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Stonebrook Private
Stonebrook Private was formed in 2023 in Northville, Michigan, as a deliberate break from the commission-and-referral model. Todd Knickerbocker, the firm's...
Stonebrook Private
Stonebrook Private was formed in 2023 in Northville, Michigan, as a deliberate break from the commission-and-referral model. Todd Knickerbocker, the firm's Managing Partner, has been advising individuals through market cycles since 1989. His son, Chief Investment Officer Spencer Knickerbocker, previously worked on Wall Street and holds the CFA, CAIA, and CFP designations. Together they've assembled a 10-person registered investment adviser that serves families across 37 states from a single Michigan office. AUM crossed the $900 million threshold by September 2025, according to the firm's own disclosure. The investment team — which carries CFA and CAIA credentials — runs the majority of client capital internally rather than allocating to external fund products. Stonebrook's public materials cite exposure to both traditional and alternative asset classes; the Managing Partner's long tenure and the CIO's Wall Street background suggest a strategy built on direct securities, separate accounts, and manager selection rather than a purely DIY passive allocation. The firm explicitly integrates tax strategy and estate planning coordination into its counseling, treating them as components of a single wealth plan instead of farming them out to external specialists. In August 2024, CityWire named Stonebrook to its "50 Growers Across America" list using publicly available Form ADV data — a signal that the firm has been adding advisory assets at a materially above-average clip. The next year, AdvisorHub placed Todd Knickerbocker on its "250 RIAs to Watch" ranking, and in April 2026 Forbes named him among its Best-In-State Wealth Advisors for Michigan. No adjacent operating businesses, foundations, or club memberships are disclosed. The structural differentiator is the in-house portfolio management commitment. Most RIAs of Stonebrook's size outsource investment selection to TAMPs or fund strategists; Stonebrook instead builds and rebalances portfolios directly, a posture that lets the firm report lower all-in client costs. Combined with a fee-only fiduciary charter that prohibits commissions, the architecture aligns revenue with retention — the firm makes more money when clients stay, not when they trade.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
2023
AUM
$900M+ (per the firm, September 2025)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Northville
Corporate office
Northville, MI, United States
Principals
Todd Knickerbocker
Managing Partner
Spencer Knickerbocker
Chief Investment Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Stonebrook Private?
Chief Investment Officer Spencer Knickerbocker leads the investment function. He holds the CFA, CAIA, and CFP designations and previously worked on Wall Street, bringing experience across traditional and alternative investments. Managing Partner Todd Knickerbocker, who has advised families since 1989, oversees firm strategy and client relationships.
Is Stonebrook Private a single family office or a registered investment adviser?
It is a registered investment adviser (RIA), not a single family office. The firm serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and businesses across 37 states from a single office in Northville, Michigan. It operates as a fee-only, fiduciary business.
Does Stonebrook Private participate in fund commitments or only manage direct portfolios?
The firm states that it manages the lion's share of client assets in-house rather than outsourcing to third-party pooled products. It does not explicitly describe fund commitments or direct private deals, but its investment team's alternative-investment credentials suggest some exposure to the asset class.
What is Stonebrook Private's posture on co-investments or client syndication?
The firm does not publicly describe co-investment programs or client syndication. Its model is built around integrated wealth management — combining portfolio management, tax strategy, and estate coordination — rather than deal-by-deal investment opportunities.
How does the firm integrate tax and estate work?
Tax and estate planning are embedded into the advisory framework, not treated as separate services referred to outside providers. The firm coordinates investment decisions with tax implications and works alongside a client's existing attorneys and CPAs to align gifting strategies, trust structures, and philanthropic goals.
Where does Stonebrook Private's asset growth come from?
CityWire ranked it a "50 Growers Across America" RIA in August 2024, based on Form ADV data, indicating strong organic asset gathering. The firm serves families in 37 states and markets itself as an independent, fee-only fiduciary distinct from commission-based brokerages.
Who are the named portfolio companies or direct investments Stonebrook Private holds?
The firm does not publicly disclose specific underlying holdings. Its disclosures are limited to the advisory structure — it minimizes reliance on pooled products and manages portfolios directly — but does not name individual securities or private positions.
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