Keator Group

What Keator Group does

Keator Group, LLC is a privately held, family-owned wealth management advisory firm headquartered at 218 Main Street, Lenox, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 when Sheila N. Keator joined Kidder Peabody, the firm has operated continuously for over 40 years and today is led by three of her sons — Managing Directors Matthew D.M. Keator, David P.G. Keator, and Frederick J. Keator — alongside a Client Service Manager, Branch Administrator, and Administrative Assistant, totaling approximately seven personnel. The firm provides a unified wealth management offering rather than a modular product set, encompassing goal-based investment planning, retirement planning (traditional, Roth, SEP-IRAs, 401(k), defined-benefit), estate and charitable strategies, trust and custodial services, insurance evaluation, and access to lending solutions.

The underlying technology stack is not proprietary: securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (member FINRA/SIPC) and investment advisory services through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. following an affiliation that took effect in October 2019. Client account access is delivered through the Raymond James ClientAccess portal. The firm does not disclose a proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or data assets; technology functions as enabling infrastructure rather than a competitive differentiator.

Keator Group's business model is asset-based and recurring. Revenue is generated primarily through advisory fees on managed asset-management accounts (billed annually on top of internal product fees) and securities transaction commissions routed through Raymond James. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but is documented in the firm's Form ADV Part 2A. The go-to-market motion is relationship-led and consultative, targeting high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners in Massachusetts and the broader Northeast United States through direct advisor-client engagement, thought leadership content, and earned media — including regular Forbes, Barron's, and Research Magazine recognitions for individual partners dating back to 2006.

Name

Keator Group

Legal name

Keator Group LLC

Website

https://keatorgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Keator Group is a privately held, family-owned wealth management advisory firm based in Lenox, Massachusetts, founded in 1979. It provides retirement, investment, estate, charitable, trust, and insurance planning to high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners via its Raymond James affiliation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB), Tax-Focused Wealth Management RIAs (FSAAACAD), Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)

Keywords

• Wealth management advisory
• Retirement planning services
• Estate planning services
• Investment advisory services
• Financial planning firm

Headquarters

HQ city

Lenox

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Fees: Managed accounts are charged advisory fees in addition to internal fees of investment company products. A list of additional considerations as well as the fee schedule is available in the firm's Form ADV (Part 2A) as well as in the client agreement.
2. Securities Transactions: Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Revenue generated from securities transactions and related brokerage services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Keator Group is a wealth management advisory firm providing personalized financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance, and custodial services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. The firm operates as an independent practice affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services, using the broker-dealer's platforms for custody, trade execution, and back-office operations while delivering partner-led, relationship-based advisory services.

Product overview

Keator Group offers a unified wealth management service rather than a modular product platform. The firm provides comprehensive financial advisory services including goal-based investment planning, estate planning strategies, retirement planning, trust and custodial services, charitable giving strategies, insurance evaluation, and lending services through Raymond James affiliates. The core offering is an asset-management account with professionally managed portfolios that integrates multiple services into a single client relationship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retirement Planning

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Raymond James Financial ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 October 2019Keator Group, LLC affiliates with Raymond James Financial Services for securities (FINRA/SIPC member) and investment advisory services (Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.). This affiliation (effective October 2019) provides expanded research, planning, and technology offerings while the Keator Group maintains independence as a non-registered broker/dealer. Raymond James is a major full-service brokerage and investment firm providing the infrastructure for the firm's securities and advisory operations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Bessemer Trust: Privately held multi-family office and wealth advisory firm serving ultra-high-net-worth and HNW families across generations. Directly comparable to Keator Group as a private, family- and principal-led advisory firm focused on generational wealth, estate planning, and integrated investment/trust services.
• Rockefeller Capital Management: Independent, privately held wealth management and investment advisory firm serving UHNW/HNW families. Directly comparable to Keator Group's private RIA model, multi-family wealth focus, and integrated advisory services.
• Pathstone: Independent, employee-owned RIA providing family office and wealth advisory services to HNW families, foundations, and endowments. Comparable to Keator Group's principal-owned, multi-generational family wealth focus and integrated investment/trust offerings.
• Brown Brothers Harriman Wealth Management: Private partnership providing wealth management, investment management, and trust services to HNW individuals, families, and institutions. Comparable to Keator as a long-standing, partnership-structured advisor emphasizing continuity and family-relationship-based service.
• Glenmede: Independent, privately owned investment and wealth management firm serving families, foundations, and endowments. Comparable to Keator Group as a multi-generational, private RIA offering integrated investment, trust, and estate planning for HNW households.
• First Manhattan Company: Employee-owned investment advisory firm serving HNW individuals, families, foundations, and endowdings. Comparable to Keator as a privately held, principal-owned boutique offering goal-based investment management and personalized family-level service.
• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA offering comprehensive wealth management, estate planning, and retirement services to households nationwide. Comparable to Keator Group in service breadth and RIA structure, though significantly larger in scale and geographic reach.

Broad incumbents

• Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management: Incumbent wealth management franchise serving HNW and ultra-HNW households with investment, planning, and lending services. Comparable to Keator in target client and service mix, but operates at national/international scale with proprietary technology platforms.
• Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management: Large incumbent offering private wealth management, investment advisory, and trust services to UHNW/HNW clients. Comparable to Keator as a competitor for HNW advisory dollars, but with vastly broader product set, technology, and geographic reach.

Regional players

• Chorus Capital Group: New England-focused wealth advisory firm serving HNW families and business owners in Massachusetts and surrounding states. Comparable to Keator Group as a regional boutique RIA with similar family/business-owner client focus and comparable AUM scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Keator Group