Hightower has acquired GMS Surgent, a suburban Philadelphia-based tax and advisory firm, expanding its services to include tax advice for high-net-worth and business clients, the Chicago-based wealth management firm announced today.
GMS Surgent, which has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hightower, provides high-net-worth and business clients with tax advice and advisory services, including accounting, tax preparation and other tax and wealth planning capabilities.
“We are thrilled to welcome GMS Surgent into the Hightower community, enabling us to provide advisors with a vetted resource to deliver comprehensive tax services to clients via a seamless experience,” Hightower Chairman and CEO Bob Oros said in a statement. “At Hightower, we actively foster a collaborative environment where holistic wealth is our foremost mission, and this alliance empowers advisors to focus on their core services and strengthen relationships with clients.”
Led by Managing Partners Brian Gallagher, Jack Surgent and Lauren Adamski, GMS Surgent was established in 1992 and now has a team of about 30 employees.
“As we work closely with Hightower, we are excited to have the opportunity to enhance the client experience with our knowledge of tax planning and business consulting,” Gallagher said in a statement.
The investment is the latest deal for Hightower’s Wealth Solutions platform. The GMS Surgent team will add to the suite of tools Hightower already offers, which include trust services, estate planning, insurance placement, business owner services and more, Hightower said. The GMS Surgent transaction closed June 30.