Top Family Offices in Rochester 2026

Key Facts About Rochester's Family Office Market

• Rochester hosts at least 15 wealth advisory firms that offer family office or similar services. The heaviest concentration sits along the Linden Oaks corridor in the 14625 zip code.
• Combined assets under management among the top Rochester-based firms exceed $12 billion. Sage, Rutty & Co., Cobblestone Capital Advisors, and The Schoff Group at UBS each manage roughly $3 billion.
• The market includes one confirmed single family office (SFO): the Wegmans Family Office. Several dedicated multi-family offices (MFOs) and national firms with local branches round out the field.
• Linden Oaks houses at least nine major advisory firms within a quarter-mile radius. This makes it Upstate New York's most concentrated wealth management hub.
• Local demand traces back to legacy industrial wealth from Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb founding families, now in their second and third generation of wealth transfer.
• Account minimums range from $500,000 at fee-only registered investment advisors to seven-figure thresholds at bank-affiliated platforms.
• St. John Fisher University launched dedicated family office education programming in 2025, the first such initiative in the region.

Rochester's Wealth Advisory Landscape

Family offices in Rochester NY grew from a specific economic history. Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb created a dense cluster of ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families. That wealth now sits with heirs in its second or third generation. Combined with ongoing family business activity in manufacturing, food retail, and professional services, this legacy sustains steady demand for private wealth services in a metro of roughly 1.1 million people.

The market structure differs sharply from New York City's. Registered investment advisors (RIAs) dominate Rochester's landscape, layering family office capabilities on top of portfolio management rather than operating as standalone SFOs with dedicated staffs. Cobblestone Capital Advisors offers private placement management alongside its $2.9 billion advisory book. Seneca Financial Advisors operates as a purpose-built MFO for multigenerational families. National firms like Rockefeller Capital Management, CAPTRUST, Mariner Wealth Advisors, and Wilmington Trust opened Rochester offices to capture wealth that might otherwise flow to Manhattan.

Geographically, the market clusters along two corridors. The Linden Oaks office park in the Brighton/Pittsford suburb belt houses Rockefeller, CAPTRUST, Cobblestone, Seneca, UBS, Mariner, Forte Capital, and Novem Group. Downtown Rochester's South Clinton Avenue corridor hosts Wilmington Trust and High Falls Advisors. This concentration lets families meet with multiple firms in a single afternoon, a rare advantage in smaller metros.

Family Office Comparison at a Glance

The table below ranks Rochester's leading providers by AUM where disclosed. Firms without public AUM data appear alphabetically below the ranked group.

Family Office	Type	AUM Estimate	Investment Focus	Key Services	Location
Sage, Rutty & Co.	RIA	$3.02B	Retirement, estate, trust management	Financial planning, portfolio management, legacy planning	Rochester, NY
The Schoff Group at UBS	Bank-affiliated	~$3.0B	Equity compensation, private wealth	Advanced planning, 401k consulting, institutional consulting	Linden Oaks, Rochester
Cobblestone Capital Advisors	RIA with FO services	$2.93B	Portfolio management, private placements	Family office services, financial planning, general consulting	Linden Oaks, Rochester
Howe and Rusling	RIA (fee-only)	$2.03B	Large cap equities, fixed income	Capital deployment, financial planning	Rochester, NY
Forte Capital	RIA (fee-only)	$1.45B	Portfolio management, asset allocation	Financial planning, general consulting	Linden Oaks, Rochester
Novem Group	RIA (fee-based)	$1.41B	Investment management, retirement	Business succession, pension consulting, executive compensation	Linden Oaks, Rochester
Whitney & Company	RIA (fee-only)	$1.15B	Value investing in quality securities	Discretionary portfolio management, wealth management	Rochester, NY
Seneca Financial Advisors	MFO	$694M	Multigenerational wealth, tax minimization	Estate/gift planning, multi-family office services	Linden Oaks, Rochester
Wegmans Family Office	SFO	Not disclosed	Multi-asset, direct allocations, real estate	Charitable giving, private capital deployment	Rochester, NY
CAPTRUST Rochester	MFO-services	Not disclosed	Wealth management, private allocations	Family office services, financial planning	Linden Oaks, Rochester
Creative Planning	RIA with FO services	Not disclosed	Full-spectrum wealth management	Family oversight, charitable planning, estate planning	Rochester, NY
Wilmington Trust	Bank-affiliated FO	Not disclosed	Wealth planning, trust & estate	Private banking, family office services	Downtown Rochester

Cobblestone Capital and The Schoff Group stand out as the two largest AUM holders that also deliver explicit family office services. Seneca Financial Advisors remains the only firm structured as a dedicated MFO from inception rather than layering those capabilities onto an existing RIA model.

Top Picks by Strategy

• Largest AUM: Sage, Rutty & Co. manages $3.02 billion with a team of 35 advisors, making it Rochester's largest independent advisory by assets.
• Best for Family Office Services: Cobblestone Capital Advisors combines $2.93 billion in managed assets with dedicated private placement management and family office capabilities under one roof.
• Top Pick for Equity Compensation: The Schoff Group at UBS runs a 12-person team managing roughly $3 billion, with deep specialization in corporate stock benefit consulting for executives.
• Strongest MFO Platform: Seneca Financial Advisors operates as Rochester's only purpose-built multi-family office, with no set account minimum and a coordinated team model for multigenerational families.
• National Pedigree, Local Presence: Rockefeller Capital Management brings global brand recognition and private wealth advisory from its Linden Oaks office at 500 Linden Oaks, Suite 110.
• Best for Business Owners: Family Wealth & Legacy offers the proprietary Family Business Family Office model, built around succession planning and multigenerational continuity for family business leaders.
• Leading Bank-Affiliated Platform: Wilmington Trust, an M&T Bank subsidiary, integrates trust administration, estate services, and private banking for families needing institutional-grade structure.

Top Family Offices in Rochester in Detail

Sage, Rutty & Co.

Rochester's largest independent advisory by assets, Sage, Rutty & Co. manages $3.02 billion with a staff of 35 advisors. Its breadth sets it apart: retirement planning, estate planning, trust management, and legacy planning all operate under one roof. Families holding complex portfolios with multiple account types benefit from its selection-of-other-advisors service, which coordinates outside specialists when needed.

Sage Rutty has operated continuously in Rochester since the early twentieth century. This gives it multi-decade relationships with families whose wealth originated in the region's industrial era. Its Corporate Woods office sits outside the Linden Oaks cluster, offering a quieter alternative for clients who prefer distance from the main wealth management corridor.

Cobblestone Capital Advisors

Rochester's strongest case for a true family office experience sits at Cobblestone Capital. With $2.93 billion in AUM and a $1.5 million account minimum, the firm filters for families with genuine complexity. Private placement management is the differentiator: Cobblestone sources and manages alternative allocations directly, a capability typically reserved for standalone family offices or institutional platforms.

Its services extend to general consulting and full financial planning. Families seeking direct capital deployment and private market exposure without moving assets to New York City will find Cobblestone's Linden Oaks operation uniquely positioned.

The Schoff Group at UBS

Bill Schoff built a 12-person team managing roughly $3 billion, with a specialization no other Rochester firm matches: corporate equity compensation. The group advises corporations on equity benefit plans while simultaneously managing the personal wealth of executives who hold those stock options and restricted shares.

Katie Schoff leads the corporate stock benefit consulting practice, creating a seamless bridge between institutional plan design and individual wealth planning. For C-suite executives at Rochester-area companies navigating concentrated stock positions, this dual expertise eliminates the need to coordinate between separate corporate and personal advisors.

Seneca Financial Advisors

Rochester's only advisory firm built from day one as a multi-family office, Seneca manages $694 million for a deliberate client base: multigenerational families who need coordinated planning. Its team treats each family's assets like a business operation. Tax minimization and estate planning drive the service model, with strategies tailored to each generation's distinct goals.

Seneca requires no set account minimum, an unusual feature for an MFO. This flexibility allows it to serve younger-generation family members who may not yet hold large personal portfolios but are part of a broader family wealth structure.

Wegmans Family Office

Rochester's only confirmed standalone SFO manages the wealth of the family behind Wegmans Food Markets. The office oversees multi-asset portfolios, direct private allocations, real estate holdings, and charitable giving. Its inclusion on the Forbes Top 250 family list signals a scale of wealth that requires dedicated internal management rather than outsourced advisory.

For the broader Rochester market, this private wealth office represents the model that a locally rooted industrial family can sustain. It does not serve outside clients, but its existence validates Rochester as a city capable of supporting true SFO operations.

CAPTRUST Rochester

CAPTRUST's only Upstate New York office sits at 500 Linden Oaks. The local team, led by principals Thomas Bartlett, Gina DiMonda, John DiPasquale, and James Eckl, delivers portfolio management, private allocations, and explicit family office services.

CAPTRUST's national scale gives its Rochester clients access to institutional research and manager due diligence that smaller local RIAs cannot replicate. Families who want fiduciary-grade advisory with family office coordination but prefer a firm with regional reach beyond Western New York will find this model compelling.

Creative Planning Rochester

Few Rochester firms match Creative Planning's breadth of family office services. Family oversight, charitable planning, legacy planning, wealth transfer strategy, tax planning, and risk management all fall under one engagement. Scott McKay, MBA, CFP, leads the Rochester office as wealth manager and partner.

Creative Planning's national platform provides in-house tax preparation, legal coordination, and insurance solutions without referral to third parties. The $500,000 minimum places its entry point below most bank-affiliated platforms.

Wilmington Trust Rochester

Families who require trust administration, private banking, and estate services under a single regulated entity will find Wilmington Trust's model purpose-built for that need. Operating from 180 South Clinton Avenue downtown, this M&T Bank subsidiary executes lending, banking, portfolio management, and fiduciary trust services without third-party handoffs.

This integration matters most for families with complex trust structures, charitable remainder trusts, or private foundation needs. The downtown location provides separation from the Linden Oaks advisory cluster, serving families who prefer a banking-first relationship.

Forte Capital

Fee-conscious families seeking disciplined portfolio oversight will find Forte Capital's model efficient. The firm manages $1.45 billion from its Linden Oaks office as a fee-only RIA. Its focus sits squarely on portfolio management and asset allocation rather than broad family office coordination.

A $500,000 minimum and fee-only structure appeal to families who want to avoid the layered fees that bank-affiliated platforms sometimes carry. Forte's presence at 400 Linden Oaks places it in the same building as Mariner Wealth Advisors, giving families on that corridor easy comparison shopping.

Novem Group

Business owners and corporate executives represent Novem Group's core clientele. With $1.41 billion in capital managed, the firm differentiates through succession planning, executive compensation strategies, and pension consulting. These services set it apart from the portfolio-focused RIAs nearby.

Novem requires no set account minimum, which lowers the barrier for business owners whose wealth is concentrated in illiquid business equity rather than investable assets. Its Linden Oaks office at 350 Linden Oaks Suite 140 sits at the quieter end of the corridor, one block from the main cluster.

Investment Trends Shaping This Market

Multigenerational Wealth Transfer from Industrial Dynasties

Rochester's wealth transfer cycle is distinct. Kodak and Xerox created concentrated executive wealth in the 1960s through 1990s. That wealth now sits with heirs who did not build the original fortunes. These second and third-generation holders often need to restructure portfolios built around legacy stock positions. The Schoff Group at UBS specializes in exactly this transition, unwinding concentrated equity into diversified holdings while managing the tax consequences.

Family Business Succession as a Service Category

Rochester's regional economy still relies heavily on family-owned businesses in food production, manufacturing, and professional services. Family Wealth & Legacy built its entire model, the Family Business Family Office, around this demand. Michael Palumbos, the firm's principal, designed The Family Business Flywheel framework to link business growth, wealth coordination, and family continuity.

St. John Fisher University's 2025 launch of family office programming, sponsored by Key Private Bank, confirms that succession planning has become a formal discipline in the local market.

National Firm Expansion into Mid-Size Markets

Rockefeller Capital Management, CAPTRUST, Creative Planning, and Mariner Wealth Advisors all opened Rochester offices to capture wealth that previously flowed to Manhattan. This benefits local families by bringing institutional research, broader manager access, and specialized services to a market historically served only by homegrown RIAs. The Linden Oaks corridor now functions as a competitive marketplace where national and local firms operate side by side.

Private Allocations and Direct Capital Deployment

Cobblestone Capital's private placement management service reflects a broader trend: Rochester families are moving beyond public markets into direct deals, real estate, and alternative assets. The Wegmans Family Office allocates to direct private holdings and real estate developments. This shift tracks the national pattern of wealthy families reducing fund-of-fund exposure in favor of co-investment opportunities that offer lower fees and greater control.

How to Evaluate a Family Office in Rochester

Rochester's market requires a different evaluation framework than New York City or Boston. With roughly 15 firms offering family office-level services in a metro of 1.1 million people, families here face a paradox: enough options to require careful selection, but not so many that the choice overwhelms.

Start with structure. Most Rochester firms are RIAs that added family office services to an existing advisory practice. Only Seneca Financial Advisors launched as a dedicated MFO from inception. A firm that bolted family office capabilities onto a portfolio management platform may lack the same depth in family oversight or estate planning as one designed for that purpose.

Fee models vary meaningfully here. Cobblestone Capital and Howe and Rusling operate as fee-only advisors, eliminating commission conflicts. Novem Group uses a fee-based model, which may include commissions on certain products. Brighton Securities operates as a broker-dealer. Understanding whether your advisor acts as a fiduciary at all times, not just during planning engagements, is essential in a market where firm structures differ this widely.

Match team credentials to your specific needs. If equity compensation is your primary complexity, The Schoff Group's NASPP-affiliated expertise is hard to match locally. If trust administration drives your search, Wilmington Trust's regulated banking structure offers legal protections that RIAs cannot. Families with active businesses should assess whether a firm has dedicated succession planning staff or outsources that function.

Geographic convenience carries real weight in Rochester's relationship-driven market. Nine firms sit within the Linden Oaks corridor, which means quarterly reviews and ad-hoc meetings require minimal travel. Families who value face-to-face interaction should treat this clustering as a genuine advantage over remote advisory relationships with Manhattan-based offices.

Which Family Office Fits Your Needs?

UHNW families managing $25 million or more in investable assets should evaluate Cobblestone Capital, CAPTRUST, and Wilmington Trust first. Cobblestone's private placement management offers direct deal access. CAPTRUST provides national-scale research with local delivery. Wilmington Trust adds trust administration and private banking that independent RIAs cannot replicate. Families with wealth concentrated in a single-stock position from a Rochester-area corporate employer should speak with The Schoff Group at UBS before diversifying.

Business owners preparing for a liquidity event or generational transfer face a different selection challenge. Family Wealth & Legacy's Family Business Family Office model serves this scenario, with succession planning as the core service rather than an add-on. Creative Planning Rochester also covers business exit planning, charitable strategies, and family oversight under one engagement. Novem Group's executive compensation and pension consulting round out the options for owners whose wealth is still tied to their operating company.

Next-generation wealth holders inheriting Rochester legacy wealth should consider Seneca Financial Advisors, which has no account minimum and structures its MFO services around the premise that different generations hold different goals. Brighton Securities and Sage, Rutty & Co. also serve younger clients building toward larger portfolios, with lower entry points and financial education as part of the advisory relationship.

Methodology

This guide to family offices in Rochester NY draws from SEC Form ADV filings, firm websites, public AUM disclosures, and industry rankings. Profiles include only firms with verified Rochester-area addresses and confirmed family office or similar service offerings. AUM figures reflect the most recent publicly available data as of early 2026. Firms without disclosed AUM earned inclusion based on verified service scope and market presence. This article does not constitute financial advice. Families evaluating local wealth advisory firms should verify current AUM, fee structures, and service availability directly with each provider before engagement.