Welch & Forbes LLC (Boston)


Welch & Forbes LLC is a large advisory firm based in Boston. It manages $4.59 billion of regulatory assets for 2,762 client accounts. It has been registered with the SEC as an adviser since 2001 and has operated in the jurisdictions of California, Colorado, Connecticut, and 16 other states.

Welch & Forbes provides financial planning services, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles, and portfolio management for businesses and institutional clients. It prepares financial plans for more than 100 clients. On top of advisory services, the firm doesn't engage in other business activities.

Welch & Forbes: assets under management

The assets under management (AUM) of Welch & Forbes LLC is $4.59 billion. The firm's AUM has grown by 13% since the beginning of its operation, and $110.56 million of the total AUM is attributable to clients outside of the United States.

The firm manages $4.3 billion in discretionary accounts and $284.68 million in non-discretionary accounts. On average, the discretionary accounts where all decisions are made on behalf of the client hold $1.61 million each. Non-discretionary accounts, where clients actively manage their portfolios, generally hold around $3.35 million.
Welch & Forbes has custody of $4.15 billion in cash and securities for 789 clients in total but doesn’t act as a qualified custodian.

Investments

The firm invests in exchange traded securities the most. They account for 73% of the total AUM. The second-largest asset type is cash and cash equivalents, which make up 10% of the firm’s portfolio. Investments in investment and business development companies form 7% of the total invested assets.

Fees & Commissions

The advisory firm has several streams of revenue. Clients pay Welch & Forbes LLC for their services and products based on a percentage of assets under management and fixed fees. Compensation based on assets under management promotes a long-term relationship between a client and the adviser and helps align mutual interests. These fees don’t include brokerage commissions, interest, taxes, and other account expenses.

What kind of clients John Hughes Emmons serves?

The firm provides services to individuals, charitable organizations, other investment advisers, high net worth individuals, corporations or other businesses, and pension and profit sharing plans. The largest group of clients of John Hughes Emmons is high net worth individuals with 447 clients and $3.86 billion of assets under management. Among the 6 most similar advisory firms, Welch & Forbes has the 2nd highest percentage of high net worth individuals out of all clients.

The amount of regulatory assets under management is $4.59 billion for 764 clients that can include trusts, estates, and 401(k) plans and IRAs of individuals and their family members. 3% of the firm’s clients are foreign persons or businesses.

Welch & Forbes also advises several private funds. Namely, eight private equity funds. The minimum investment commitment required of non-related persons is $10,000 for each fund.

Careers at Welch & Forbes LLC

The company employs 55 people that are either part- or full-time employees. 24 percent of the employees work as investment advisers or researchers. No employees are registered as investment adviser representatives with the state securities authorities.

There isn’t anyone with the role of looking for and bringing in new clients on behalf of the firm. The firm compensates employees in addition to the salary for bringing in new clients. Employees don’t receive compensation from other entities for client referrals.

John Hughes Emmons has been acting as President since 1 Oct 2010. Oliver Ames Spalding joined the executive team most recently as the Executive Vice President.

Direct owners and executive officers


Name Entity Date acquired Ownership Employer ID
Welch & Forbes Inc Member 1 Jul 2001 Other 105043
Welch & Forbes Member 1 Jul 2001 75% - 100% 04-2062087
Kurt Henry Walter Senior vice president & treasurer 1 Nov 2001 Other 4443023
Peter P. Brown Senior vice president and compliance officer 1 Nov 2001 Other 4443004
Francis Richard Young President 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334392
Thomas Nicolson Dabney Executive vice president & clerk 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334398
Richard Olney Executive vice president 1 Nov 2001 Other 352252
Arthur Carlisle Hodges Executive vice president & compliance officer 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334423
Mary Lynn Brennan Executive vice president 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334446
John Hughes Emmons Executive vice president 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334429
Charles Thorndike Haydock Executive vice president 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334436
Oliver Ames Spalding Senior vice president 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334441
James Edward Russell Senior vice president & secretary 1 Nov 2001 Other 407583
Richard Francis Young President 1 Nov 2001 Other 4334392
Inc. Affilated Managers Group Member 1 Nov 2001 50% - 75% 04-3218510
Adrienne G. Silbermann Executive vice president & compliance officer 1 Jan 2005 Other 4443007
Benjamin Jackson Williams Executive vice president 1 Jan 2005 Other 1626225
James Edward Russell Executive vice president, chief operating officer & chief compliance officer 1 Jan 2005 Other 407583
Oliver Ames Spalding Senior vice president and compliance officer 1 Jan 2008 Other 4334441
John Hughes Emmons President 1 Oct 2010 Other 4334429
Charles Thorndike Haydock Executive vice president & chief investment officer 1 Oct 2010 Other 4334436
Todd R Jundi Vice president & chief compliance officer 1 Oct 2010 Other 2400050
Richard Francis Young Executive vice president 1 Oct 2010 Other 4334392
Amg Wf Holdings Llc Manager member 1 Dec 2010 75% - 100% 45-1213375
Kurt Henry Walter Executive vice president & treasurer 1 May 2013 Other 4443023
Todd R Jundi Senior vice president & chief compliance officer 1 Jul 2015 Other 2400050
Oliver Ames Spalding Executive vice president 1 Feb 2016 Other 4334441
Theodore Edward Ober Executive vice president 1 Feb 2016 Other 6629892

Indirect Owners

The SEC currently registers 29 indirect owners.

Name Entity Date acquired Ownership Employer ID
Kenneth Shaw Safe Partner 1 Apr 1971 Other 4334382
Thomas Nicolson Dabney Partner 1 Jul 1978 Other 4334398
Vasil William Efthim Partner 1 Jul 1978 Other 4334443
Richard Olney Partner 1 Jan 1982 Other 352252
Arthur Carlisle Hodges Partner 1 Jan 1989 Other 4334423
Mary Lynn Brennan Partner 1 Jan 1995 Other 4334446
John Hughes Emmons Partner 1 Jan 1995 Other 4334429
Charles Thorndike Haydock Partner 1 Jan 1995 Other 4334436
Francis Richard Young Partner 1 Jan 1995 Other 4334392
Denise S Brown Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443003
Peter P. Brown Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443004
Adrienne G. Cohen Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443007
John Domenic Craven Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 1312786
Nancy E. Larsen Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443010
Joanne M. Leach Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443012
Ronald E. Morrell Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443014
Kathleen B. Murphy Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443017
Steven Taylor Potter Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 366431
James Edward Russell Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 407583
Oliver Ames Spalding Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4334441
Kurt Henry Walter Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 4443023
Benjamin Jackson Williams Partner 1 Jul 2001 Other 1626225
Inc. Affiliated Managers Group 100% stockholder of managing member 1 Nov 2001 75% - 100% 04-3218510
Affiliated Managers Group Inc. Stockholder of managing member 1 Nov 2001 75% - 100% 04-3218510
Inc. Affiliated Managers Group Sole member 1 Dec 2010 75% - 100% 04-3218510
Affiliated Managers Group Inc. Sole member 1 Dec 2010 75% - 100% 04-3218510
Inc. Affiliated Managers Group Series a member and manager 1 Mar 2011 75% - 100% 04-3218510
Llc Amg Wp Lp Holdings Limited partner 1 Jun 2011 75% - 100% 46-1924266
Lp Amg Wealth Partners Manager and sole member 1 Jul 2012 75% - 100% 45-1211980

Based in Boston

The principal office where Welch & Forbes LLC performs its advisory services is located at 45 School Street, Boston, MA 02108, which is also the mailing address of the firm. It doesn’t run an office outside of the United States.

You can reach the main office by calling the phone number 617-523-1635 or by fax 617-742-6243. The normal business hours are 9 am to 5 pm on Monday - Friday. You can find more information about the New York firm at welchforbes.com.