Tower Bridge Advisors was founded in 2001 with a mission to provide high quality investment advice alongside outstanding client service. We manage equity and fixed income portfolios comprised of individual stocks and bonds. Our clients choose us because of our commitment to investment research, our experience in managing client portfolios and our laser like focus on our clients' needs. Our nine investment professionals each have, on average, more than 25 years' experience researching investment opportunities, and managing portfolios through up as well as down markets.
Our investment process starts with a clear understanding of each client's unique financial situation, and takes into account their tax status and tolerance for risk. Only by understanding these factors can we develop an appropriate investment solution.
Our rigorous investment process results in a customized asset allocation for each client. Each client's portfolio is constructed of 35-40 stocks which represent the best ideas of our investment team, and an appropriate allocation to bonds to achieve the client's requirement for income and stability.
Tower Bridge Advisors manages over $1.8 Billion for individuals and families. We have one focus, and that is to customize portfolios for the benefit of our clients. We have an experienced team that brings great perspective and expertise to every relationship. And we are committed to the highest level of customer service. We are available to meet clients in person or by phone and we are willing to meet as frequently as our clients desire. We also provide a brief market commentary 3 days per week to keep clients up to date on our latest thinking. In addition we offer bi-monthly webinars to provide additional insights into the markets and our thought
process. We also use a sophisticated financial planning tool to help model "what if" scenarios to help us design the best plan for our clients.
Our interests are aligned with yours. We want to help you achieve your goals, and we want you to know that we are looking out for your best interests at all times.
Bob Whalen
Principal
Mr. Whalen's primary responsibility is the management of balanced portfolios. He has over 30 years of bond portfolio
management experience, performs fixed-income research and analysis, and is a member of the firm's Investment
Committee.
Professional Background and Education:
Prior to joining Tower Bridge Advisors in 2006, Mr. Whalen was associated with The Swarthmore Group for six years and
was the portfolio manager for the firm's Balanced Product. For the previous fourteen years, Bob was Senior Vice-
President and the fixed-income portfolio manager for Cypress Capital Management. Prior to that, he was a Portfolio
Manager with the Vanguard Group of Investment Companies, where he was responsible for the management of the Vanguard Municipal Bond Fund.
Mr. Whalen received his B.A. from Villanova University and also holds an M.B.A. from Southern Illinois University. Bob
is a U.S. Air Force veteran, and served a full tour of duty in Vietnam.
Other Interests:
Bob and his wife, Mary Anne, have two sons and live in Bryn Mawr, PA. In his free time, Bob enjoys travel, bicycling, the theater, and is an avid tennis player.
Jim Meyer, CFA®
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Meyer is a founding principal of Tower Bridge Advisors. Jim is the Chief Executive Officer and oversees the strategic direction for the business.
Professional Background and Education:
Prior to joining Tower Bridge, Mr. Meyer was a Senior Vice-President and Director of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC where
he was employed from 1973 until August 2001. In addition to his responsibilities as Head of Research he chaired the
Investment Policy Committee. Mr. Meyer is a past President and Director of the Financial Analysts of Philadelphia. He
has served as a member of AIMR's Financial Accounting Policy Committee and on various task forces of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board.
Mr. Meyer received his B.S. degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his M.B.A. from New
York University.
Other Interests
Jim and his wife, Susan, reside in Rydal, PA. Besides enjoying their four children and six grandchildren, they are avid travelers, golfers and art lovers. He is a Trustee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Jim is a past President of the Golden Slipper Club and Charities, Vice President of the Abramson Center for Jewish Life, where he also chairs the Investment Committee, and Board Member of the Philadelphia Theatre Company.
Nick Filippo
VP Sales and Marketing
Mr. Filippo is a Vice President of Tower Bridge Advisors with responsibility for the firm's sales and marketing activities.
Professional Background and Education:
Mr. Filippo has over 20 years of experience in the financial services business. Prior to joining Tower Bridge Advisors,
he was President of Cipperman Compliance Services, an outsource provider to asset management firms. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Sales and Client Service for Verdis Investment Management, which served high net worth clients
as well as institutional investors. Prior to joining Verdis, Mr. Filippo was a Principal at The Preferred Client Group, an advisory firm serving individual investors. Mr. Filippo spent 9 years before that at SEI Investments in a number of sales and sales management positions. He started in the financial services business as a financial advisor at PaineWebber, working with individual investors. Mr. Filippo received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and his MBA from Northwestern University.
Other Interests:
Nick and his wife Barb live in Villanova with their two daughters. He is a former board member of Philabundance, a not for profit food rescue organization, and the American Screenwriter's Association. He is an avid golfer and also enjoys film, music, travel and art.
Chad Imgrund
Senior Research Analyst
Chad is a research analyst supporting the portfolio management team. Prior to joining Tower Bridge Advisors, Mr. Imgrund spent nine years at Sterling Advisors and Valley Forge Asset Management, one of its predecessor firms. Most recently,
he served as Vice President & Portfolio Manager, supervising the trading department and covering the Energy sector for the firm's Equity Investment Committee.
Mr. Imgrund received a BA degree in Finance from Cedarville University in 2007. He has passed the Level II exam in the CFA program.
Chris Gildea
Senior portfolio manager, Co-CIO
Chris is a portfolio manager and is the Co- Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Gildea has over 20 years of experience in the
investment advisory business. Prior to joining Tower Bridge Advisors, he was portfolio manager of Portsmith Capital Fund, a long/short equity strategy and published independent research for hedge fund managers. In addition, he was a principal and portfolio manager at Merit Investment Management, an advisory firm that served insurance and family office investors. Before joining Merit, Mr. Gildea was an analyst with Gardner Lewis Asset Management, an institutional asset manager.
Mr. Gildea received his B.S. in Economics from Boston College, his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, and his M.B.A. from Purdue University.
Dan Rodan
Senior portfolio manager
Dan is a portfolio manager and sits on the firm's investment committee. Mr. Rodan has a diverse background with experience in operations, portfolio management and client service in the investment advisory business. Prior to joining Tower Bridge, Mr. Rodan spent 14 years with Sterling Advisors and Valley Forge Asset Management, a predecessor firm.
Most recently Mr. Rodan was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager serving on Sterling's investment committees including the Macro, Fixed Income, Core Equity and Value Equity committees where he specialized in health care.
Mr. Rodan received a BA in finance from Virginia Tech.
Chris Crooks
Senior Portfolio Manager, Co- CIO
Mr. Crooks has over 25 years of experience in the investment advisory and asset management business. Prior to joining Tower Bridge Advisors, he was a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. In addition, he was a portfolio manager for ten years at AlphaOne Capital Partners, LLC., an investment management firm serving institutions and high net worth investors. Before joining AlphaOne, Mr. Crooks was a portfolio manager with Oppenheimer Funds., an institutional asset manager in New York and Boston. Mr. Crooks also spent 7 years at Janney Montgomery Scott, and spent two year at Commerce Bank (now TD Bank) helping them build a capital markets division. He was recognized in the Wall Street Journal's All Star Analyst Survey in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000.
Mr. Crooks received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University, and his M.B.A. from Villanova University. Mr. Crooks is a Chartered Financial Analyst® and a Certified Financial Professional®.
Mike Adams
Senior Portfolio Manager
Mr. Adams has over 36 years of experience in the investment advisory and asset management business. Before joining Tower Bridge Advisors, he was a Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager at Sterling Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BB&T Securities and its predecessor company, Stratton Management Company. Prior to that, he was a portfolio manager at CoreStates Investments Advisors, head of trust investments at Bucks County (PA) Bank and worked with employee benefit plans at Mellon Bank, formerly Girard Bank in Philadelphia. All told, Mr. Adams has worked with Trusts and Investments for over 46 years.
Mr. Adams received his B.S. in Finance and his MBA from LaSalle University.
General Information |
| Firm Start Year: | 2001 | |
| No. of Employees: | 10-19 | |
| Work Experience: | Our team of 8 investment professionals have, on average, over 25 years experience analyzing investment opportunities and building customized portfolios based on client needs. |
| Work with the following types of clients: | Non-Profit Organizations, Individual Investors, Businesses, Investment Clubs |
| Advisory Services Provided: | Money Management, Wealth Management, 401K Rollovers, Retirement Planning, Portfolio Management, Risk Management, Investment Advice & Management, Financial Advice & Consulting, Education Funding and Planning, Financial Planning for Individuals, Financial Planning |
Services |
| Investment Types: | Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Bonds, Stocks, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) |
| Can meet clients in the following ways: | Your Home, Phone, Email, Your Office, Our Office, Video Conference, Our Offices |
Firm Information |
| Firm's Number of Clients: | 570 |
| Assets Managed by Firm: | $1,800,000,000 |
Compensation and Fees |
| Fee Structure: | Fee-Only |
| Minimum Portfolio Size for New Managed Accounts: | $1,000,000 |
Financial Services |
| Portfolio Management
We provide investment management services to clients with $1 Million or more of investable assets. Our team of experienced professionals build customized portfolios of individual stocks and bonds. We do this by first understanding each client's needs for growth and income, their risk tolerance, and their tax situation. |
| Financial Advice & Consulting
We provide extensive financial advice and consult with our clients on a variety of topics effecting their financial well being. We do this as a part of our service and there is no additional fee beyond our investment management fees. |
| Financial Planning for Individuals
We utilize a sophisticated financial planning tool to build "what if" scenarios, to help us build a custom plan that makes sense for each client. This also enables us to show clients where they are on the path to reaching their goals. |
| Retirement Planning
We help clients plan for retirement, by analyzing their current financial situation, then using our financial planning software to build various scenarios around future earnings and spending to see what investment plan best helps them to reach their goals within their risk tolerance. |
| 401K Rollovers
We help clients roll their 401(k) assets into a rollover IRA, that we then manage to meet their risk tolerance, and their specific needs for income and growth. |
| Tax Advice and Services
We manage individual securities in our portfolios, which allows us to manage each client's tax liabilities. We typically work in concert with each client's tax advisor to make sure we are maximizing their after tax retruns. Remember, it's not what you MAKE, it's what you KEEP. |
| Education Funding and Planning
We help clients plan for children and/or grandchildren's education by utilizing our planning software to understand future costs, and the best way to fund the education- whether that be a 529 plan, gifting appreciated stock, or setting up an account for the child or grandchild. There are many choices, we aim to find the best solution for each client. |
| Investment Advice & Management
We manage individual portfolios of stock and investment grade bonds customized for each client. We provide advice around a number of financial issues effecting the health and well being of each client. |
| Risk Management
We manage risk in each client portfolio by buying high quality stocks that have shown the ability to grow their business and have strong balance sheets. We also buy high quality, investment grade bonds to provide some level of income and to dampen overall volatility of the portfolio. |
| Wealth Management
We manage client portfolios of individual stocks and bonds, developing an asset allocation that meets the risk profile of each client, and matches their needs for income and growth. True wealth is built over time through appropriate asset allocation and exposure to equities through up and down markets. We help clients define their goals, and then build a plan to reach those goals. |
| Money Management
We build customized portfolios of individual stocks and bonds that meet each client's risk tolerance and their needs for growth and income. We work with clients to assess their risk tolerance and their needs, then construct a customized portfolio that meets their needs. |
FAQs |
Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?We are committed to the highest levels of customer service. Our advisory agreement allows clients to cancel the agreement at any time and we will rebate any unearned fees up to the time of cancellation |
What services do you provide? What are your specialties?We build customized investment portfolios of individual stocks and bonds for each client. Our team of investment professionals each have, on average, over 25 years' experience analyzing investment opportunities and building client portfolios. We also help clients with all manner of financial issues, whether it is reviewing an estate plan, advising on philanthropic giving or planning for college. |
What is your experience? How many clients do you currently manage?The firm has been around since 2001, but our investment team has, on average, over 25 years' experience in the investment business. We currently manage over $1.8 Billion for approximately 570 clients. |
What financial institution(s) do you represent?We are an independent, employee owned firm. As such, we have no conflicts of interest, and our main focus is to do what is in the best interest of each client. |
Disclosures |
|
WiserAdvisor provides referrals to financial professionals. WiserAdvisor is not a current client of advisor or advisory services. Financial professionals pay cash compensation for these referrals, which creates the incentive for WiserAdvisor to make these referrals, resulting in a conflict of interest. |
|
Additional Detailed Disclosures |
Registered Investment Advisor:
Yes
Acknowledged fiduciary:
Yes
Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years:
Have a clean record
Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years:
Have a clean record
| Mon. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tue. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wed. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thu. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Fri. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Abington | Ambler |
| Ardmore | Aston |
| Audubon | Bala Cynwyd |
| Barrington | Bellmawr |
| Bensalem | Berwyn |
| Beverly | Birchrunville |
| Blackwood | Blue Bell |
| Bridgeport | Bristol |
| Brookhaven | Broomall |
| Bryn Athyn | Bryn Mawr |
| Burlington | Camden |
| Chadds Ford | Chalfont |
| Cheltenham | Cherry Hill |
| Chester | Chester Springs |
| Cheyney | Clarksboro |
| Claymont | Clementon |
| Clifton Heights | Collegeville |
| Collingswood | Colmar |
| Croydon | Crum Lynne |
| Darby | Devon |
| Downingtown | Doylestown |
| Drexel Hill | Dublin |
| Elkins Park | Essington |
| Exton | Fairless Hills |
| Feasterville Trevose | Flourtown |
| Folcroft | Folsom |
| Fort Washington | Fountainville |
| Frederick | Furlong |
| Gibbsboro | Gibbstown |
| Gilbertsville | Glen Mills |
| Glendora | Glenmoore |
| Glenolden | Glenside |
| Gloucester City | Green Lane |
| Grenloch | Gwynedd |
| Gwynedd Valley | Haddon Heights |
| Haddonfield | Hainesport |
| Harleysville | Hatboro |
| Hatfield | Haverford |
| Hilltown | Holmes |
| Horsham | Huntingdon Valley |
| Immaculata | Jamison |
| Jenkintown | King Of Prussia |
| Langhorne | Lansdale |
| Lansdowne | Lawnside |
| Levittown | Line Lexington |
| Magnolia | Malvern |
| Mantua | Maple Shade |
| Marcus Hook | Media |
| Merchantville | Merion Station |
| Mickleton | Mont Clare |
| Montgomeryville | Moorestown |
| Morton | Mount Ephraim |
| Mount Laurel | Mount Royal |
| Narberth | National Park |
| New Berlinville | New Hope |
| Newtown | Newtown Square |
| Norristown | North Wales |
| Norwood | Oaklyn |
| Oreland | Palmyra |
| Paoli | Parker Ford |
| Paulsboro | Pedricktown |
| Pennsauken | Pennsburg |
| Perkasie | Perkiomenville |
| Philadelphia | Phoenixville |
| Pitman | Pottstown |
| Prospect Park | Rancocas |
| Red Hill | Richboro |
| Ridley Park | Riverside |
| Riverton | Rockland |
| Royersford | Runnemede |
| Sassamansville | Schwenksville |
| Sellersville | Sewell |
| Sharon Hill | Silverdale |
| Skippack | Somerdale |
| Souderton | Southampton |
| Spring City | Spring Mount |
| Springfield | Stratford |
| Swarthmore | Swedesboro |
| Telford | Thorndale |
| Thornton | Thorofare |
| Trumbauersville | Upper Darby |
| Villanova | Voorhees |
| Wallingford | Warminster |
| Warrington | Wayne |
| Wenonah | West Chester |
| Westville | Willingboro |
| Willow Grove | Wilmington |
| Woodbury | Woodbury Heights |
| Woodlyn | Wycombe |
| Wyncote | Wynnewood |
| Zieglerville, Gladwyne | |
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