Press Releases
Stoker Ostler Wealth Advisors Elects Three New Partners
April Ward, Michael Bolar and Michael Halls Promoted to Executive Management Positions
MESA, Ariz. (May 1, 2007)… Phil Stoker and Creg Ostler, managing partners of Stoker Ostler Wealth Advisors, are pleased to announce the appointment of three new partners: April Ward, senior financial advisor, Michael Bolar, senior portfolio manager, and Michael Halls, principal of the Salt Lake City office.
“Each of these individuals has enhanced our firm greatly over the last few years, and each has received outstanding reviews from clients and the financial community,” said Ostler. “It was appropriate to reward them for their excellent performance and loyal service.”
Background on New Partners
Ward, a Phoenix resident, joined Stoker Ostler (formerly Private Wealth Management) in 2004. As senior financial advisor, she works with high net-worth individuals to strategize solutions to reach each client’s financial goals, incorporating the unique needs and circumstances of each client while considering tax consequences, estate planning circumstances and investment objectives. Ward began her career in the financial arena in 1988 and has worked for several large, national financial institutions in financial consulting and estate planning.
Ward is Cannon certified in Investment Management and Personal Trust Services. In addition, she is a member of the Central Arizona Estate Planning Council and is currently a candidate for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification.
Ward received her bachelor’s degree in business communications from Arizona State University and her MBA from the University of Phoenix. She has volunteered with the American Cancer Society, St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School and the Arizona Foundation for Women.
Bolar assists clients in identifying financial goals and establishing investment strategies, as senior portfolio manager. The Scottsdale resident offers a depth of experience in trusts, endowments, pensions, mutual funds and institutional investing. He is a member of the firm’s investment committee, which sets investment policies and portfolio strategies for the firm.
Bolar joined Stoker Ostler in 2003 with nearly two decades of experience, including as a team member responsible for the management of an equity mutual fund with more than $1 billion in assets.
Bolar has a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®). He is a current member and past president of the Phoenix Society of Financial Analysts and is a member of the CFA Institute. Mike also served as board member for the City of Phoenix Deferred Compensation Plan Trust. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Wichita State University.
Bolar is an avid hiker and has led groups into the Grand Canyon. He has also served on the Valley Youth Theater board, is the finance chair for his church and helped build a school in Guatemala.
Halls is the partner in charge of Stoker Ostler’s Salt Lake City office. He works closely with clients to identify individual financial goals and develop a portfolio strategy that will achieve those goals. Halls offers a depth of experience in financial planning and money management, with sensitivity to income and liquidity needs, tax consequences and risk tolerance for every client.
Halls is a member of the firm’s investment committee, which sets investment policies and portfolio strategies. He joined Stoker Ostler in 2000 after spending several years as an analyst and manager in the financial services industry.
Halls is a current member of the Financial Planners Association (FPA) and the CFA Institute. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Brigham Young University He earned his MBA from Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of Business. .
Halls is involved in Boy Scouts and coaches youth baseball and basketball teams. He enjoys all types of outdoor activities including camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, softball, tennis, water skiing and boating.
Evolution After Serving Valley for 10 Years
In addition to the election of three new partners, Stoker Ostler Wealth recently changed its name from Private Wealth Management.
“The decision to change the firm name was a difficult one,” said Stoker. “When we started the firm, we had purposely chosen a name that said what we did, rather than focusing on us. While we like the name and our clients do as well, there are a number of firms in the country with similar names and it has led to some confusion as we have grown. After much deliberation and research, we have decided to follow the longstanding tradition among personal service firms, such as law firms, accounting firms and investment firms, of using our names as the founders.”
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Stoker Ostler has also revamped its logo and marketing materials, is in the process of launching a new Web site and is planning to move its headquarters from Mesa to Scottsdale this summer.
For more information, visit www.StokerOstler.com or call (480) 890-8088. Please contact Andrea Aker, of WalshCOMM, with all media inquires: aaker@walshcomm.com, (602) 957-9779.
About Stoker Ostler Wealth Advisors
Founded in 1997, Stoker Ostler Wealth Advisors, formerly Private Wealth Management, is a fee-only wealth management firm that specializes in managing investments and providing financial planning for private individuals and families, small-to-medium sized institutions and non-profit organizations with investment assets greater than $500,000. In addition, the firm provides reporting, periodic rebalancing and active tax management services for its clients.
As of May 2007, Stoker Ostler manages more than $710,000,000 in total assets. Additional areas of expertise include: retirement planning, 401(k)/IRA distribution and issues related to the death of a spouse, divorce, inheritance and stock options.
The firm’s founders, Philip Stoker and Creg Ostler, have more than 50 years of combined experience in wealth management. Stoker Ostler is employee-owned, allowing the company to steer clear of conflicts of interest that can arise when wealth managers are aligned with a product-based financial service company. Stoker Ostler’s independence, combined with the long-standing relationships cultivated with other financial professionals, allows the firm to provide successful, unbiased financial guidance, based solely on the needs and expectations of each client.
In addition to the name change, Stoker Ostler has revamped its logo and marketing materials, is in the process of launching a new Web site and is planning to move its headquarters from Mesa to Scottsdale this summer.
Stoker Ostler is headquartered in Mesa, Ariz. For more information, call (480) 890-8088 or visit www.StokerOstler.com.