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Boston, Mass – May 13, 2024 – (EFE), America’s top independent wealth planning¹ and workplace² investment advisory firm, today announced the acquisition of Soundmark Wealth Management (“Soundmark”). Headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, Soundmark is an investment advisory firm managing more than $453 million in assets for over 250 households.³ The firm, founded by Bill Schultheis, provides premier investment management and financial planning services, with a specialty in addressing the unique planning needs of medical and technology professionals, as well as small business owners. The acquisition also provides EFE more capacity to serve clients in the Pacific Northwest.

“We are thrilled to welcome Soundmark to EFE. Bill has built an excellent team, and we know they will be a great addition to our firm. We are united by a common goal to serve in the best interest of our clients and to reach more people with the holistic, wealth planning capabilities they need to achieve their financial goals,” shared Jay Shah, chief executive officer at 91��̳ Engines. “Growth through acquisition is important to our strategy, and we look forward to adding more exceptional teams like Soundmark that share our commitment to clients, value the resources that the top RIA in the industry provides and want to be part of building a modern wealth planning experience.”

“Our continued expansion across the United States, and in this case, the Pacific Northwest, enables us to partner with impressive firms who share our client-first focus and core values,” said Suzanne van Staveren, executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer at 91��̳ Engines. “Bill and his team help us to broaden our capabilities and areas of expertise even further, which we know is increasingly important in creating a personalized financial planning experience. We look forward to the role they will play in our exciting evolution and growth.”��

“It’s an honor to be joining forces with 91��̳ Engines, a pioneer and perennial leader within the RIA industry,” said Bill Schultheis, Principal and Senior Wealth Advisor at Soundmark Wealth Management. “We share a similar client-centric approach in our work, and by partnering with EFE our clients benefit from more resources and planning expertise while our planners will have more support and less administrative duties, allowing them to focus even more on our clients.”

The transaction is EFE’s first of 2024 and follows the firm’s recent acquisitions that added planner capacity in key regions, including the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, Northern California and the South, and supplemented the firm’s capabilities in tax and estate planning, and retirement plans for small businesses. EFE will also continue conversations with more potential partners throughout the remainder of the year. Learn about collaborating with EFE and our acquisition history on the firm’s Mergers & Acquisition site.

Baker & McKenzie LLP served as EFE’s counsel in connection with the transaction. Montgomery Purdue LLC served as Soundmark’s counsel.