Castellan Group

Castellan Group

Castellan Group was established in 2018 by Barry Brauch following his role in the recapitalization and sale of American Founders Bancorp. Brauch, who previously held senior finance positions at Fifth Third Bancorp and began his career at Deloitte & Touche, structured the firm as an independent RIA owned by a perpetual charitable trust. Most profits flow to charity while the firm maintains standard business operations to serve client families. The firm deploys capital across private equity, venture capital, private credit, real estate, and fund-of-funds vehicles. It maintains direct co-investment capacity through SPVs and participates in alternative VC models. Investment stages span seed through late stage. Geographic focus remains North America. Confirmed holdings include the LHCC Aging Innovation Fund I. The firm also manages three portfolio buckets for clients: a safety portfolio of cash, bonds, and unencumbered real estate; a market portfolio of stocks and ETFs; and an aspirational portfolio of private equity and venture capital. Castellan employs professionals across investment, wealth management, and client service roles. Additional vehicles include the Castellan Endeavor Trust and Castellan WHY Trust for philanthropic activities. In June 2025 Reef Kabalin moved from intern to full-time Analyst supporting public equities, private investments, and client reporting. The firm maintains membership in Greater Louisville Inc. Ownership by a perpetual charitable trust creates a structural difference from typical multi-family offices. This arrangement ties firm continuity to charitable outcomes and removes traditional equity ownership incentives while preserving operational discipline for client service.