Our
Story
Ocean Heights’ roots stretch back years in a story that explains the unique aspects of the value proposition we offer our clients.
Our firm’s story begins with the founding of Palo Capital in 2005. After a successful career in the healthcare and tech industries, Kevin O’Grady turned his talents to investing, and attracted the attention of Barron’s, a national financial publication. In 2005, he launched Palo Capital from his home in the Ocean Heights neighborhood of Newport Beach to manage assets for family and friends. Over the years, the team has added Nella Webster, CFP® (2009), Kara Devar (2014), Kevin Barlow, CFA® (2015) and Danielle Bronner, CFP® (2020) as partners.
From two initial clients and meetings at a kitchen table, our team has evolved to comprise highly credentialed investment professionals who advise high-net-worth families, executives, and entrepreneurs across the country in all areas of their financial life.
The formula for our team’s success has broadened over the years. As fiduciaries, we take an independent, holistic approach to providing customized investment solutions and personalized financial planning to grow and protect our clients’ wealth. But in doing so, we have always sought to retain the high level of client service and “friends and family” feel with which we began.
In 2022, Ocean Heights Advisors launched as an employee-owned firm and partnered with Mariner to expand the range of services we offer our clients.
Our Team
Giving Back
Giving back is a core part of Ocean Heights Advisors’ values. We contribute both our time and resources to organizations that improve the lives of others through science, the arts, economic self-sufficiency and education.
In recognition of years of service to the community, Ocean Heights partner Nella Webster O’Grady was honored as the “Philanthropist of the Year” for Orange County* on National Philanthropy Day in 2020.
Partners of the firm are actively involved in the Board of Directors, Investment Committees or are significant contributors to the following organizations:
*This award recognizes an outstanding individual, family, or family foundation with a proven record of exceptional financial generosity and volunteer leadership to one or more Orange County nonprofit organizations. The winner must have demonstrated extraordinary civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity inspires others to philanthropic action. Nella was selected as Outstanding Philanthropist based on third-party nominations at the National Philanthropy Day for Orange County event. This was a personal award; it was not related to any investment advisory business or client experiences. The award is not indicative of or a guarantee of future success.
What We Do
Investments
We help you create and protect wealth through a disciplined and research-based investment process that constructs the ideal portfolio best suited for your financial goals. Our proprietary approach is designed for high-net-worth families and individuals to provide diversification, tax-efficiency, accommodate legacy holdings, and accounts for other considerations that are key to your financial success.
Financial Planning
We work with clients who are at a wide range of life’s mileposts and develop customized planning strategies to help guide long-term decision making. Our process begins by understanding all the important considerations of your financial life – personal values, life events, estate and business planning, cash flow planning, investments, tax optimization, philanthropic goals, and much more – and creating a custom roadmap to achieve them.
10 Reasons to Work with Ocean Heights Advisors
1. Investment DNA. The Ocean Heights team has spent years developing quantitative-based investment strategies that have demonstrated their merit over time. We believe our disciplined investment approach can increase the likelihood of achieving your goals.
2. Advanced planning services. Leveraging technology and the skills of our team’s Certified Financial Planners, we provide financial planning services covering needs ranging from those of young families to those of ultra-high-net-worth families.
3. Individualized investment solutions. Our investment strategies address a range of investment objectives and risk tolerances individualized to each client‘s situation.
4. Client service & communication. We have maintained the “family and friends” client service approach with which our firm began. We invest initially in getting to understand each client’s needs and building their investment plan, but we don’t receive any “upfront” fees. Hence, our business model only works if we retain clients for multiple years.
5. Leading national custodians. Client assets are held by the nation’s leading third-party custodians, e.g., Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments. We don’t custody client funds.
6. Fiduciary standard. Ocean Heights Advisors is fully supported by Mariner Platform Solutions, an SEC registered investment adviser, which requires a fundamental obligation to act in the best interest of our clients, to provide investment advice in our clients’ best interests, and to provide a duty of undivided loyalty and utmost good faith.
7. Employee-owned. Our multigenerational partnership among employee-owners of the firm we believe provides clients the long-term stability they desire from an investment/financial firm.
8. Well-credentialed team. Our team members hold respected industry designations, such as the CFA® and CFP® certifications, and advanced degrees, from top-tier graduate schools.
9. Transparent fees. Our revenues only rise when the value of our clients’ accounts grows.
10. Personal Relationships. We work hard to build personal relationships with our clients. Who doesn’t like receiving cookies on their birthday?
Insights
Contact
Us
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Address
660 Newport Center Dr., #220
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone
949.715.2126 office