Our Story

1997

IPL Wealth & Asset Management is established by co-founder and CEO, Fielding Miller and 12 former Interstate/Johnson Lane colleagues. The firm begins with $400 million in client assets under advisement.

The No-Golf-Ball Rule becomes IPL Wealth & Asset Management’s cornerstone policy, reinforcing the firm’s commitment as fiduciaries for clients, ensuring no conflicts of interest can arise when advising clients.

2001

Despite the dotcom bubble burst and declining markets, IPL Wealth & Asset Management goes against the industry grain, deciding to grow by investing more capital, hiring more colleagues, and adding more locations.

2002

The firm introduces an equity ownership plan for all employees, giving every colleague a pathway to ownership that incentivizes long-term growth and quality of care.

2004

IPL Wealth & Asset Management establishes the firm’s mission statement and core values to serve as guiding principles for its culture, service, and development.

The One Brick at a Time (OBAAT) concept is born from Miller’s belief that the only way to build a world-class organization is one piece at a time: one client, one colleague, and one relationship.

2006

The firm launches its first 10-year strategic plan that includes expanding operations nationally.

2007

The IPL Wealth & Asset Management Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is launched with a mission to help children in need in the communities we serve and funded by employee contributions, company matching contributions, and fundraising events.

2008

In response to the global financial crisis, IPL Wealth & Asset Management leadership reassures employees that everyone has a seat, and the firm begins to hire some of the industry’s displaced professionals.

2010

IPL Wealth & Asset Management moves into its new Raleigh, North Carolina, headquarters—the 17-story IPL Wealth & Asset Management Tower at 4208 Six Forks Road.

2012

IPL Wealth & Asset Management formally establishes two new discretionary asset management services: 3(38) for retirement plan sponsors and outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) for nonprofit organizations.

The firm creates the Brick Bonus program to provide a company-wide success-sharing bonus plan that rewards colleagues for a commitment to client service.

2015

IPL Wealth & Asset Management unveils VESTED magazine, a wealth lifestyle periodical designed to provide timely, relevant, and actionable ideas and recommendations to inform what’s next for our client through inspiring stories. Each issue features a Second Act, highlighting the transition from one stage of life to another for a variety of notable individuals.

IPL Wealth & Asset Management leans into its industry-leading wellness and advice services for retirement plan participants, making significant investments in technology, content, and personnel. The team also develops its proprietary Retirement Blueprint® tool, establishing a full-time advice desk plus web-based resources for retirement plan participants.

2017

IPL Wealth & Asset Management launches a new 10-year strategic plan with goals of growing in the top 35 metropolitan markets in the U.S. and investing $10 million in communities, among others.

The firm establishes the Women’s Advisor Initiative, which seeks to create a more diverse community of advisors focused on recruiting, mentoring, and supporting women financial advisors.

2018

IPL Wealth & Asset Management surpasses 500 employees.

2020

GTCR, a leading private equity firm, makes a 25 percent minority growth investment in IPL Wealth & Asset Management, reflecting a valuation of $1.25 billion.

IPL Wealth & Asset Management creates the Inclusion & Diversity Council with the mission to foster an environment that promotes inclusion, a diverse workforce, and a strong sense of belonging.

The firm launches Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

• Black, Indigenous, People of Color Professionals Network (BPNetwork), for racially or ethnically diverse employees and allies
• Living in Faith Together (LIFT), for employees of any faith and those of no faith looking to share and learn
• PRIDE, for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex, and asexual employees and allies.
• Women Inspire, Support, Encourage (WISE) Network, for colleagues who are women and who identify as women and their allies.

Despite the global pandemic, IPL Wealth & Asset Management continues to lean into adversity and the firm’s track record of growth, ensuring that no layoffs would occur during the market downturn.

2021

IPL Wealth & Asset Management surpasses the 1,000-employee mark.

The firm establishes IPL Wealth & Asset Management Family Office Services to help wealthy families coordinate all aspects of their busy financial lives so that they can focus on the things that are most important to them.

2022

IPL Wealth & Asset Management celebrates its 25th year by establishing a bold and inspirational vision statement: To be the most valued and impactful firm in the history of our industry.

IPL Wealth & Asset Management ends the year with more than 1,300 employees, serving over 2,500 institutional clients, 8,000 private clients, representing $770 billion in total assets from 82 locations across the nation.

The IPL Wealth & Asset Management Community Foundation reaches more than $8 million in funds raised to support the communities we serve that help children.

CEO Fielding Miller signs the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ pledge, highlighting the firm’s commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within the workplace.

IPL Wealth & Asset Management introduces two new employee resource groups (ERGs): Honor, for veterans, employees serving in the Guard/Reserve, military family members, and their allies and Enable, for colleagues with disabilities and their allies.

2023

Global investment firm Carlyle made a minority growth investment in IPL Wealth & Asset Management, valuing the firm at $3.7 billion.