Empowering entrepreneurial families to thrive for generations.
Build a lasting family enterprise by applying financial best practices through a human-focused lens.
Balance
Balancing personal development, relationship dynamics and financial assets to maximize family wealth.
Purpose
Identify every family members’ gifts and dreams and build systems to maximize results and minimize confusion.
I’ve thrived when challenged, starting during my days of organized hockey, then onto tackling a joint undergraduate law and business degree, from stepping into those early (scary) days as a tax lawyer, to my first startup, a multi-pivot diesel refining technology startup.
Most recently I lead a single family office’ acquisition of a wealth management platform, pivoted it and lead a significant growth phase. Throughout my life I have been comfortable tackling challenges. Now, in empowering entrepreneurial families to thrive for multiple generations, I’ve found my greatest challenge to embrace yet!
Family Enterprise Focus Topics
Often called “Family Bank” in industry-circles, a specific topic area I get "geeked out" on is families investing in their future entrepreneurs. My education, professional experience, startup experience, and personal experience collide in this topic area. Although “family bank” is an oft-used term, I prefer calling the entity “family capital ventures” to identify the likelihood that investments must align with non-financial, value-driven metrics, particularly the value of developing the family’s human capital.
I also focus on Rising Generation development. The goal of families should include maximizing the personal development of the future wealth stewards. This is an oft-overlooked topic when deploying capital and personal and professional development with a Balanced Scorecard reporting system can lead to great reward!
Previous: Vesta Wealth Partners Ltd.
I have been the President of Vesta Wealth Partners Ltd. and it’s parent company, Vesta Family Office Ltd., since their acquisition from the founders of the predecessor firm GENn Investment Counsel Ltd. We are proud of our quality combination of important services, our investment strategies treat our client families of means similarly to large investment institutions and we combine this focus with the delivery of effective family governance conversations. We also democratize access to large-scale private markets asset managers via our Investment Fund Management business division.
Previous: Legal Counsel
The late Dennis Nerland, my greatest mentor and co-founder of Shea Nerland Calnan LLP, was an incredible resource in my ability to assist entrepreneurial families. He was responsible for providing a safe environment for me to pursue my first officer role in Katal Energy and to develop both professionally and personally. My legal practice focused on tax and estate planning, mostly with a domestic focus.
Previous: Katal Energy
At Katal Energy, I originally held the CFO title and focused on capital raising and financial reporting. I developed as an IP strategist, ensuring that our patents are part of the minority of patents that provide commercial value and are not simply defensive. I currently co-direct the Katal Energy Co-Investment Limited Partnership and am otherwise inactive in the company.
Previous: Family Wealth Coach
Allison Maher and Tom Sorgue founded Family Wealth Coach in 2008 and since that time they have assisted many families in creating sound governance for family business decisions. I joined the FWC team 2018 and 2019. Family Wealth Coach provides services in a multitude of areas, that all directly relate to improving the family business and it’s people.
Sign up below to receive Adam’s monthly newsletter Family Office Perspective, sharing thoughts on the impact of money on family wealth.