ATLANTA (July 1, 2014) – Argent Financial Group, a diversified wealth and financial services firm, is making a big play in the Atlanta market.
The Ruston, Louisiana-based Argent announced Monday the firm has acquired a fiduciary services line of business from Atlanta-based Reliance Trust Company and opened an Atlanta office.
The move adds several seasoned fiduciary consultants to the company’s ranks and expands Argent’s portfolio of client assets by over $2 billion.
Now responsible for more than $8 billion in client assets, Kyle McDonald, CEO of Argent Financial Group, says the acquisition strategically grows the company’s geographic footprint and deepens its core trust service offerings. The Atlanta-based team principally serves as trustee for employee stock ownership plans.
“Our guiding vision is to be a leading wealth management and fiduciary services firm,” McDonald said. “An Atlanta office provides us the ability to further serve our growing client base both in the Southeast and the rest of the country.”
McDonald says the new Atlanta team, under the leadership of David Williams and Steve Martin, will work under the Argent Trust Company banner. Over time, McDonald anticipates the office will add wealth management services offered in other Argent markets to complement existing trust services.
Williams, who led Reliance Trust’s fiduciary services team, joins Argent as executive vice president and manager of Argent Trust Atlanta.
“It was critical for our team to join a trust company that has the capacity and resources to provide all of the services our clients need to achieve their business and financial goals,” Williams said. “Argent was a natural fit because of the value it places on personalized service and its investment in successful partnerships.”
Martin joins Argent Trust as senior vice president and fiduciary consultant.
“In the trust services industry, the key to success is relationships,” Martin said. “Argent goes to great lengths to understand its clients, and Argent’s commitment to key service values makes this transition a win-win for our team and our clients.”
According to McDonald, Williams and Martin established a reputation as an industry leader in trust services.
“As we completed considerable due diligence regarding this opportunity, we became confident that this team had built and utilized the premium risk management processes critical to serving this highly specialized line of trust business,” McDonald said. “We needed to ensure that together this team and Argent would continue to be the pre-imminent trustee service provider in this specialty.”
About Argent Financial Group
Argent Financial Group, domiciled in Ruston, Louisiana, was formed in 1990 and traces its roots back to 1930. Responsible for more than $8 billion in client assets, Argent Financial Group is a diversified wealth management entity providing individuals and businesses a broad range of financial services including trust administration and related services, investment management, retirement plan and charitable organization administration, mineral (oil and gas) management, retirement and estate planning, and brokerage services (offered through LPL Financial). For more information, visit www.argentcares.com.
