As Associated Financial Consultants and Investor Services celebrates its’ 50th anniversary in 2022, the South Florida based financial advisory, employer-sponsored retirement & corporate benefits firm announced the addition of three shareholders to AFC-AIS Holding Corporation (Wealth Manager Evan Vladem, Retirement Plan Specialist Travis Ruane and Benefits Practice Leader Logan Mondshein).
The already in-house trio joins the current ownership group of three (Associated Investor Services co-founders’ Paul Vladem & Steve Fraidstern and recently named partner and VP Shawn Wooden). Wooden also acquired additional equity within the firm. Terms of the internal acquisition were not disclosed; however, Paul & Steve will remain at the helm as majority shareholders of the firm.
“For our firm to remain independent over the years is nearly unheard of,” firm President Paul Vladem said. “Bottom line, Steve and I certainly have had options when thinking of the future of our firm and the legacy we built. Our impact, though, has been derived by our people, culture and expertise within. An internal succession plan will allow us to maintain our independence, continuity and legacy that our clients have grown to know for so many years.”
Evan Vladem, under tutelage of his father Paul, has built a niche by focusing on entrepreneurial millennials and their families in legacy planning, inheritance and business growth & succession. He also leads the firms Sports & Entertainment practice, which includes a NFLPA Registered Player Financial Advisor (Luana Mobley Corral, CFP®, CFS®, CLTC™, BFA™, CDFA™) and a long-time NFL athlete who transitioned successfully from football to financial services (Wooden).
Ruane has solidified the firm’s corporate retirement plan division by supporting small and mid-sized businesses seeing rapid expansion throughout South Florida. He also launched a solution for small businesses to solve an essential need – a custom employee financial wellness program.
Following the sudden passing of longtime Associated partner, Marc Weiss, Mondshein successfully stepped in to lead the expansion of the firm’s corporate benefits practice. Logan and his team at Associated work to bring innovative ideas and technologies to help companies contain the cost of their Employee Benefit Programs.
The three new shareholders will join Wooden on the executive team to provide continuity for the long-term future of the firm. Wooden, who has over 16 years of experience in the financial services industry, joined Associated in January 2020. He served as Managing Director of Principal Financial Group and a financial advisor at Wooden Wealth Management and AXA Advisors.
“It is humbling to join the ownership group at Associated,” the firm’s newest shareholder, Evan Vladem, said. “This firm has built such a strong and successful foundation over the past 50 years. Our work has impacted the lives of so many families and companies within the South Florida market. As new shareholders, the goal is growth of legacy. We’ll look to cast our impact even wider as we expand within the South Florida community for many years to come. This is generational.”
Since Associated was launched in 1972 by Ron Abraham as a pension consulting and insurance business, the firm has flourished into a multifaceted financial services and corporate benefits enterprise with well over $1B Assets Under Management and over 30 staffers.
Associated is celebrating its iconic 50th year with numerous events supporting the local community as a part of their #AssociatedCares campaign. The #AssociatedCares 50th Year Celebration kicks off on March 12th from 8:30am-11:30am for the #AssociatedCares x Feeding South Florida Volunteer Day at Feeding South Florida’s Main Warehouse (2501 SW 32 Terrace, Pembroke Park, FL 33023). To request an invite, please contact Evan Vladem.
**Assets Under Management of over $1B calculated as of 12/31/21