Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough

In 1985, two Amherst College classmates, Robert Bingham and Ed Osborn, along with John Scarborough, founded Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough (BOS) in San Francisco. The firm was established as a fee-only financial planning and wealth management firm, initially managing about $800 million in client assets. Their focus was on providing sophisticated financial strategies for high-net-worth individuals and families in the Bay Area, covering everything from retirement and estate planning to investment management. The company's ownership structure saw significant changes over the years. In 2003, Boston Private Financial Holdings announced an agreement to acquire an initial 20% stake, with the potential to increase it to 70%. This partnership evolved, but in 2018, the firm's management executed a buyback, regaining majority ownership from Boston Private with financial backing from Kudu Investment Management. This independence was a precursor to its next major chapter. In November 2021, BOS announced it was merging with Cerity Partners, a national wealth management firm. The deal created a combined entity advising on approximately $40 billion in assets. The merger allowed BOS to operate under the Cerity Partners name, significantly expanding its resources and national presence while integrating its leadership into the new firm's structure.