Girard Advisory Services

Girard Advisory Services is the wealth management division of Univest Financial Corporation, a publicly traded regional bank holding company listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker UVSP. It is not a standalone RIA. Its advisory and trust activities operate under the bank's regulatory umbrella, which imposes a different compliance and capital structure compared to independently owned registered investment advisors.

An internal investment committee sets asset allocation strategy, selects third-party managers, and constructs model portfolios that advisors tailor to individual client circumstances. The committee operates within a centralized house view, drawing on internal research and external manager due diligence. Portfolio management is discretionary at the advisor level within committee-approved guidelines.

There is no public record of Girard sourcing direct private equity, venture capital, or hedge fund investments. Any alternative exposure in client portfolios is accessed through registered fund vehicles such as interval funds, REITs, or liquid-alt mutual funds. The firm's core competency remains publicly traded securities and traditional fixed-income instruments.

Trust and custody services are provided through Univest Bank and Trust Co., an affiliated entity under the same holding company. This integrated structure means clients can hold advised assets, trust accounts, and personal banking products—mortgages, credit lines, deposits—within a single institutional relationship, which simplifies administration but reduces the separation that some family offices prefer between advisor and custodian.

Girard is reported within Univest's Wealth Management segment, which also includes the trust department and insurance agency. Wealth management assets under administration were approximately $4.5 billion as of Univest's 2024 annual filing, though the firm does not break out Girard-specific AUM separately from the broader segment total.