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Von Borstel & Associates
Von Borstel & Associates was established in 1985 and has remained a family-led practice, with founder Wayne von Borstel and Craig von Borstel listed as...
Von Borstel & Associates
Von Borstel & Associates was established in 1985 and has remained a family-led practice, with founder Wayne von Borstel and Craig von Borstel listed as primary contacts across the firm's two Oregon offices. The firm operates as a registered investment advisor, positioning itself explicitly as a fiduciary. Its client development is anchored by Wayne von Borstel's book, The Truth Project, which critiques common financial-services marketing narratives and advocates a principles-based approach to retirement planning. The firm's investment posture centers on custom portfolio construction and ongoing maintenance for affluent individuals, trusts, and corporations. It does not publicly disclose a specific asset-allocation model or a roster of external fund managers, but its marketing materials emphasize a process-driven, rather than product-driven, methodology. The firm deploys capital through its proprietary Vision to Wealth Process, a planning framework that integrates a client's stated values with long-term financial projections. Client engagement is reinforced through a series of educational events, including monthly coaching calls and occasional client seminars, which serve as the firm's primary channel for investment communication and prospecting. Von Borstel & Associates maintains offices in The Dalles and Portland, Oregon. While the total headcount or asset base is not publicly available, the firm's contact page sets an explicit investable-asset minimum of $500,000, a gate that indicates a focus on mass-affluent to high-net-worth households. The firm has not disclosed any institutional separate accounts, philanthropic entities, or club-network affiliations that would indicate a broader capital base or a multi-family office structure. The practice's structural differentiator is its unapologetic branding around financial education and myth-busting, with the founder's book and the firm's "Free Second Opinion" consultation serving as lead-generation tools. This positions Von Borstel & Associates less as a discretionary asset manager and more as a high-touch planning shop where the advisor's role is explicitly to counter conventional financial-industry advice.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
1985
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
The Dalles
Corporate office
308 E 3rd St, The Dalles, OR 97058, United States
Additional offices
9955 SE Washington St, Suite 105, Portland, OR 97216, United States
Principals
Wayne von Borstel
Founder
Craig von Borstel
Advisor
Frequently asked questions
Who is the primary decision-maker for client portfolios at Von Borstel & Associates?
The firm revolves around its founder, Wayne von Borstel, who holds the CFP, ChFC, CLU, and MSFS designations and authored The Truth Project. Contact information for a second advisor, Craig von Borstel, also appears on the firm's website, but the marketing and intellectual-property footprint points to Wayne as the central architect of the investment and planning philosophy.
What is the Vision to Wealth Process?
It is the firm's proprietary planning framework, referenced across its website as the mechanism for designing, implementing, and maintaining wealth management strategies. The process starts with aligning a client's personal values and long-term vision before constructing a portfolio, operating as an alternative to a purely risk-tolerance-driven asset-allocation model.
Does Von Borstel & Associates act as a fiduciary?
Yes. The firm explicitly markets its fiduciary status on its homepage, stating "We are a fiduciary!" This means it is legally obligated to place client interests ahead of its own when making investment recommendations, a distinction it uses to differentiate from broker-dealers in its public positioning.
What is the minimum investment size required to become a client?
The firm states on its contact page that it aligns best with individuals who have $500,000 or more in investable assets, and asks those who do not yet meet this threshold to consider the firm in the future. This serves as a soft gate that defines its target client segment.
How does the firm source new clients?
Lead generation flows through two primary channels: a 'Free Second Opinion' consultation offer and a series of educational events, including monthly coaching calls and client seminars. Founder Wayne von Borstel also authored a book, The Truth Project, which functions as both a critique of financial-services marketing and a funnel for prospective clients who resonate with the firm's contrarian advisory stance.
Does Von Borstel & Associates manage institutional capital?
The firm's marketing materials exclusively target individuals, trusts, and corporations, with no mention of institutional separate accounts, pension mandates, or endowment relationships. Its service language — 'affluent families' and 'high net worth investors' — suggests it operates as a personal wealth-management practice rather than an institutional asset manager.
Is there a succession plan or next-generation leadership visible at the firm?
The public record shows the firm has remained closely held by the von Borstel family since 1985, with both Wayne and Craig von Borstel listed as principal contacts. No separate management entity, external board, or next-generation leadership transition has been disclosed, which implies a founder-dependent governance structure.
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