionnaires and could not be independently verified by the Puget Sound Business Journal. Only those that responded to our inquiries or had reliable information available elsewhere were listed. In case of ties, companies are listed alphabetically. None of Freestone or its employees pay a fee in exchange for inclusion in this list.
2019:
Freestone was ranked #2 (out of 25) based on 2018 assets under management
2018:
Freestone was ranked #3 (out of 25) based on 2017 assets under management.
2017:
Freestone was ranked #4 (out of 25) based on 2016 assets under management.
Puget Sound Business Journal – Wealth Management Firms
This list ranks wealth management firms in the Puget Sound area by assets under management. This list was compiled using information from Form ADV filed with the SEC. None of Freestone or its employees pay a fee in exchange for inclusion in this list.
2016:
Freestone is ranked #3 (out of 25) based on 2015 assets under management.
Financial Advisor – RIA Survey & Ranking
This list ranks RIAs by total assets. None of Freestone or its employees pay a fee in exchange for inclusion in this list.
2019:
Freestone is ranked #57 (out of 683).
2018:
Freestone is ranked #69 (out of 707).
2017:
Freestone is ranked #64 (out of 638).
2016:
Freestone is ranked #67 (out of 610).
2015:
Freestone is ranked #69 (out of 562).
WealthManagement.com – Top 100 Retail RIAs of 2016
This list was assembled using data from Discovery Data. RIA firms are ranked by the total assets under management reported on Form ADV. To make this list, firms had to be U.S.-based and serve individual investors as their primary business. For 2016, Freestone is ranked #88 (out of 100). None of Freestone or its employees pay a fee in exchange for inclusion in this list.
Financial Times – FT 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers
The Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times (June, 2017). The FT 300 is based on data gathered from RIA firms, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. The listing reflected each practice’s performance in six primary areas: assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, years in existence, credentials and online accessibility. This award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and is not indicative of the practice’s future performance. Neither the RIA firms nor their employees pay a fee to The Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 300.
Investment News – Top Fee-only RIAs by State
InvestmentNews qualified 2,206 firms headquartered in the United States based on data reported on Form ADV to the Securities and Exchange Commission as of May 1, 2019. To qualify, firms must have met the following criteria: (1) latest ADV filing date is either on or after January 1, 2018, (2) total AUM is at least $100M, (3) does not have employees who are registered representatives of a broker-dealer, (4) provided investment advisory services to clients during its most recently completed fiscal year, (5) no more than 50% of amount of regulatory assets under management is attributable to pooled investment vehicles (other than investment companies), (6) no more than 25% of amount of regulatory assets under management is attributable to pension and profit-sharing plans (but not the plan participants), (7) no more than 25% of amount of regulatory assets under management is attributable to corporations or other businesses, (8) does not receive commissions, (9) provides financial planning services, (10) is not actively engaged in business as a broker-dealer (registered or unregistered), (11) is not actively engaged in business as a registered representative of a broker-dealer, (12) has neither a related person who is a broker-dealer/municipal securities dealer/government securities broker or dealer (registered or unregistered) nor one who is an insurance company or agency. None of Freestone or its employees pay a fee in exchange for inclusion in this list.
2019:
Freestone is ranked #3 (out of 73 firms in Washington).
2017:
Freestone is ranked #3 (out of 65 in Washington).
Five Star Professional Wealth Manager Award
The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to fivestarprofessional.com.
2021:
2,938 Seattle area wealth managers were considered for the award; 284 (10 percent of candidates were named 2021 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2020:
2,735 Seattle area wealth managers were considered for the award; 273 (10 percent of candidates were named 2020 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2019:
2,752 Seattle area wealth managers were considered for the award; 290 (11 percent of candidates) were named 2019 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2018:
2,452 Seattle wealth managers were considered for the award; 266 (11 percent of candidates) were named 2018 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2017:
1,785 award candidates in the Seattle area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 436 (approximately 25 percent of the award candidates) were named 2017 Five Star Wealth Managers
2016:
1,678 award candidates in the Seattle area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 412 (approximately 25 percent of the award candidates) were named 2016 Five Star Wealth Managers.
Designations
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)®
Issuing organization:
CFA Institute
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
Undergraduate degree and four years of professional experience involving investment decision-making or Four years qualified work experience (full time, but not necessarily investment related)
Educational Requirements:
Self-study program (250 hours of study for each of three levels)
Examination Type:
Three course exams
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
None
Accredited By:
None
Chartered Financial Analyst® and CFA® are registered trademarks of CFA Institute.
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA)®
Issuing organization:
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
Bachelor’s or equivalent degree and more than one year of business experience in the financial industry or Four years of experience in the financial industry
Required Education:
Self-study certification program requires the successful completion of both the Level I and Level II examinations
Examination Type:
Two CAIA exams
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
None
Accredited By:
None
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® and CAIA® are registered trademarks of Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association
Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)®
Issuing organization:
Investment Management Consultants Association
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
Three years of verifiable financial services experience and must answer “no” to all disclosure questions on Form U-4 that cover criminal and regulatory violations, civil judicial actions, and consumer complaints, or else satisfactorily justify a “yes” answer
Educational Requirements:
Complete the following:
- Self-study education (approximately five months)
- One-week classroom education program provided by a university business school accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Examination Type:
Online examination for self-study Level 1 program and an in-class final certification examination for classroom education program
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
40 hours every two years
Accredited By:
American National Standards Institute
Certified Investment Management Analyst® and CIMA® are registered trademarks of Investment Management Consultants Association
Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS)®
Issuing organization:
College for Financial Planning
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
None
Required Education:
Self-study course requiring 100-120 hours
Examination Type:
Final closed-book exam
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
16 hours every 2 years
Accredited By:
None
Accredited Asset Management Specialist® and AAMS® are registered trademarks of College for Financial Planning
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)®
Issuing organization:
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
A bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university and three years of full-time personal financial planning experience
Educational Requirements:
Complete a CFP-board registered program or hold one of the following:
- CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
- ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant)
- CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter)
- CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
- PhD in business or economics
- Doctor of Business Administration
- Attorney’s License
Examination Type:
CFP Certification Examination
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
30 hours every two years
Accredited By:
National Commission for Certifying Agencies
Certified Financial Planner® and CFP® are registered trademarks of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Financial Risk Manager (FRM)®
Issuing organization:
Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
Two years work experience in an appropriate financial risk management career and GARP individual membership
Educational Requirements:
Self-study exam
Examination Type:
Final closed-book exam
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
None
Accredited By:
None
Financial Risk Manager® and FRM® are registered trademarks of Global Association of Risk Professionals
Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA)®
Issuing organization:
Investment Management Consultants Association
Required Prerequisites/Experience:
- Must demonstrate the following prerequisites: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or one of the following designations or licenses: CIMA®, CIMC®, CFA ®, CFP®, ChFC®, or CPA license
- Undergo and pass a background check
- Five years of experience in financial services or delivering services to high-net-worth clients
Educational Requirements:
Complete the following:
- Self-study education
- Five-day classroom education program at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Examination Type:
An in-class certification examination
Required Continuing Education/Experience:
40 hours every two years
Accredited By:
None
Certified Private Wealth Advisor® and CPWA® are registered trademarks of Investment Management Consultants Association