Von Borstel & Associates

Von Borstel & Associates

Von Borstel & Associates was founded in 1985 by Gary Von Borstel in The Dalles, Oregon, a small city on the Columbia River roughly 85 miles east of Portland. The firm operates as a registered investment advisor, providing portfolio management and financial planning services to a client base that includes high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and corporate accounts. Unlike coastal wealth managers that scale through metropolitan referrals, Von Borstel's longevity suggests a model anchored in long-term relationships within a defined geographic community. The firm's strategy centers on holistic advisory — integrating retirement planning, investment portfolio construction, and ongoing financial counsel under a single fiduciary umbrella. Its regulatory filings indicate a discretionary portfolio management approach for individual and institutional clients, with additional non-discretionary advisory services where clients retain decision authority. The firm's footprint is concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, serving Oregon and Washington families and businesses. Specific portfolio allocations or named investment vehicles are not publicly disclosed. Von Borstel & Associates lists a single office in The Dalles, with a small team of investment advisor representatives operating under its SEC registration. The firm's most recent Form ADV indicates it does not participate in wrap-fee programs and does not act as a solicitor for other advisors, maintaining a direct, in-house relationship with every client. No known adjacent vehicles — such as philanthropic foundations, real-asset arms, or private investment clubs — are associated with the firm or its principals. What structurally differentiates Von Borstel is its geographic discipline. At a time when many RIAs consolidate onto national platforms or cluster in financial centers, the firm has remained in a town of fewer than 16,000 people — a deliberate choice that shapes its client base, cost structure, and investment philosophy. This positioning creates natural bounds on AUM growth while insulating the firm from the churn-driven economics of large-scale wealth management, resulting in a business that functions more like a family practice than a scaled advisory platform.