Arax Investment Partners continues to gain momentum in the registered investment advisor (RIA) space, demonstrating its commitment to rapid expansion.
Since its founding two and a half years ago, the firm’s strategic acquisitions and recruiting initiatives have propelled its assets under advisement to an impressive $23 billion. Two recent announcements underscore its ambitions to sustain this growth trajectory throughout the year.
On Monday, Arax announced the acquisition of Cedrus Financial, a Colorado-based RIA managing $1 billion in assets. This development closely follows the news from Arax’s Ashton Thomas Private Wealth unit, which recently onboarded a high-performing Wells Fargo advisor team overseeing more than $2.5 billion in client assets.
These moves highlight Arax’s multichannel growth strategy, designed to appeal to advisors seeking flexibility and tailored affiliation models. “Our goal is to provide advisors with options that align with their practice needs while expanding Arax’s national footprint,” says Haig Ariyan, CEO of Arax Investment Partners.
Cedrus Financial, now operating under Arax Advisory Partners, exemplifies this approach. Arax’s Advisory Partners platform targets independent firms specializing in delivering customized services and investment advice to high-net-worth families, institutions, and niche markets such as professional athletes. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Cedrus will retain its brand identity, a strategic decision aimed at minimizing disruption to client relationships while leveraging Arax’s support and resources.
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Littleton, Colorado, Cedrus employs 31 staff members, including 18 financial advisors. This acquisition bolsters Arax’s presence in the Denver metropolitan area, where it has already established roots through prior acquisitions, including Ashton Thomas and SRS Capital Advisors. According to Ariyan, Cedrus stood out due to its impressive organic growth and its expertise in serving specific professional demographics such as medical and legal professionals, as well as pastors and church communities.
Beyond acquisitions, Arax remains laser-focused on recruitment to attract high-caliber advisor teams. The recent Wells Fargo team hire exemplifies this strategy, marking the opening of a new Ashton Thomas office in San Francisco. The team includes experienced financial advisors Mark Cavalier, Jonathan Smith, and Gregory Weiss, as well as Michael Hansen, a former Senior Vice President and Group Finance Officer at Wells Fargo. Four administrative staff members are also part of the team. This San Francisco office is positioned to act as a strategic hub for Arax’s expansion efforts across the Western U.S.
Arax’s acquisition of Cedrus Financial is the latest in a series of strategic moves. Other notable acquisitions include Ashton Thomas Private Wealth in 2023 and U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors, a Houston-based firm with multiple Texas offices. U.S. Capital operates independently within the Arax ecosystem, further showcasing the firm’s approach to offering customized affiliation models.
Backed by private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, Arax Investment Partners continues to solidify its position as a major player in the RIA market. With a strategy built on acquisitions, organic growth, and aggressive recruitment, the firm is making significant strides toward redefining how advisors affiliate and scale their practices.
