The Great Lakes & Atlantic StoryGreat Lakes & Atlantic Wealth Management and Advisory Partners, Inc. (GL&A) was founded on the belief that Wirehouse Advisors and RIAs, once given the facts, have the ability to decide for themselves both the level of service they want, and the platform they need. GL&A was created by listening to Advisors across the spectrum and developing a firm that gave them what they most asked for: choice.

More Advisors are seeking Independence than ever before, with differing expectations for platform models that have challenged the standard Indy firm structures. GL&A has met that opportunity by creating a flexible platform offering Advisor Partner, Advisor Affiliate, and Succession/Acquisition Affiliate, options.

The GL&A platform is a custom “in-sourced” Hybrid, designed to be innovative and flexible, run by experienced management, and offering unique opportunities for business growth and wealth creation.

More Advisors are seeking independence than ever before.

Industry Overview

“Your Bridge to Independence”

The Investment Advisory Businessis at an Inflection Point

• Trends have indicated that the link between Advisors and big firms is decoupling.

• The RIA and dually registered channels of the industry are growing by approximately 1% (2,000-3,000) per year, as a percent of all registered representatives.

• Independent advisory channels are posed to overtake wire houses in combined asset market share by 2018.

• The move to independence is driven by several factors: economics, more flexibility and control from a regulatory perspective, marketing and access to a broader range of products through open architecture.Cerulli’s 2014 Advisor Metrics

“Your Bridge to Independence”

What is an RIA

RIAs are registered with and regulated by either the SEC or their appropriate state securities regulator(s), depending on the amount of assets they manage

Brokers typically are compensated by charging a commission on the sale of an investment product. In contrast, RIAs more typically charge fees for advice

Brokers are held to “fair dealing” standards of commerce and are subject to a “suitability” standard of care with their clients. RIAs, however, are subject to a “fiduciary” standard of care with their clients, meaning that their investment recommendations must be in the best interest of the customer and the customer’s interests must come first

All RIA assets are “held away” with a third-party custodian, although the assets are overseen and managed by the financial advisor

Advantages

Breaking away from a wirehouse, fee-based broker/dealer, or bank may give you more freedom- freedom to make your own business decisions, build your own brand, and deliver better advice for your clients

Breaking away from a performance based culture

Keeping more of what you earn Building equity in a business that you can

sell or pass down to family when the time is right

Clients support the fiduciary model- 90% of RIA clients say that they’re satisfied with their advisor’s decision to move to an independent RIA firm

Open architecture- you choose the platforms, products how you operate

“Your Bridge to Independence”

What Advisors are Thinking, Saying & Looking For

Freedom: a lack of restrictions, hurdles, and distractions Partners that really support, invest in, and help grow their business A seamless transition process to move the business Wealth Creation that can be “life changing” vs. a loan and lock up Ability to thoughtfully invest in business as Advisor sees fit Benefits to provide for proper family customization Long term growth in business vs. short term firm initiatives To be part of a winning team and the move towards independence

Why GL&A

Organic synergy of Advisors in the GL&A community Advisory Board of industry experts Regatta Asset Management Consolidated reporting technology Next Level Coaching program to double Advisor business Open architecture with multiple custodian and broker/dealer

relationships Help Advisors grow enterprise value of their business GL&A Equity Ownership for Advisor Partners Highly experienced support team to deliver more for the client Advisor owns & controls business

How are We Different?

 GL&A Wirehouse/

Bank Ind. BD RIA Roll-up/ Consolidator

Support for RIA & Brokerage ✓   ✓ ✓  

Open Architecture Products & Services ✓   ✓   ✓

Offers Equity/Ownership ✓   ✓   ✓

Has Benefits and People Services ✓ ✓      

Succession Plan Options ✓   ✓ ✓  

100% Services & Products Needed ✓ ✓      

Freedom from long-term contracts or “indentured” status ✓   ✓ ✓ ✓

No Significant Start-Up Costs ✓ ✓     ✓

Tax Advantages ✓   ✓ ✓  

“Your Bridge to Independence”

GL&A The Advisor’s Choice

We have three types of relationships with advisors allowing Advisors to determine the right channel

for their needs.

GLA Services Menu

Growth

Contact: Craig Cmiel, ccmiel@greatlakesatlantic.com 703-625-6833 Wendy Whitehurst wwhitehurst@greatlakesatlantic.com 704-898-5585 www.GreatLakesAtlantic.com

Insourced Hybrid

At GL&A we have taken an insourced approach, forming partnerships with our introducing broker dealers that allow us to operate as partners with these firms.

As a hybrid RIA, we have an open architecture platform, offering various custody options for our advisors. This structure gives Advisors the ability to service all of their client’s wealth management needs by allowing them to operate both a fee and commission based practice.

Joining GL&A forSuccession & Emergency Back-Up

Planning

“Your Bridge to Independence”

We work closely with our Advisors to create a solution that works for their business and clients, through…

Acquisition AssistanceBuy-Out OptionsDetermining Sale SpecificsContingency PlansEmergency Back-Up PlanningBusiness AnalysisRecruiting

Ensuring your firm, clients and family are taken care

EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP

CRAIG M. CMIEL, CEO & FOUNDER

Craig has been an investment advisor and management professional in the financial services industry for more than 25 years. He has served as a top advisor to clients, a million dollar producer, manager and product specialist with global investment firms Merrill Lynch and UBS. He was Complex Manager & Complex Director at UBS, earning Complex Director of the Year in 2010, and served as an RIA COO before founding GL&A.

Locations

Current Locations California Florida Illinois Maryland Michigan Mississippi North Carolina Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee Texas

Great Lakes & Atlantic Wealth Management & Advisory Partners, Inc., Independent Registered Investment Advisor