Mariner Wealth Advisors

Marty Bicknell sets firm-wide investment philosophy as CEO, but day-to-day portfolio construction falls to a centralized investment committee that designs model portfolios distributed across the advisor network. Individual advisors retain discretion to customize allocations based on client tax situations and planning needs. The firm's investment research team sources and monitors third-party managers for both public and private market exposures.

Mariner grows primarily through acquisition rather than organic client prospecting. The firm targets established RIAs with $100 million to $500 million in assets under management, offering their principals equity in the parent company, back-office support, and succession continuity. A minority investment from Leonard Green & Partners has fueled the acquisition pace since 2020. The acquired advisors typically bring their existing client bases intact.

Mariner deploys a multi-family office service model — tax preparation, estate planning, investment management, and insurance review — but serves thousands of households rather than a single family. The firm centralizes these disciplines in-house, which is unusual among registered investment advisors of comparable size. Most competitors outsource legal and tax functions; Mariner employs CPAs and estate attorneys directly.

Leonard Green & Partners made a minority investment in Mariner Wealth Advisors in 2020, providing capital that Mariner used to accelerate its acquisition strategy. The private equity firm does not manage portfolios or direct investment decisions, and Marty Bicknell retained majority control. The structure positions Mariner for continued consolidation within the fragmented RIA industry.

Mariner provides client access to private equity, private credit, hedge funds, and real assets through its alternative investments platform. The firm structures these as fund commitments or feeder vehicles rather than originating direct deals internally. Access tier typically depends on a client's accredited investor status and overall portfolio size.

Mariner differentiates by keeping tax and estate planning professionals on staff alongside investment advisors, creating a unified filing-and-planning ecosystem. Creative Planning operates similarly in scale, while Hightower focuses more heavily on advisor autonomy and less on centralized tax integration. Mariner's tax-engine approach creates operational complexity but deepens wallet share per client household.

Mariner's headquarters sits in Overland Park, Kansas, with advisor offices concentrated across the Midwest, Texas, Florida, and Colorado. The acquisition model means office locations reflect where acquired firms operated before joining Mariner. The firm does not publish a comprehensive office count since addresses multiply with each deal closing.