COLUMBUS, GA — Our Team is thrilled to announce the expansion of the BIP Wealth brand to the Columbus, GA area through a strategic partnership with The Money Advisor Group, LLC (“TMAG”). As part of a new growth strategy, we have formed BIP Alliance, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) doing business as BIP Wealth, to identify like-minded, long-established and well-respected firms with which to partner.
TMAG was founded in 2001 by Tim Money with the mission to provide individual and corporate clients with unbiased financial advisory services, including retirement planning and comprehensive wealth management. Bill Harris, Mark Buffington and Tim have known one another for more than 10 years and have long respected each other as friends, colleagues, and now business partners. The partnership between TMAG and BIP strategically unites two firms that share a people-first approach and service ethos to clients and their local communities.
TMAG is an RIA specializing in investment management and retirement planning. Through this strategic acquisition, TMAG clients and new investors in West Central Georgia, East Alabama, and the surrounding region will gain expanded access to BIP’s top-tier wealth management platform, including its private market investment solutions and advanced planning capabilities.
“From the beginning, our focus has been on taking care of our beloved clients and team members,” said Money. “Our longstanding commitment to serving our clients in every way possible has been and continues to be our primary mission, even as we discussed how a partnership with BIP Wealth would take shape. Our earliest discussions made it clear that BIP aligns with our values and priorities.”
“The TMAG acquisition will enable BIP to extend our unique value proposition in partnership with people who share our values,” said Bill Harris, CEO of BIP Wealth. “BIP is thrilled to broaden our reach into the Columbus area and surrounding markets with Tim and his impressive team. They bring a shared commitment to excellence and lifetime service to their clients, and we are happy to welcome them to the BIP family.”
“We have decades of experience connecting our clients – particularly families and individual investors – to the best and most innovative segments of the American Economy. Our unique investment platform enables clients to earn significantly higher risk-adjusted returns through a sophisticated portfolio management and planning process,” said Mark Buffington, CEO of BIP Capital and Co-founder of BIP Wealth. “Simply put, very few investment advisors are capable of delivering the same quality of investment solutions to their clients and we are honored to extend those capabilities to Tim and his team.”
Learn more about BIP Alliance here.
BIP Wealth, one of the Southeast’s premiere wealth management firms, announced the addition of Chase Murray to its Baseball Division as Business Development Officer. Murray, who played professionally in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, joins former Pro Ball Players Kyle Schimdt, CFP®, a former pitcher in the Orioles organization; and John Hester, CFP®, a former MLB catcher and professional scout; in the Baseball Division founded by former Major League Baseball relief pitcher Jim Poole.
BIP Wealth’s Baseball Division has extensive experience in wealth management geared towards the unique challenges and needs of ball players and their families. As a former player himself, Murray knows firsthand what his clients may face on and off the field.
Murray was previously a Global Enterprise Business Development Representative with Salesforce. He’s actively involved with his alma mater’s Alumni Association—Georgia Tech.
“We have a unique opportunity here at BIP Wealth’s Baseball Division to make a real impact in our clients’ lives from draft day to life after baseball,” said Murray. “Going through that transition myself to life off the field, I really enjoy being in a position to assist our current players and their familes as they make sound financial decisions for the future. I love being a resource to our clients, helping them in any way I can.”
“Adding Chase to our team has made an immediate impact,” said Kyle Schmidt, Personal Wealth Advisor, CFP® from the BIP Wealth Baseball Division. “As a fellow Yellow Jacket who played professional baseball, Chase, like few others, has walked this unique career path our clients are walking. He understands the opportunities, challenges, and complexities that come from playing the game we all love so much. We’re so excited to grow our team with the addition of Chase.”
Murray is based in Atlanta, GA, out of BIP’s Alpharetta office. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, including his girlfriend Jenny, and lively boxer puppy Lola. He also enjoys watching sports—especially football—and trying desperately to turn his baseball swing into a decent golf swing. The BIP Wealth Baseball Division serves draft-eligible, current, and retired professional baseball players and their families.
Contact Chase: Chase Murray, BIP Wealth Baseball Division, Business Development Officer
Press Contact: Jenni Brown, Chief Marketing Officer
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Alpharetta, Georgia — The BIP Wealth team is excited to announce the expansion of our Alpharetta office within our current Northwinds III building at 2500 Northwinds Parkway. The move from Suite 150 to Suite 100 nearly doubles our footprint in Alpharetta and marks a significant milestone in our firm’s ongoing growth and commitment to serving our clients and their families.
Comprising nearly 9,000 square feet, our new office space is designed to foster an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation. As the needs of our clients and colleagues evolve, we’re confident this new suite gives us the space to grow and offer support at every step. We are looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead and are grateful to our clients and team for being an integral part of the journey.
At BIP Wealth, we’re engineered to perform for you. This new space provides enhanced facilities, including more state-of-the-art meeting rooms and private offices; a newly designed client lounge; and a forthcoming golf simulator; all with the goal of creating a comfortable and welcoming environment as our team provides personalized support to improve the financial lives of our clients.
We look forward to welcoming you to our new space in 2024.
The BIP Wealth team is excited to announce that we have again been named by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of Atlanta’s Best Places to Work. Other honorees include Cox Enterprises, ParkMobile, Mark Spain Real Estate, and many more. We’re honored to rank in the top 3 for Medium-sized companies for fostering an environment that empowers our employees to grow and develop.
The companies were categorized by their size and nominated by their employees. Extra Large (500+ employees), Large (100-499 employees), Medium (50-99 employees), and Small (10-49 employees) companies were selected by the publication based on a number of factors, including employee engagement.
Last year, our team was honored as one of the top Small companies to work for. Backed by our incredible growth over the past year, we moved up into the Medium companies category. This is a huge deal for our team, to say the least.
“At the heart of every great company lies its people. We’re honored to once again be recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the best places not only to work but truly build a career. Our employees do so much for our clients, and we could not be more proud of the effort they put forth each and every day,” says Bill Harris, CFP®, Co-Founder and CEO of BIP Wealth. “It’s our collaborative spirit that guides our work. We challenge each other to be the best versions of ourselves each and every day and I’m so grateful to our team for always going the extra mile for our clients.”
While in the office, human connection is one of our guiding principles. In the same mindset as our client work, we want our colleagues to feel heard and be successful. To learn more about the award and why our team was recognized, be sure to check out our feature in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Founded in 2007 with offices in Atlanta, Alpharetta, and Nashville, we help our clients improve their financial lives through highly personalized and differentiated planning and investment strategies. Through comprehensive services which include wealth planning and management, estate planning, insurance planning, and more, we help our clients address their current needs and meet their future goals.
The following values guide our approach:
At BIP Wealth, we guide with humility and respect, committing ourselves to serving the needs and best interests of our many clients. It is through servant leadership that we provide holistic wealth management services that are formulated to help our clients fortify their financial well-being.
We leverage a team-centric mindset to foster an environment of open communication, combining our diverse expertise to create optimal financial strategies for our clients. Our collaborative approach also applies to our clients, where we create regular touchpoints to maintain a fully transparent wealth management process.
As part of our commitment to offer industry-leading services, we hold ourselves accountable to a relentless pursuit of excellence. Our team endeavors to not only guide clients through evidence-based investment strategies but also help them unlock opportunities in private equity, venture capital, and private credit that have historically been reserved for just the ultra-wealthy.
Within our team and among our clients, we do our best to foster a sense of belonging. We extend our family-first ethos to everyone who interacts with BIP Wealth, creating a strong and supportive community.
At BIP Wealth, we’re partners you can trust. To meet the experienced team of financial advisors that drive innovation and personal connections, head over to our Who We Are page. You can also contact us to connect with one of our advisors.
BIP Wealth Family,
As many of you know, our very own, Jim Poole, has been suffering from ALS over the last couple of years after being diagnosed in June 2021. It is with a heavy heart to let you know that Jim passed away last night.
His wife Kim was right next to him, holding him in her arms. She said he’s already organized a baseball game in heaven, so I can only imagine all the great players on both sides.
For those of you who didn’t have the pleasure of meeting or knowing Jim, he was one of the original investors in Buckhead Investment Partners, which became what you know today as BIP Wealth. He believed in the vision Mark Buffington and I shared and has continued to support us in so many ways over the years.
Jim came to work at BIP Wealth as a Portfolio Manager 14+ years ago with the idea to create a Baseball Division to reach current and former players like himself and their families. Over that time, he’s grown our Baseball Division to what it is today. Not only has he impacted the 100+ clients in our Baseball Division, but there’s another 150+ clients that showed up for the tailgate event we hosted last year, “ALS Night honoring Jim Poole” at the Georgia Tech baseball game.
His alma mater, Georgia Tech, wrote a beautiful tribute to Jim today on their website. You can read their post by clicking on the link below.
Kim and the rest of the Poole family appreciate all of the prayers and support over the last 2+ years, but we can’t stop now. Please continue to pray for the Poole family. Pray for peace, and pray for impact, as they continue to raise awareness about ALS.
If you would like to make a donation in Jim’s memory, Kim asked that contributions be made to the James R. “Jim” Poole Athletic Scholarship Endowment Fund. No amount is too small.
If you want to donate to ALS research, ALS Cure Project and ALS.org of GA are the two organizations that Jim and Kim were most closely aligned.
One more thing…several of us got to visit Jim in Hospice yesterday, which was great to see him before his passing. When I walked into the room, he was sporting a bright red, white, and blue PHILLIES shirt. As many of you know, Jim was a die-hard Philadelphia Phillies’ fan, so in Jim’s honor, even though it pains me to say, “Go Phillies!”
[The Braves play the Phillies tonight in the playoffs, so this game will have special meaning thinking about Jim.]
Thank you for being a part of our BIP Wealth family,
—Bill Harris, Co-Founder + CEO, BIP Wealth
We’ve also included below a note written by Mark Buffington, CEO of BIP Capital and Managing Partner of BIP Ventures. Both Mark and I were very close to Jim and will continue to think of ways we can honor Jim moving forward…
This morning, I received the sad news that Jim Poole passed away.
For those who don’t know, Jim was one of the first to invest in Bill Harris and me in 2007 when we started Buckhead Investment Partners (now BIP Wealth). He was one of 10 people who believed in our vision and wrote a check to help us get started.
Jim wasn’t just an investor; he was deeply involved in BIP’s success from the outset.
I will miss Jim. I have missed him over the last year as the effects of ALS limited his ability to interact. But I am somewhat comforted by the fact that he is no longer suffering.
To me, Jim Poole will always be royalty at BIP. He took a chance on us and then nurtured our success. We should all try to emulate the example he set.
Godspeed, Jim.
And to the Poole family, my sincerest condolences.
Mark Buffington
CEO, BIP Capital
Managing Partner, BIP Ventures
BIP Wealth has continued our sponsorship of the North Georgia Cycling Association Club (NGCA) for 2022. The NGCA is the premier cycling club in the southeastern U.S., and we are proud to have our logo appear on the back of the new jerseys in a more prominent position. Our clients who ride are likely familiar with the NGCA already. The distinctive black and red kits are a common sight on group rides, and at races, all over Georgia and beyond.
If you are already a member of NGCA, and would like to discuss how BIP Wealth can help you to plan for your financial future, please contact us. BIP Wealth offers comprehensive financial planning and sophisticated investing strategies.
We offer access to both public and private market strategies for families with more than $1 million to invest. You can call Personal Wealth Advisor J.P. Scott at 678-942-6015, or email him at jscott@bipwealth.com for a complimentary analysis of your individual financial circumstances and ambitions. We are Engineered to Perform!
If you become a client we will even pay for your 2022 club membership! Almost everybody knows how to ride a bicycle, but some of us “ride,” if you know what we mean. This free membership is designed for our clients who ride regularly, and expect to participate in some of the well-known charity rides and group cycling events in the region. That usually means at least a few thousand miles per year, though some of our clients are probably riding closer to ten thousand miles per year. Some of our clients race as well, and while membership in the club won’t put you on the NGCA racing team, it does mean that you can race in the NGCA kit and connect with NGCA racers at events to work with the team.
If you are a client who rides, and you’re interested in joining NGCA, then please contact your Personal Wealth Advisor to talk about your free membership and what is included. You can read all about the NGCA at their website North Georgia Cycling Association and on their various social media platforms including their Facebook page NGCA Cycling.
You can become a club member with BIP Wealth covering the full $125 cost, including service fees. Shortly thereafter you will be able to use your membership at the club store to select your free kit, and even add to your closet with lots of other merchandise if you choose. The deadline for ordering a new kit for the upcoming racing season is May 9th.
The cycling community can be a very supportive part of an active lifestyle. BIP Wealth encourages its clients to ride safely at all times so that cycling can be a healthy outdoor (and sometimes indoor) activity. Several of our employees ride, including Eric Cramer, our Chief Investment Officer. Feel free to reach out to him on Strava if you aren’t already linked up.
In April of 2023, BIP Wealth was recognized as one of the Best Financial Advisory Firms of 2023 in an inaugural list created for USA Today by market research firm Statista to help guide consumers to the best wealth management services amid a volatile stock market.
The list was developed as a way to spotlight those doing meaningful work in a daunting economic landscape. Though many types of financial firms offer all kinds of services, USA Today’s list focuses specifically on Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs) to simplify the process of finding what works best for individuals as they navigate the current market. RIAs are firms that have an obligation to put their clients’ best interests first, which fosters a relationship of trust based on the knowledge that is needed in an uncertain economy.
By the end of 2021, there were more than 32,000 RIA firms that were either registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other state agencies, depending on the value of the assets they managed. To narrow down the best financial firms, this list focuses on the growth of their assets under management over the short and long term, and recommendations from clients and peers. The list highlights the Top 500 firms across the U.S.
“BIP Wealth is honored to be recognized for our efforts. Our company values serving our clients best by prioritizing their unique needs and goals, putting them first always. Through creating personalized experiences, we can not only educate but also help clients execute financial strategies that fit their lifestyles,” Bill Harris, Co-Founder and CEO of BIP Wealth said. Our client-first approach is the center of all we do. This recognition only highlights how valuable the trust between us and our clients is, and assures that our efforts to connect with them are accomplishing life-changing financial goals.”
BIP Wealth focuses relentlessly on the science of investing, using a human-centered approach to create and manage wealth for each individual client. From investment management to tax planning to private equities, we design every strategy with the client’s goals in mind. Through this approach, we offer our clients direct, unparalleled access to private investments that have historically been reserved for the ultra-wealthy and the opportunity to be part of something unique.
“We recognize that financial strategies are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Moreover, a fluctuating market only makes it more difficult for clients to trust that their future is in good hands. We aim to create highly-personalized plans that not only feel more secure but also feel more human. We stay optimistic while recognizing points of difficulty that come about in the future, and will continue to evolve our plans to cater to the landscape of the economy as time goes on,” Harris said. “By being recognized as one of 500 top firms in the country, we hope that this continues to build that trust our clients have in us, and foster new connections as well.”
At BIP, our client’s success is our success. With our planning process, our clients can be confident that they are financially prepared for long-term success.
If you’re interested in learning more about our unique approach to personal wealth management or want to take the first step to planning out your financial future, contact our team.
Sep. 21, 2022 — BIP Wealth, one of the Southeast’s premiere wealth management RIA firms, has been named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Best Places to Work” for 2022. The Best Places to Work Awards highlight successful companies that go above and beyond to keep their workforce happy.
Atlanta Business Chronicle’s list recognizes over 100 companies in the Atlanta area for cultivating a great work environment. Companies are ranked by size—Small (10-49 employees), Medium (50-99 employees), Large (100-499 employees), and Extra Large (500+ employees)—and scored based on employee engagement. Other 2022 honorees include Cox Enterprises, Accenture, Brasfield & Gorrie and EY.
“We are honored to be publicly recognized for one of our key values…that BIP Wealth is a great place not just to have a job but to build a career,” said Bill Harris, CFP®, Co-Founder and CEO of BIP Wealth. “The primary driver of our success is the caliber of people on our team. I have always tried to surround myself with a talented team where we can all learn from each other. We like to challenge each other to be the best that we can be. Ultimately, this benefits our clients and the relationships we have with them.”
In addition to being recognized as a great place to work, BIP Wealth has also been named by SmartAssets as the 6th fastest growing Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) Firm in the country for 2022. Of the top 10 firms recognized, BIP Wealth joins just one other firm in the Southeast to make the list.
