Girard
Girard is the wealth management division of Univest Financial Corporation, providing investment, financial planning, retirement, trust, and institutional investment management services to individuals, families, business owners, and institutions across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida through eight office locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1928
- HeadquartersSouderton, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Girard does
Girard is the wealth management division of Univest Financial Corporation, a publicly-traded regional bank holding company, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement, trust and estate, employer retirement plan, and institutional investment management services to individuals, families, business owners, corporations, endowments, foundations, nonprofits, and Pennsylvania municipal entities. The firm operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries: Girard Advisory Services, LLC (fiduciary and advisory), Girard Investment Services, LLC (registered broker-dealer and FINRA/SIPC member), Girard Pension Services, LLC (Pennsylvania municipal pensions), and Univest Bank and Trust Co. (trust and estate services).
Girard delivers services through a network of dedicated financial advisors across eight office locations in Pennsylvania (Allentown, Doylestown, King of Prussia, Mechanicsburg, Reading, Souderton), Maryland (Lutherville Timonium), and Florida (Fort Myers). The firm reports $1B+ in institutional assets under management across 320+ institutional clients, and communicates a 99% client retention rate with a 16-year average client tenure in its municipal pension practice. Distribution is exclusively direct and consultative, with no self-service or third-party platforms. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring advisory fees on assets under management, with supplementary transaction-based fees from brokerage activities and managed-services fees from institutional mandates.
The technology stack is entirely third-party and industry-standard — Black Diamond for reporting, Pershing and Charles Schwab as custodians, eMoney for financial planning, and Trust Reporter for trust administration. There are no disclosed proprietary platforms, in-house models, or AI/ML capabilities; the differentiated value proposition rests on advisor relationships, fiduciary expertise, regulatory compliance specialization (particularly PA Act 205/600 for municipal pensions), and the longevity and regulatory credibility of the Univest parent (with heritage tracing to 1928 trust powers). The Girard brand itself was established in 2019 via a rebranding of Univest's Wealth Management division, with growth historically driven by acquisition (TCG Investment Advisory in 2008; Girard Partners in 2013) and organic office expansion rather than technology investment.
Girard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Girard
- Legal name
- Girard (a marketing name used by Univest Financial Corporation)
- Website
- https://meetgirard.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1928
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Girard is the wealth management division of Univest Financial Corporation, providing investment, financial planning, retirement, trust, and institutional investment management services to individuals, families, business owners, and institutions across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida through eight office locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Girard industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wealth Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Institutional Consulting RIAs (OCIO/Endowments/Foundations/Pensions) (FSAAACAG), Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF)
Keywords
Where Girard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Souderton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Girard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Investment and Wealth Management Services: Comprehensive investment management and wealth advisory services delivered through a team of experienced advisors. Revenue is generated through advisory fees, likely based on assets under management. Services include financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, and trust services.
- Fiduciary and Trust Services: Fiduciary services and trust services offered through Univest Bank and Trust Co. and Girard Advisory Services, LLC. Includes investment advisory services with fiduciary responsibility.
- Securities and Brokerage Services: Securities products, insurance products and brokerage services through Girard Investment Services, LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Revenue generated through commissions and fees on securities transactions.
- Institutional Investment Management: Investment management and related products and services for institutional clients including endowments, foundations, nonprofits, and corporations through Girard Pension Services, LLC.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Girard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Girard is a regional wealth advisory practice that delivers personalized investment management, financial planning, retirement planning, trust and estate services, and institutional investment management to individuals, families, business owners, and institutions. Operating as a division of Univest Financial Corporation, the firm provides services through dedicated financial advisors at eight office locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida, generating revenue through advisory fees, brokerage commissions, and institutional management fees.
Product overview
Girard is a comprehensive wealth advisory practice offered as a division of Univest Wealth, providing a unified platform of financial services. The core offering encompasses Investment Management, Financial Planning Services, Retirement Planning, Trust and Estate Planning, and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans, supported by specialized sub-brands: Girard Advisory Services (fiduciary and advisory), Girard Investment Services (broker-dealer), and Girard Pension Services (municipal pensions). The firm serves individuals, families, business owners, corporations, institutions, and non-profits through $1B+ in institutional assets under management across 320+ institutional clients and multiple office locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wealth Management Services
- Investment Management
- Financial Planning Services
- Retirement Planning Services
- Trust and Estate Planning Services
- Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans
- Institutional Investment Management
- Business Succession Planning
- Municipal Pension Plans
- Brokerage and Securities Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% client retention rate for municipal pension services
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Girard
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Girard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Girard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Univest Financial CorporationcoreGirard is a marketing name and division of Univest Financial Corporation, a regional bank holding company. Girard operates as the wealth management division of Univest, providing investment and wealth management, fiduciary services and trust services through Univest Bank and Trust Co., investment advisory services through Girard Advisory Services, LLC, securities products through Girard Investment Services, LLC, and municipal pension services through Girard Pension Services, LLC.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Girard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cetera Financial Group: Independent advisor wealth platform hosting RIAs and broker-dealer affiliates. Comparable to Girard in that advisor firms operate under its umbrella with centralized compliance, technology, and product access.
- Janney Montgomery Scott: Philadelphia-headquartered regional broker-dealer and wealth manager of comparable size with a multi-advisor branch model, RIA, fixed income, and institutional services. Directly comparable to Girard in scale, geography, and product mix.
- LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S. hosting thousands of independent advisor offices. Comparable to Girard's Girard Investment Services broker-dealer function and similar advisor-affiliated distribution model.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: National independent RIA offering comprehensive wealth planning, institutional, retirement, and family office services. Closely comparable product mix and advisor-led model, though larger and geographically broader.
Broad incumbents
- Stifel Financial: Larger diversified wealth management and investment banking firm with a strong independent-advisor channel. Comparable in offering breadth (advisory, brokerage, retirement, institutional) but operates at materially greater scale.
- Ameriprise Financial: Diversified financial services firm with a large captive advisor channel and institutional asset management. Comparable offerings across advice, brokerage, retirement, and planning, though operating at substantially greater scale.
- Robert W. Baird & Co. Mid-size regional wealth manager and investment bank with private wealth management and institutional asset management divisions. Comparable business model across individuals, families, and institutions.
- PNC Wealth Management: Wealth management division of PNC Financial Services Group, with a strong Pennsylvania/Mid-Atlantic branch footprint and full advisory, trust, and institutional capabilities. Directly comparable regional-bank-affiliated wealth franchise.
- Raymond James Financial: Diversified financial services firm with a large independent-advisor wealth management channel and institutional asset management. Overlaps with Girard on RIA, broker-dealer, retirement plan, and trust services.
Regional players
- Bryn Mawr Trust (WSFS Wealth Management): Pennsylvania-headquartered wealth management and trust subsidiary of WSFS Financial Corporation. Directly competes with Girard in the PA, NJ, and DE high-net-worth and institutional markets with a similar boutique-bank-affiliated model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Girard social profiles
Digital presenceGirard compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Girard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Girard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Girard subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Girard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Girard 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 Girard
What does Girard do?
Girard is a regional wealth advisory practice that delivers personalized investment management, financial planning, retirement planning, trust and estate services, and institutional investment management to individuals, families, business owners, and institutions. Operating as a division of Univest Financial Corporation, the firm provides services through dedicated financial advisors at eight office locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida, generating revenue through advisory fees, brokerage commissions, and institutional management fees.
Is Girard a public or private company?
Girard is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Girard founded?
Girard was founded in 1928. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Girard based?
Girard is headquartered in Souderton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Girard make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Investment and Wealth Management Services are the primary driver. The others are fiduciary and Trust Services, securities and Brokerage Services and institutional Investment Management.
Who are Girard's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cetera Financial Group, Janney Montgomery Scott, LPL Financial and Mariner Wealth Advisors. Broad incumbents are Stifel Financial, Ameriprise Financial, Robert W. Baird & Co., PNC Wealth Management and Raymond James Financial. Bryn Mawr Trust (WSFS Wealth Management) is listed as a regional player.
Does Girard have an API?
No public API is recorded for Girard.
What industry is Girard in?
Girard's product category is Wealth Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAACAA, Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers, with a secondary code of FSAAACAB, Financial Planning–Led RIAs. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.