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Compass Financial Advisors
John Lauer established Compass Financial Advisors in Northern Indiana in 1998 before departing in 2010. Donald Schellhammer has served as a principal since...
Compass Financial Advisors
John Lauer established Compass Financial Advisors in Northern Indiana in 1998 before departing in 2010. Donald Schellhammer has served as a principal since 1990 and sits on the North Compass Financial Advisors Investment Committee alongside Ray Nikkel. The firm deploys capital into hedge funds, private credit, private equity and real estate. Confirmed geographic reach covers North America, Europe and South America. Asset classes also include collectibles and cryptocurrency. No specific portfolio companies or co-investors appear in public records. The firm lists 265 professionals under its AUM estimate. It maintains divisions such as Kenilworth and employee benefit plans including a cash balance pension and 401(k). Kurt Gutman serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the Allen County Redevelopment Authority as of the 2023 annual report. Compass Financial Advisors maintains common control with broker-dealer J. Alden Associates, Inc. and holds membership in the Broker Protocol as of October 2025. These affiliations shape its regulatory and operational posture.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
1998
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Fort Wayne
Corporate office
Chesterton, IN, United States
Principals
John Lauer
Founder
Donald Schellhammer
Principal
Ray Nikkel
Principal
Kenneth Smith
Chief Compliance Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Compass Financial Advisors?
Donald Schellhammer and Ray Nikkel serve as principals and investment committee members. Kenneth Smith acts as Chief Compliance Officer for both the firm and affiliated broker-dealer J. Alden Associates.
Does Compass Financial Advisors participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm allocates to hedge funds, private credit, private equity and real estate. No specific fund commitments or direct deals are disclosed in available records.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
No public disclosure identifies the source families or wealth origin for Compass Financial Advisors.
How is Compass Financial Advisors related to its listed affiliates?
Brooke Point Management, Partridge Financial Services and Guidance Wealth LLC operate as DBAs under the same CRD #109131 entity. North Compass Financial Advisors shares key personnel.
What investment stages does Compass Financial Advisors typically target?
No stage preferences are stated in public materials. Allocations span hedge funds, private credit, private equity and real estate.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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