The Core Group is focused on the next move, and it’s not the move you think.

Serving high-net-worth families

The managing partners of The Core Group want you to enjoy what you have worked hard to achieve. “Your wealth can be a great source of opportunity,” The Core Group’s founder Alex Sugar, CFP®, Managing Director – Private Wealth Advisor, states. “But with wealth,” Sugar clarifies,“comes responsibilities, challenges and questions.”

The Core Group is a family wealth management groupwithin RBC Private Wealth Management, with offices inMassachusetts and California that serves high-net-worthfamilies across the United States. Comprised of ninemembers with diverse experience across the financialservices industry, their family-office services encompassall aspects of their clients’ lives.

Having seen numerous intricate family circumstances sinceits founding in 1995, The Core Group understands whatclients may be experiencing. Many clients come to TheCore Group in need of specialized expertise in the sale,transfer or preservation of private companies or illiquidassets. But each of their clients seeks customized plansthat align wealth with personal values to establish a senseof purpose.

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Graham O’Kelly, CFA®, Senior Vice President – Private Wealth Advisor, says, “When working with The Core Group, not onlywill you feel understood, but also confident we’re helping you effectively manage all dimensions of your wealth—not just yourinvestments.”

The principals at The Core Group, (Alex Sugar, Grant DeVaul, Graham O’Kelly, andAlex Davis) recently got together to answer questions about the teams’ achievements.

In a world where most wealth advisors sound the same, how have you been able to stand out?

• Sugar: Our success is driven by a value system we share with clients and our culture is one that reflects our clients’entrepreneurialism. We listen, think independently, and give an honest effort to create the best customer experienceimaginable.

• Davis: Each team member is encouraged to critique existing assumptions and add their point of view. It’s a large part ofwhy we’re able to push boundaries and tread new ground.

• DeVaul: The group is going to be 24-years old this year. And we’re still learning. We keep driving for excellence.

• O’Kelly: And to follow up on Grant’s point, if you have excellence as an objective, and you have capable people, greatprocesses and openness, you can actually get really close to achieving what clients desire.

• DeVaul: But you have to keep pushing, you have to keep innovating to get there.

When you say you’re ‘invested in clients’ success, no matter how they define it,’ what does that mean?

• DeVaul: Personally speaking, we’re always serving someone: Our own families, our community and our clients. It’s justhow we’re built. We’re emotionally invested in our clients’ success and that motivation is what drives our daily activities ontheir behalf.

• O’Kelly: That may sound abstract, but here’s how it plays out in reality: When clients experience us solving problems forthem, they feel it as a natural extension of our values, not an arbitrary list of services.

What’s on the mind of clients today?

• Davis: Protecting wealth. Given that we’re 10 years into a bull market, clients are very interested in how they can protectwhat they’ve built. Despite what would be perceived by most to be a high degree of financial security, our clients are veryconcerned about taking the right steps to preserve the wealth they’ve created.

• DeVaul: Alex has taught us that the best way to prepare for a bear market is to give clients a realistic expectation of howtheir assets could perform. We continually question our assumptions by performing pre-mortem analysis of hypotheticaldownturns on client portfolios. We estimate, in dollar terms, what portfolios could experience and this gives us a goodestimate for what clients can withstand during an adverse market.

• O’Kelly: And while that sounds good in theory, proper planning and risk management doesn’t prepare you for theemotional aspect of the downturn. Downturns summon survival instincts and the fear of loss often makes you question aproper plan. So, having the right advisors in place is key.

• Sugar: Sounds like I am a downer, right? But our clients have been successful because our portfolios have met their longtermgoals while being set up to emotionally endure the downturn. Also, don’t forget, the largest profits are made duringmarket bottoms, so portfolios need the flexibility to act when opportunities arise.

Anything non-related to markets?

• Sugar: Preparing the next generation for wealth. There are specific skills required to manage the different aspects of lifethat money touches.

• Davis: Yes, and even that means different things to different families. Teenage children prepping for college need adifferent education than 50-year-old children who are concerned about their parents’ elder-care. When it comes to familylegacy, it’s important to educate in all aspects of wealth.

• Sugar: We often spend as much time educating on family values as we do investments.

How does a person typically become a client of The Core Group?

• Davis: Open and honest conversations are the cornerstone of our success. People usually learn about us by ourreputation as investment managers, but end up working with us because we listen to them and make connections withthem as people.

• DeVaul: Great point. I think people can sense right away that we’re built for client service and not for marketing or clientacquisition. This lends to a relaxed environment and meaningful discussions.

• Davis: I agree, and if you wonder if you are a good fit, let’s start by having a conversation.

Investment and insurance products: Not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency • Not a deposit of, or guaranteed by, the bank or an affiliate of the bank • May lose value •RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

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