Balentine buys Valuation Growth Advisory to expand business advisory

Balentine said Tuesday it acquired Alpharetta-based Valuation Growth Advisory in an all-stock deal, bringing founder Tom Matthesen in as head of business advisory. The move deepens Balentine’s push to pair wealth management with hands-on advice for entrepreneurs and family businesses.

Why it matters: - Balentine is broadening beyond traditional wealth management to cover the business decisions that often shape an entrepreneur’s total net worth. - The deal ties business advisory, investment management, private capital and family stewardship into one platform for owners and multigenerational families. - VGA clients keep the same advisors while gaining access to a larger team and more services.

What happened: - Balentine acquired Valuation Growth Advisory, an Alpharetta, Georgia-based advisory firm founded by entrepreneur and financial strategist Tom Matthesen. - The transaction was an all-stock deal. - Matthesen will join Balentine as head of business advisory within the firm’s Family Office Solutions group. - Mark Bell leads Balentine’s Family Office Solutions group as chief strategy officer. - Balentine has more than $9 billion in assets under advisement and serves families and business owners.

The details: - Matthesen brings more than 30 years of experience helping middle-market companies improve performance, optimize capital structures, handle complex financing, strengthen leadership teams, prepare for succession and maximize value. - Matthesen’s background includes corporate lending, turnaround management, debt and equity advisory, executive leadership and entrepreneurship. - He founded and exited a specialty finance company. - Matthesen later served as CEO of Presidential Financial Corporation, where he led a turnaround and sale to MidFirst Bank. - Before founding VGA, Matthesen was president of Thrive Farmers and helped lead growth at a company serving brands including Chick-fil-A and Delta Air Lines. - Balentine said the acquisition fits its long-term plan to build a differentiated family office platform for entrepreneurs and multigenerational families. - The firm said the addition strengthens its ability to advise clients whose businesses are often their largest asset, biggest source of wealth creation and most enduring legacy. - Balentine has offices in Atlanta and Raleigh, North Carolina. - Balentine says it advises on approximately $9 billion of client assets. - Balentine has been recognized by Forbes, Barron’s, The Financial Times and Investment News. - Balentine is a perennial winner of the Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management Award. - Balentine’s book, First Generation Wealth: Three Guiding Principles for Long-lasting Wealth and an Enduring Family Legacy, was released in September 2021 by Chairman Robert Balentine and CEO Adrian Cronje. - Balentine is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. - Balentine says registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. - More information is available in Balentine’s Form ADV Part 2 here.

Between the lines: - The deal reflects a wider wealth-management trend: firms are trying to own more of the advice around ownership, succession and liquidity, not just portfolio management. - Matthesen’s operating background suggests Balentine wants more hands-on support for founders who are deciding when to grow, borrow, sell or transition a business. - For Balentine, the acquisition adds credibility in the family office market, where trust and continuity matter as much as investment performance.

What’s next: - Matthesen is expected to help expand Balentine’s business advisory offering inside Family Office Solutions. - Balentine will continue positioning the combined platform around entrepreneurs, family businesses and legacy planning. - VGA clients will transition to a broader advisory bench while maintaining access to familiar relationships.

The bottom line: - Balentine is buying more than a firm; it is adding operating expertise to deepen its pitch to business owners who want one advisor for both their company and their wealth.