New partnership forged to enhance client services with benefit of combined expertise
ALBANY, N.Y.,- BST & Co. CPAs, LLP, one of the Capital Region’s leading accounting and management consulting firms, today announced the formation of a new wealth management division called Affinity BST Advisors. The new entity is a merger between BST Wealth Management, LLC and The Affinity Group, a boutique wealth management firm founded by Gary Sancilio and Nicholas Preddice, that has served clients in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley for two decades.
The new entity is designed to usher in an entrepreneurial approach to financial planning and management by offering clients a comprehensive and holistic suite of services all under one roof. Through this innovative and transformational model, a true client-first experience will be available with access to comprehensive wealth management strategies and services; integrated tax planning for both individuals and businesses; private investments; trust and estate planning; and a full range of complementary financial services.
“We are thrilled to join forces with The Affinity Group to create a new model for financial planning and fill a gap in services needed for our clients who are busy business owners and executives looking for a single source for solutions related to family and business finances,” said Ron Guzior, BST & Co. Managing Partner. “As a result of this merger we will be able to offer our current and future clients a collaborative powerhouse of comprehensive and strategic services and fulfill a need they have been sharing with us.”
Sancilio and Preddice each launched their careers in financial services more than two decades ago. Sancilio initially began his career in law, while Preddice began his in insurance. The pair launched The Affinity Group in 2002 which employs a client-centric approach using a fee-for-service model, rather than fee-for-product, to provide enhanced value to clients.
Through their combined expertise, Affinity BST Advisors is poised to manage and grow the portfolios of high net-worth business owners, high-income executives and family trusts.
“By partnering with a large regional accounting firm like BST & Co., we have instant access to the firm’s resources, people, and technology to allow us to grow and expand our service levels,” said The Affinity Group Co-Founding Partner Gary Sancilio. “We learned in the last 20 years that clients prefer a fee-for-service model where the client engages with us rather than with a financial institution whose motivation is often to sell a series of financial products. The ability to offer an entire suite of wealth and financial services, including accounting, auditing, tax and employee benefit plans, for instance, allows us to approach each client’s financial needs in a much more comprehensive manner.”
“In our early discussions with BST, we discovered we shared a mutual business ethos and culture. Our core philosophies are entrepreneurial, transformational and family-focused,” said The Affinity Group Co-Founding Partner Nick Preddice. “I think the future of the financial industry is moving in a more comprehensive and consultative direction, which is what makes this partnership with BST so timely and productive.”
For more information about Affinity BST Advisors, visit affinitybstadvisors.com.
About BST & Co., LLP
BST & Co. CPAs, LLP is a multi-disciplinary accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in Albany serving the needs of closely held companies, family-owned businesses, not-for-profit and governmental entities, and high-net worth individuals. BST offers a broad portfolio of accounting and auditing, tax, consulting, outsourced accounting, talent strategy and marketing services; as well as valuations, forensic accounting and litigation support.