RVK
RVK is a fully independent, employee-owned institutional investment consulting firm advising approximately 200 clients with $4+ trillion in assets under advisement, providing non-discretionary investment consulting to corporate and public retirement systems, Taft-Hartley funds, nonprofits, operating funds, and high-net-worth clients across four U.S. offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What RVK does
RVK, Inc. is a fully independent, employee-owned institutional investment consulting firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1985. The firm provides non-discretionary investment consulting services to approximately 200 institutional clients with over $4 trillion in aggregate assets under advisement, including corporate and public retirement systems, Taft-Hartley funds, nonprofit organizations and endowments, operating funds, and high-net-worth individuals and families. RVK operates as a co-fiduciary with clients, delivering strategic advice on asset allocation, investment manager research and due diligence, investment policy development, performance reporting, OCIO search and evaluation, ESG and sustainable investing, and defined benefit and defined contribution plan solutions. The firm generates 100% of its revenue from direct client consulting fees, has no proprietary asset management products, receives no commissions or soft-dollar payments from managers or vendors, and has grown entirely organically over four decades without mergers or acquisitions.
RVK's technology stack is built around proprietary internal tools rather than off-the-shelf platforms. Core assets include RADAR, a web-based survey tool used to collect and maintain alternative asset class manager information; a SQL-based performance monitoring and reporting system for alternative asset portfolios that captures nearly 100 data points per investment quarterly; a proprietary OCIO Provider Database covering more than 70 OCIO providers; and actuarial and Monte Carlo simulation modeling used in asset/liability studies. The firm distributes research through publications such as the Capital Markets Review, RVK Insights, the semi-annual Public Fund Universe Analysis covering 60+ public pension and permanent funds, and the OCIO Insights series, supported by a podcast channel and active LinkedIn presence.
The firm operates nationally from offices in Portland (headquarters), Boise, Chicago, and New York, with a new Denver presence established in 2025 via a senior consultant hire. Revenue is generated through negotiated, multi-year fee-for-service engagements with institutional clients, including inclusive fees for OCIO Search projects and ongoing retainer fees for monitoring and reporting. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is tailored to client scope, assets under advisement, and complexity. The firm was ranked 5th largest consultant worldwide by Pensions & Investments' 2023 Special Report and has received the Coalition Greenwich Quality Leader award in the U.S. large consultants category for six consecutive years.
RVK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RVK
- Legal name
- RVK, Inc.
- Website
- http://rvkinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- RVK is a fully independent, employee-owned institutional investment consulting firm advising approximately 200 clients with $4+ trillion in assets under advisement, providing non-discretionary investment consulting to corporate and public retirement systems, Taft-Hartley funds, nonprofits, operating funds, and high-net-worth clients across four U.S. offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RVK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Institutional Investment Consulting
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE)
Keywords
Where RVK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
RVK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Institutional Investment Consulting Fees: RVK generates 100% of its revenues from direct consulting fees paid by its institutional clients in return for investment consulting services rendered. The firm is a non-discretionary advisor and does not receive commissions, fees, or rebates from investment managers, OCIO providers, or other operational vendors. RVK charges a single inclusive fee for OCIO Search services and ongoing fees for Monitoring and Reporting services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Institutional Consulting – Fee-for-Service |
| Other | Multi-year contract | OCIO Search Services – Inclusive Fee plus Monitoring |
| Other | Annual | High Net Worth Clients – Fee-for-Service |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
RVK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RVK is a non-discretionary institutional investment consulting firm that provides strategic investment advice, asset allocation studies, investment manager research and due diligence, performance reporting, fiduciary advisory, OCIO search and evaluation, and ESG services. The firm serves as co-fiduciary to approximately 200 institutional clients, including corporate and public retirement systems, Taft-Hartley funds, nonprofit endowments/foundations, operating funds, and high-net-worth individuals/families. RVK generates 100% of revenue from direct client-paid consulting fees and does not manage proprietary investment products.
Product overview
RVK provides investment consulting services organized as a comprehensive suite of offerings rather than a unified software platform. The core service portfolio includes strategic consulting capabilities such as Asset Allocation, Investment Manager Research, Performance Reporting, and ESG Services, alongside specialized practices like the Defined Benefit Solutions Group, OCIO Search Services, and the Defined Contribution Solutions Group. RVK also offers a proprietary Manager Research Survey Tool called RADAR for alternative asset class data collection. These services are delivered through a team-centered approach by consulting professionals with expertise across traditional and alternative asset classes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OCIO Evaluation and Monitoring Practice: RVK's Outsourced CIO search, evaluation, and monitoring services practice established in 2012, having conducted over 65 search, evaluation, and monitoring projects.
- Sustainable Investment Solutions Group (SISG)
- Defined Benefit Solutions Group (DBSG)
- Defined Contribution Solutions Group
- RADAR
Products and services
- Asset Allocation Studies
- Asset/Liability Study
- Investment Manager Research and Due Diligence
- OCIO Search, Evaluation, and Monitoring Services
- Defined Benefit Solutions Group (DBSG)
- Defined Contribution Solutions Group
- ESG / Sustainable Investment Solutions Group (SISG)
- Investment Policy Development
- Performance Reporting
- Alternative Assets Reporting
- High Net Worth Investment Consulting
- Custody Evaluation
- Investment Program Review
- Manager Structure Analysis
- Directed Consulting Services
- Client Education and Investment Perspectives
- Public Fund Universe Analysis
- RADAR Manager Research Survey Tool
Quantifiable outcome
- $4+ trillion in assets under advisement across approximately 200 institutional clients
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use RVK
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
RVK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
RVK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RVK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mercer: Mercer is one of the largest global investment consulting firms, offering asset allocation, manager research, and OCIO services to institutional clients including pensions, endowments, and foundations. It directly competes with RVK in the U.S. institutional consulting market and shares several employees' prior affiliations (Tony Johnson and Dale Connors both worked at Mercer before joining RVK).
- Aon (Hewitt Investment Consulting): Aon plc's investment consulting practice (built around the Hewitt EnnisKnupp acquisition) provides institutional investment advisory, OCIO, and actuarial services to corporate and public pensions. It is one of the largest competitors in the U.S. investment consulting market and a natural benchmark for RVK's mid-large institutional segment.
- Wilshire Associates: Wilshire is a global investment consulting and technology firm serving corporate plans, public funds, endowments, and foundations with asset allocation, manager research, and OCIO services. Co-listed with RVK among leading infrastructure allocators, Wilshire is one of the closest direct comparables in scale and client mix.
- Meketa Investment Group: Meketa is an employee-owned institutional investment consulting firm serving public funds, corporate plans, endowments, and foundations. Its independent, conflict-free model and mid-large institutional focus closely mirror RVK's positioning, making it one of the most directly comparable peers.
- Marquette Associates: Marquette is an independent, employee-owned investment consulting firm serving public pensions, corporate plans, endowments, and foundations. Like RVK, it emphasizes a non-discretionary, conflict-free model and serves a comparable institutional client base, placing it in the same competitive tier.
- Cambridge Associates: Cambridge Associates provides investment consulting and OCIO services primarily to endowments, foundations, and private clients, with deep expertise in private markets. RVK competes with Cambridge for nonprofit and endowment mandates and is frequently benchmarked alongside it in industry rankings.
- Verus: Verus is an independent investment consulting firm serving institutional clients including public funds, corporate plans, and foundations. Its mid-sized, conflict-free structure and Pacific Northwest roots make it a near-direct comparable to RVK in scale and service mix.
- CAPTRUST: CAPTRUST is a large independent investment advisory firm providing retirement plan consulting and wealth management, including defined contribution advisory. It competes with RVK in the institutional/retirement plan consulting segment, particularly in the corporate plan space.
- NEPC: NEPC is an independent, employee-owned investment consulting firm advising public pensions, corporate plans, endowments, and healthcare organizations. Its structure, client mix, and consulting-first model closely parallel RVK's positioning.
- Aksia: Aksia is an independent investment consulting firm specializing in alternative investments for institutional investors, including pensions and endowments. RVK's alternative markets practice (under Steve Hahn) competes directly with Aksia for alternative-asset manager research and OCIO mandates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RVK social profiles
Digital presenceRVK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RVK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
RVK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RVK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RVK
What does RVK do?
RVK is a non-discretionary institutional investment consulting firm that provides strategic investment advice, asset allocation studies, investment manager research and due diligence, performance reporting, fiduciary advisory, OCIO search and evaluation, and ESG services. The firm serves as co-fiduciary to approximately 200 institutional clients, including corporate and public retirement systems, Taft-Hartley funds, nonprofit endowments/foundations, operating funds, and high-net-worth individuals/families. RVK generates 100% of revenue from direct client-paid consulting fees and does not manage proprietary investment products.
Is RVK a public or private company?
RVK is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was RVK founded?
RVK was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is RVK based?
RVK is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does RVK make money?
One revenue line is on record: institutional Investment Consulting Fees.
Who are RVK's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mercer, Aon (Hewitt Investment Consulting), Wilshire Associates, Meketa Investment Group, Marquette Associates, Cambridge Associates, Verus, CAPTRUST, NEPC and Aksia.
Does RVK have an API?
No public API is recorded for RVK.
What industry is RVK in?
RVK's product category is Institutional Investment Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAABAD, Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary), with a secondary code of FSAEABAE, Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.