HighWater Wealth, a San Diego-based wealth management team serving high-net-worth individuals and families with approximately $2.4 billion in advisory assets, has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer and registered investment adviser platform, aligning with Quotient Advisor Partners, an existing firm supporting LPL-affiliated advisors. The team moves from U.S. Bank and consists of Kristian Forster, Mike Rookus, Falko Hörnicke, Tim Davidson and Brian Rissman.
HighWater Wealth provides multi-generational office services for high-net-worth families, built around a planning-first approach that begins with a comprehensive review of each client’s trust and estate structure, balance sheet and cash flow needs before developing proactive, customized investment strategies designed to evolve over time. The team cited LPL’s open architecture, research capabilities, scale and advanced planning resources—including trust and estate capabilities and access to a broader range of investment solutions—as key factors in choosing to affiliate with LPL through Quotient Advisor Partners rather than remaining inside a large institution.
Quotient Advisor Partners, led by CEO Ray Lucia Jr., positions itself as a transition and infrastructure partner designed to reduce the risk and operational burden of going independent for advisor teams that might otherwise remain inside large institutions despite dissatisfaction. For HighWater Wealth, the combination of LPL’s platform scale and Quotient’s transition expertise provided both the tools and the support structure to make the move with confidence while retaining full business ownership.
LPL Financial supports more than 32,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,100 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $2.3 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 8 million Americans.
KEY QUOTES:
“We built HighWater Wealth to deliver a highly personalized, planning-led experience for our clients. Our approach is centered on understanding the full financial picture — from trust and estate considerations to cash flow and long-term objectives — so we can design strategies that are tailored to each family’s needs.”
Mike Rookus, President and Founding Partner, HighWater Wealth
“With LPL and the support of Quotient Advisor Partners, we have the flexibility, tools and infrastructure to deliver a more comprehensive, multi-generational approach. The platform’s open architecture, research capabilities and scale — along with the ability to move quickly — allow us to provide a high-touch, ‘white glove’ experience backed by a robust platform. This enables us to fully customize solutions for each client’s unique needs.”
Kristian Forster, President and CEO, HighWater Wealth
“For 25 years, I’ve been on almost every side of this industry, and what I’ve learned is that most advisors stay inside large institutions not because they’re satisfied, but because going independent feels too risky. Everything we do at Quotient exists to change that. We give teams like HighWater Wealth the transition expertise, infrastructure and community to make the move with confidence, and what other firms may not offer: true ownership of their business.”
Ray Lucia Jr., CEO, Quotient Advisor Partners
“HighWater has built a remarkable practice distinguished by sophisticated planning and a deep commitment to serving high-net-worth families with highly personalized, multi-generational guidance. Their approach reflects a clear understanding of what clients value most, and we are proud to support their continued success in the years ahead.”
Marc Cohen, Chief Growth Officer, LPL Financial
