Scott Roulston: The Evolution of the Modern Family Office

How is wealth management evolving, and what does that mean for today’s Family Offices, advisors, business owners, and next-generation leaders? In this Family Office Access MasterClass, Danielle Patterson, Executive Director of Family Office Access at ISS Market Intelligence, sits down with Scott Roulston, Advisory Partner at The Pritzker Organization and board member of Wellspring Advisors, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolution of wealth management and the modern Family Office. Drawing on decades of experience across wealth management, institutional investing, Family Offices, M&A, governance, and corporate leadership, Scott shares perspective shaped by both his career and his family’s history in the investment industry. The conversation explores how wealth management has evolved from traditional advisory models into an increasingly complex ecosystem of RIAs, Family Offices, multi-family offices, private markets, technology, and more comprehensive forms of advice. Scott and Danielle discuss: • The evolution of wealth management and the rise of independent RIAs • Industry consolidation, M&A, scale, independence, and alignment • The evolution of Single and Multi-Family Office models • Why wealthy families increasingly expect more than investment management • Patient Family Office capital and long-term investing • Tax planning, estate planning, and the importance of after-tax outcomes • How families should evaluate trusted advisors and wealth management firms • Succession planning for advisory firms, Family Offices, and family businesses • Governance and the role of independent boards • Preparing next-generation family members for leadership and stewardship • The importance of relationships, emotional intelligence, and trust • How AI and technology may reshape the wealth management experience A central theme throughout the conversation is continuity. As firms consolidate and Family Offices evolve, families still want trusted relationships with advisors who understand their goals, values, concerns, and long-term vision. Scott discusses why the strongest advisors increasingly become a family’s “first call,” helping coordinate investment management, tax considerations, estate planning, governance, succession, and other needs rather than serving only as portfolio managers. The discussion also explores succession, both within wealth management firms and within families. Scott shares why leadership development needs to begin years before a transition and why families should understand what happens if the advisor or executive they rely on is no longer there. He also shares perspective on governance, including the value independent directors can bring to Family Offices and family businesses navigating complex generational transitions. Finally, Scott and Danielle look ahead to artificial intelligence and the future of wealth management. Scott sees technology as an opportunity to make advice more personalized and efficient, while relationships, judgment, empathy, and trust remain essential. About Scott Roulston: Scott Roulston is an Advisory Partner at The Pritzker Organization and serves on the board of Wellspring Advisors. His career has spanned investment management, wealth management, institutional investing, Family Offices, M&A, governance, and corporate leadership. About Family Office Access: Family Office Access, now part of ISS Market Intelligence, helps organizations better understand and engage the Family Office community through data, intelligence, education, and relationship-driven programming. Subscribe for future Family Office Access MasterClasses and conversations on Family Office investing, private wealth, succession, governance, next-generation leadership, and the future of wealth management. #FamilyOffice #WealthManagement #RIA #PrivateWealth #SuccessionPlanning #NextGen #FamilyBusiness #MultiFamilyOffice #SingleFamilyOffice #FamilyOfficeGovernance #AIinFinance