$1.9B Omaha private bank team joins Private Wealth. Meet the team here →

private wealth

Build a sustainable

investment strategy.

Design a customized investment management plan according to your risk tolerance with our trusted advisors.

Investments
Made to Last

We guide investment strategies to fit every unique situation for individual and institutional clients. Customize your risk tolerance and design an approach with sustainability and long-term performance in mind. Our investment experts have specialized skills and insights into the broad market and niche industries that gives our clients an edge.

Services

wealth planning

Institutional
Investment Planning

Take control of the future for endowments
and foundations through a managed
investing approach:

  • Investment Policy formation to
    manage spending, liquidity, budget
    and allocations.
  • Investment manager selection and monitoring to establish effective performance standards.
  • Institutional structuring to serve evolving staff and board over a long time period.
wealth planning

Core Investment Management

Effectively managing investments begins with a core approach defined by proven processes:

  • Indexed exposure across a broad range of asset classes
  • Stock, bond, EFT and mutual
    fund management
  • Performance tracking and reporting
  • Strategize to deliver low cost and
    tax efficiencies
wealth planning

Satellite Investment Management

Move beyond the core investments and tap unique asset classes backed by expert managers:

  • Discover options to hedge risks and
    enhance income
  • Tap private capital, pre-IPO and active managers using concentrated positions3
  • Sector-tilting strategies to capitalize on short and intermediate trends
  • Gain early access to promising companies with pre-IPO investing
  • Asset managers across numerous classes to expand your reach
wealth planning

Broad Scope Research

We deliver research with the kind of depth
and detail that shows the full scope of
every opportunity:

  • Institutional street research from JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley
  • Boutique research from Greenock Research, Core Alternative Capital, Hedgeye, InvestX, Ned Davis, and other specialty firms

How we work
with you.

wealth planning

Step 1

Investment policy review and process update

wealth planning

Step 2

Establish new targets and ranges across asset classes

wealth planning

Step 3

Incorporate socially conscious investment language

wealth planning

Step 4

Make adjustments to portfolio benchmark

wealth planning

Step 5

Add “real return” benchmark reflecting distribution policy

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Meet our
investment committee

Getting started

Bring your financial vision to life.

1

Explore

We bring all stakeholders, family members, and trusted advisors together and get to know every piece of your world to prepare for a true partnership.

2

Plan

We customize a strategy to drive your investments, and future, into motion. Full transparency and hands-on team planning create the baseline for success.

3

Action

We keep all of your trusted advisors in the loop, managing the day to day to deliver opportunities as they are researched and revealed.

Spend more time on the things that matter.

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Leslie Miller

Leslie Miller

Partner & Senior Portfolio Manager, CFA, CFP, CTFA

Years of Experience: 30 years

Educational Background

  • University of Texas at Austin, BA, Business Administration
  • Vanderbilt University, MBA
  • University of Nebraska Omaha, MA, Gerontology – Enrolled

Designations/Certifications/Classes

  • CFA, CFP, CTFA

Other Notable Information

  • Leslie specializes in portfolio management and trust and fiduciary services. 
  • Working primarily with clients of retirement age, Leslie excels at providing holistic, thorough financial and estate planning guidance for seniors. 
  • Leslie is dedicated to ensuring that her clients comprehend the full scope of their plans. Because people often do not understand their fiduciary responsibility and liability of their power of attorney and trustee, she advocates strongly for the use of a corporate trustee. 
  • Stirred by her personal experience navigating the complex legal, medical and financial challenges resulting from her parents’ dementia, Leslie is currently pursuing her master’s degree in gerontology.
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David Hillner

David Hillner

Investment Specialist

Years of Experience: 7 years

Educational Background

  • University of Texas – San Antonio, MBA focused on Finance
  • Azusa Pacific University, BA, Economics

Designations/Certifications/Classes

  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®)
  • Fundamentals of Sustainable Accounting Credential Holder

Other Notable Information

  • David is a member of the Private Wealth Investment Committee
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David Tawil

David Tawil

Founding Partner

Historical Relationship Tenure: 9 years

Years of Experience: 24 years

Educational Background

  • Texas State University, BBA, Finance

Designations/Certifications/Classes

  • Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA®)
  • Fiduciary Graduate Program

Other Notable Information

  • Chairman, Private Wealth Investment Committee
  • Investment Management Consultants Association
  • Leadership San Antonio – Class 44
  • Member of the Executive Committee, co-chairs Investment Committee
  • Specialization in working with high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations and endowments
  • Specialization in leading advisors working with high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations and endowments
  • Ballet San Antonio – Board of Directors (Treasurer)
  • Active in the San Antonio Estate Planning Council
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Debra Wilkens

Debra Wilkens

Founding Partner

Historical Relationship Tenure: 13 years

Years of Experience: 15 years

Educational Background

  • Baylor University, BA, Business Administration and Political Science (Summa Cum Laude / Valedictorian)

Designations/Certifications/Classes

  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®)

Other Notable Information

  • Specializes in building customized investment portfolios to meet the unique needs of high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations and endowments
  • Member of the Investment Committee
  • Active member of the CFA® Society of Austin
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Bryan Jarman

Bryan Jarman

Partner, Portfolio Manager

Historical Relationship Tenure: 9 years

Years of Experience: 22 years
 
Educational Background

  • Johns Hopkins University, MS, Finance
  • Arizona State University, BS, Finance and BS, Economics
  • Minors, Russian and International Business

 
Designations/Certifications/Classes

  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®)
  • Johns Hopkins University, Graduate Certificate in Investments

 
Other Notable Information

  • Bryan’s niche is working with endowments and foundations.
  • Member of the Private Wealth Investment Committee.
  • Bryan has also spent more than a decade working closely with multigenerational families.
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David Holtorf

David Holtorf

Founding Partner

Years of Experience: 24 years

Educational Background

  • University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Studied both Psychology and Music Performance

Other Notable Information

  • Niche is farm families, retirement income planning and cash flow planning 
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Chris Casey

Chris Casey

Founding Partner

Historical Relationship Tenure: 13 years 

Years of Experience: 37 years 

Educational Background 

  • Troy State University, BA, Finance 

Designations/Certifications/Classes 

  • Graduate, ABA School of Banking Colorado 
  • Graduate, Cannon Trust School I & II 
  • Graduate, Wells Fargo Business Succession Planning I & II 
  • Graduate, Wells Fargo Family Dynamics Training 

Other Notable Information 

  • Niche is unique income solutions for clients after they retire or sell their business or other assets
  • Member of our Investment Committee
  • Leads the firm’s asset allocation and optimization process to create efficient investment portfolios
  • Board of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, and served on their Investment Committee, Development Committee and Linn County Grant Committee
  • Past President of the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation Board
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Brett Halley

Brett Halley

Founding Partner

Historical Relationship Tenure: 11 years

Years of Experience: 29 years

Educational Background

  • University of Iowa, MBA
  • University of Iowa, BS, Investment Finance

Designations/Certifications/Classes

  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) 

Other Notable Information

  • Niche is institutional investing
  • Member of the Investment Committee 
  • Directs our fixed income investing