History
We’re Highland Associates, an investment consultancy serving nonprofit mission-based organizations.
As a company, we are the beneficiary of a remarkable legacy: A service model for consultants built with a client’s perspective. So, just how remarkable is it?
Highland opened its doors in 1987, providing comprehensive institutional consulting services.
Now in our fifth decade of service, the firm is still serving clients welcomed more than 20 years ago. Our average client tenure is 13 years.
Our track record shows we understand what nonprofits need to succeed: Consistent investment performance. Consultants with a collaborative mindset. And more supportive services that could ever be summed up in a list.
Plus, as we’ve learned, while clients like a “yes” person, they also need a “why” person. That is someone who isn’t afraid to question the status quo or tell them what they need to hear.
We’ve been called “data obsessives,” which we take as a compliment.
Clients like what we do with numbers. While some investment firms use third parties for their market and manager research, our team is happily rolling up our sleeves to dig deeper into the data. The team is committed to market and manager research and carefully dissects the data.
Research eliminates much of the guesswork from investing, which is precisely why mission-based organizations hire us. Historically, our insights have enabled our clients to do more and dream bigger.
In 2019, we aligned with a Birmingham-based institution we’ve known for years, Regions Financial Corporation. The alliance fit Regions’ strategy to build a better team. And it enabled us to offer our clients the “best of both worlds:” The high-touch services of a boutique investment firm with the expansive resources of a multi-billion dollar financial giant.
Clients tell us we’re likable. And we like to hear that.
Highland Associates is headquartered in Birmingham, AL, with offices in St. Louis, MO and Minneapolis, MN. As one of the south’s largest financial centers, Birmingham is a wellspring of expertise. This puts our firm in the enviable position of being able to hire the best of the best.
Over the years, we’ve enriched the company’s pedigree with experienced, knowledgeable, and credentialed financial pros. Even better, our associates come to stay. Our average tenure is fifteen years, more than twice the industry average.
It’s inspiring to work with organizations that seek to make meaningful change in our communities. As a company and individuals, we’re proud to invest our time, talent, and efforts into being a steward of good deeds.