Caldwell Trust Company

What Caldwell Trust Company does

Caldwell Trust Company is a privately held, Florida-chartered independent trust company founded in November 1993 by Roland G. Caldwell in Venice, Florida. The firm operates through three Florida offices—Venice (headquarters, since 1993), Sarasota (opened 2022), and Vero Beach (expanded 2025)—and serves clients nationwide, with a primary focus on high-net-worth individuals, families, businesses, and charitable foundations in Florida. Its core offerings span three integrated service lines: Investment Management (tailored portfolio management), Trusts & Estates (trustee, co-trustee, personal representative, estate administration, family governance, philanthropy), and Retirement Planning (IRAs, 401(k), 403(b), and Cash Balance Plans). Leadership is held by the Caldwell family: founder Roland G. Caldwell (1932–2023) was succeeded in 2007 by his son R.G. "Kelly" Caldwell Jr. as President, CEO, and Chairman.

The company generates revenue primarily through recurring, AUM-based management fees on fiduciary and investment management mandates, supplemented by fees for retirement plan administration and trust services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but is described as fee-based with no commissions, kickbacks, or product affiliations—emphasis is placed on conflict-free fiduciary advice. Caldwell Trust Company manages in excess of $1.5 billion in assets under management per its corporate About page, with CEO-attributed references citing over $2 billion in AUM, a more than fivefold increase from approximately $400 million at the start of Kelly Caldwell's tenure as CEO. Underlying technology is proprietary but described as standard for the industry: a secure client portal for account access and internal portfolio management systems supporting trust administration and financial planning. No public APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Go-to-market is relationship-led, relying on direct in-office consultations, attorney and CPA referral networks, community involvement, and content marketing (blog, quarterly newsletter, monthly market commentary).

The firm employs 11–50 staff, including trust officers and portfolio managers holding CTFA, CFA, CFP, and CPFA designations, with several senior executives recruited from larger institutions such as Northern Trust, BMO Harris Bank, Bank of America Private Bank, and SunTrust. Caldwell Trust Company is independently owned, has no parent company, and reports no external equity, debt, or venture funding. Award recognition includes the Venice Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year (2014) and the Florida Bankers Association Trust Banker of the Year (2025) awarded to CEO Kelly Caldwell.

Name

Caldwell Trust Company

Legal name

Caldwell Trust Company

Website

https://ctrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caldwell Trust Company is an independent, Florida-chartered trust company founded in 1993, providing fiduciary, investment management, estate planning, and retirement services to high-net-worth individuals, families, businesses, and foundations across Florida, with over $1.5 billion in assets under management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management and Trust Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Trust Services (Trustee, Agent & Escrow Roles) (FSAEAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Institutional Trust Services (FSAAANAB), Estate Planning, Trust Structuring & Governance (FSAAADAF)

Keywords

• Trust and estate services
• Investment management services
• Retirement plan administration
• Fiduciary wealth management
• Independent trust company

Headquarters

HQ city

Venice

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fiduciary and Trust Services: Caldwell Trust Company generates revenue through fiduciary services including serving as trustee, co-trustee, and personal representative for client trusts and estates. Revenue is derived from fees based on assets under management and scope of services provided.
2. Investment Management Fees: The company provides investment advisory services charging fees based on assets under management. Portfolios are tailored to each client's investment goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.
3. Retirement Plan Services: Caldwell manages 401(k) and 403(b) qualified retirement plans for employers, providing administration and management services for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caldwell Trust Company is an independent, Florida-chartered trust company that delivers personalized trust administration, investment management, and retirement plan services. The firm serves as trustee, co-trustee, and personal representative for client trusts and estates, manages investment portfolios tailored to individual goals, and administers 401(k), 403(b), and cash balance retirement plans for both individuals and employer clients.

Product overview

Caldwell Trust Company offers a unified wealth management platform providing personalized, traditional, and independent trust and fiduciary services. The core offering consists of three integrated service lines: Investment Management (tailored portfolio management), Trusts & Estates (comprehensive trust administration and estate planning), and Retirement Planning (individual and employer retirement plans including IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and Cash Balance Plans). These services are delivered through a network of offices in Venice (headquarters), Sarasota, and Vero Beach, Florida, with over $1.5 billion in assets under management. The company acts as trustee, co-trustee, personal representative, and investment advisor, emphasizing conflict-free advice with no commissions or product affiliations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Management

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew assets under management from approximately $400 million to over $2 billion
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vero Beach Chamber of CommerceminorOthers · 1 January 2025Caldwell Trust Company expanded to Vero Beach in 2025 and maintains active membership and engagement with the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce as part of community integration.
• Florida Bankers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Caldwell Trust Company maintains active involvement with the Florida Bankers Association, with CEO Kelly Caldwell serving on the Trust Executive Committee boards. The FBA recognized Kelly Caldwell as Trust Banker of the Year in 2025.
• Community Organizations (Tidewell Hospice, Boys & Girls Clubs, All Faiths Food Bank, etc.)minorOthersCaldwell Cares program supports numerous community organizations including Tidewell Hospice, Boys & Girls Clubs, All Faiths Food Bank, Argus Foundation, and many others. The company has increased community contributions by 490% since 2000.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wilmington Trust (M&T Bank): Established trust and wealth management franchise now part of M&T Bank, serving HNW clients with similar fiduciary services. Comparable service offering but operates as part of a larger commercial bank with broader product suite.
• Northern Trust: Major wealth management and trust bank serving HNW individuals and institutions globally. Comparable services at vastly greater scale; Caldwell has hired multiple former Northern Trust officers, illustrating direct talent and capability overlap.
• First Republic Private Wealth Management (now JPMorgan): Private wealth management business serving HNW individuals, now part of JPMorgan. Comparable HNW client focus and personal service model, though now embedded within a national bank after the 2023 acquisition.
• Bank of America Private Bank: Large private bank offering trust, estate, and investment management services to HNW clients. Comparable offering but embedded within a national retail/commercial bank; Caldwell's value proposition is explicitly positioned against this model.

Direct peers

• Bessemer Trust: Independent, family-owned trust and wealth management company serving ultra-HNW multigenerational families. Highly comparable to Caldwell's independent fiduciary model, though at materially larger scale (~$150B AUM) and broader geographic footprint.
• Laird Norton Wealth Management: Private, family-owned wealth management and trust company serving HNW families across multiple generations. Closely mirrors Caldwell's independent, multi-generational client focus and family-controlled ownership structure.
• Glenmede: Independent trust company serving HNW families, endowments, and foundations with investment management and trust services. Closely matches Caldwell's conflict-free, no-commission positioning and family-office service model.
• Fiduciary Trust International: Private, independent wealth management and trust services firm focused on HNW individuals and families. Directly comparable to Caldwell in service mix, client profile, and independent ownership model.
• CIBC Private Wealth (formerly Atlantic Trust): Private wealth and trust firm serving HNW families with investment management, trust, and estate services. Comparable target client and service offering with independent-style positioning within a larger parent.

Regional players

• BMO Wealth Management (formerly Harris): Provides trust and wealth management services in Florida and across the U.S. Comparable service line and Florida presence; Caldwell has hired multiple former BMO/Harris trust officers, signaling direct talent and competitive overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CaldwellTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/caldwelltrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caldwell-trust-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caldwell Trust Company