Great Lakes Advisors

What Great Lakes Advisors does

Great Lakes Advisors, LLC is a Chicago-based institutional asset manager founded in 1981 and operating as a subsidiary of Wintrust Financial Corporation. The firm manages approximately $20 billion in assets under management across four core investment pillars: Disciplined Equity (~$3.0B), Fundamental Equity (~$9.9B), Fixed Income (~$2.8B), and Multi-Asset Strategy (~$4.2B). Disciplined Equity uses proprietary quantitative models incorporating statistical methods, financial theories, and machine learning techniques; Fundamental Equity applies team-based fundamental analysis focused on attractively-valued companies with cash flow and earnings power; Fixed Income offers conservative active management across Core, Intermediate, Municipal, and Limited Duration strategies; and Multi-Asset Strategy delivers goal-based diversified portfolio construction across asset classes.

The firm serves three primary client segments: institutional investors (Taft-Hartley plans, public pension funds, endowments, foundations, healthcare systems, and insurance companies), intermediary clients (financial advisors and subadvisory mandates with mutual fund families and trusts), and private wealth/high net worth individuals. It maintains offices in Chicago, Tampa, and Stamford, employs 29+ investment professionals with credentials including CFA, CAIA, CIMA, and CFP, and is SEC-registered with GIPS compliance.

Revenue is generated primarily through asset-based management fees calculated as a percentage of AUM, with pricing typically ranging from 30-80 basis points depending on strategy, asset level, and client segment. Distribution combines direct institutional sales, dedicated consultant relations, subadvisory partnerships, and approved placement on financial advisor platforms. The firm's growth strategy has been reinforced by the 2023 acquisition of Rothschild & Co Asset Management US, which expanded team capacity, client relationships, and product breadth.

Name

Great Lakes Advisors

Legal name

Great Lakes Advisors, LLC

Website

https://greatlakesadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Advisors is a Chicago-based institutional asset manager founded in 1981 and owned by Wintrust Financial, managing approximately $20 billion across Disciplined Equity, Fundamental Equity, Fixed Income, and Multi-Asset Strategy for Taft-Hartley plans, public funds, endowments, advisors, and private wealth clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Institutional Asset Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Consulting RIAs (OCIO/Endowments/Foundations/Pensions) (FSAAACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD), Tax-Focused Wealth Management RIAs (FSAAACAD)

Keywords

• Institutional asset management
• Equity investment strategies
• Fixed income management
• Multi-asset portfolio solutions
• Private wealth management

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Fees: Fees calculated as a percentage of assets under management (AUM). The firm manages approximately $20 billion in total assets across equity, fixed income, and multi-asset strategy portfolios, with fees varying by strategy type and client segment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Great Lakes Advisors is a Chicago-based institutional asset management firm offering actively managed investment strategies across four pillars: Disciplined Equity (quantitative), Fundamental Equity (value-oriented), Fixed Income, and Multi-Asset Strategy. The firm manages approximately $20 billion in assets for Taft-Hartley plans, public pension funds, endowments, foundations, financial advisors, and high net worth individuals, with customized ESG, thematic, and tax-managed portfolio capabilities.

Product overview

Great Lakes Advisors is a Chicago-based asset management firm offering a unified platform of actively managed investment strategies across four core pillars: Disciplined Equity, Fundamental Equity, Fixed Income, and Multi-Asset Strategy. The Disciplined Equity group (~$3.0B AUM) provides quantitative, multi-dimensional equity strategies with ESG, Catholic Values, TaxManaged, and Climate Opportunities variants across market capitalizations. The Fundamental Equity team (~$9.9B AUM) delivers value-oriented large cap, small/mid cap, and global/international equity strategies. Fixed Income (~$2.8B AUM) offers conservative, active fixed income management with Core, Intermediate, Municipal, and Limited Duration strategies. The Multi-Asset Strategy program (~$4.2B AUM) provides diversified portfolio construction across multiple asset classes tailored to client risk tolerances and return objectives. The firm serves institutional clients (Taft-Hartley, public funds, endowments), intermediary clients (financial advisors), and private wealth investors through separately managed accounts, subadvisory relationships, and model delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disciplined Equity Strategies A quantitative equity investment strategy utilizing multi-dimensional investment processes delivered by experienced professionals. Offers customized ESG, thematic, and tax-managed portfolios across AllCap, LargeCap, and SMidCap strategy solutions with approximately $3.0 billion in assets under management. Designed for institutional clients, financial advisors, and private wealth investors.
• Fundamental Equity Strategies An equity investment strategy focused on investing in attractively-valued companies that generate cash flow and earnings power beyond market expectations. Includes Large Cap, Small/Mid Cap, Small Cap, and Global/International Value strategies with approximately $9.9 billion in assets under management. Team-based fundamental analysis approach for institutional and private wealth clients.
• Fixed Income Strategies Active fixed income management strategy focusing on higher income sectors and securities with over a century of cumulative investment management experience. Offers Core, Intermediate, Short-term, Municipal, and Limited Duration Municipal strategies with approximately $2.8 billion in assets under management.
• Multi-Asset Strategy Solutions A diversified investment portfolio solution across multiple asset classes, market capitalizations, and securities. Provides goal-based asset allocation, diversified investment selection, and dynamic portfolio monitoring with approximately $4.2 billion in assets under management. Designed for institutional and private wealth clients.

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rothschild & Co North America Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2022Wintrust acquired two asset management units from Rothschild & Co North America Inc. in early 2023. The transaction expanded Wintrust's investment management business and increased assets under management to approximately $8 billion. Key personnel from Rothschild & Co Asset Management US joined Great Lakes Advisors, including portfolio managers and analysts across Fundamental Equity, bringing additional strategies and client relationships.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• William Blair Investment Management: Chicago-headquartered fundamental equity and fixed income manager with comparable institutional client focus and mid-tier AUM scale; directly comparable across client segments and strategy mix.
• Ariel Investments: Chicago-based value-oriented fundamental equity manager serving institutional and private wealth clients with similar mid-tier AUM and active equity specialization.
• Driehaus Capital Management: Chicago-based active equity manager with comparable institutional and intermediary distribution, similar size tier, and overlapping fundamental and quantitative equity capabilities.
• Westwood Holdings Group: Dallas-based institutional asset manager with comparable multi-asset strategies and institutional client focus, similar mid-tier AUM scale.
• Loomis Sayles: Boston-based multi-strategy manager offering equity, fixed income, and multi-asset solutions to institutional and intermediary clients with comparable product breadth.
• Eaton Vance (Morgan Stanley Investment Management): Boston-based institutional asset manager with comparable multi-strategy offerings, tax-managed capabilities, and intermediary distribution through subadvisory and advisor platforms.

Emerging players

• Calvert (Morgan Stanley Investment Management): ESG-focused equity and fixed income manager with directly comparable ESG, thematic, and values-based investing capabilities; competes in the same sub-strategies as Great Lakes' Disciplined Equity ESG variants.

Broad incumbents

• Federated Hermes: Larger established multi-affiliate asset manager offering equity, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies with overlapping institutional and intermediary channels at greater scale.
• Nuveen (TIAA): Large institutional asset manager with comparable equity, fixed income, and multi-asset offerings and significant Taft-Hartley and public pension fund client base.
• American Century Investments: Established multi-strategy asset manager offering equity, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies to institutional and intermediary clients with overlapping product categories at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Advisors