Second Year in a Row for Prestigious Annual Award that Recognizes Innovation and Other Attributes

Destiny Family Office, a Destiny Wealth Partners firm, has been named a finalist in the prestigious 10^th Annual Family Wealth Report Awards in the Multi-Family Office category (up to and including $2.5 Billion in Assets Under Management/Assets Under Advisement).

According to Stephen Harris, ClearView Financial Media’s CEO, and publisher of Family Wealth Report, “The Annual Family Wealth Report Awards recognize the most innovative and exceptional firms, teams and individuals serving the family office, family wealth and trusted advisor communities in North America.”

“We founded our firm with a mission and purpose forged by what we saw as an unanswered need in the marketplace: families seeking advocacy, compelling wealth and investment management capabilities, and execution—without compromise,” said Tom Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP®, Founder and CEO of Destiny Family Office.

“While we serve many families, we operate as though we are the team serving a single family. We seek to get to know them intimately, coming to appreciate both their articulated and unarticulated needs, their challenges and aspirations. Only then can we truly deliver an exceptional experience uniquely tailored to them—a hallmark of our firm.

“From the perspective of our clients, it’s more than how we manage their financial needs and implement strategies; it’s how we stand beside them along their journey, helping them to better navigate the great complexity that encompasses their business, financial and personal worlds.”

The awards are judged by an expert panel of more than 40 judges, and finalists are selected on entrants’ submissions and their response to questions across a range of qualitative and quantitative criteria and performance metrics. The judging process is rigorous and independent.

“The firms and individuals in the 10th Family Wealth Report program are worthy competitors and the ones who have reached the Finalist stage are truly outstanding,” said Harris.

Winners will be announced May 4, 2023, at the Family Wealth Report Gala at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City.

About Destiny Family Office  

Destiny Family Office is a Multi-Family Office founded in 2016 by CEO Thomas Ruggie, a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and a 30-year veteran of the investment and financial planning industries. It was created to simplify complexity for its high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth client families and to empower them to focus on what is most important, so they may live their best lives and have the greatest impact on the world around them. Tom Ruggie began his career in 1991 and subsequently founded Ruggie Wealth Management, also a Destiny Wealth Partners Firm, which has nearly $1B in Assets Under Management. He has been ranked among Barron’s Top 1200 Advisors ten times, as a Forbes Best-in-State Advisor since its inception (and was 4th in N Florida in 2022), and has been a Forbes Finance Council member since 2016.

About Family Wealth Report 

Family Wealth Report provides unique and essential business intelligence on the world of North American family wealth—straight to subscribers’ inboxes every day along with an archive of almost 200,000 relevant articles. It is part of the global WealthBriefing Network. Family Wealth Report is published by ClearView Financial Media with more than 20 years of experience providing information to the international financial services sector.

Investment advisory services offered through Destiny Wealth Partners, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Destiny Wealth Partners also conducts business under the name Destiny Family Office and Ruggie Wealth Management. Rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Destiny Family Office is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of Destiny Family Office by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines, and others, may base their selections on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. Barron’s rankings are based on factors including assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice and philanthropic work.

We’re excited to announce the addition of Nichols Wealth Partners, a Boca Raton-based RIA led by Managing Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor Chris Nichols, to our Destiny Wealth Partners Family. Destiny Wealth Partners also does business under as Ruggie Wealth Management, Destiny Family Office, and KCG Investment Advisory Services, in Savannah, GA.

All four firms bring well-respected brands to the partnership and Nichols Wealth Partners will continue to operate as an independent firm. Chris will remain in charge of his business decisions and operations while adding resources, people, infrastructure, and technology to help the firm in its next phase of growth.

“Destiny Wealth Partners is excited to add such a high-caliber, well-respected team to our growing family,” said Tom Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP®, Founder and CEO of Destiny Wealth Partners. “Over the past two decades, Chris has earned a reputation as a caring, hardworking, passionate advisor who wants to see people win. Most of his clients are highly successful, and he works hard to help them preserve that success. He recognized the growth/balance/time constraint many advisors face as they build their businesses and found that joining Destiny Wealth Partners was a solution that allows him to do even more for his firm, his clients, and others.”

“After going through our planning process and mapping out our long-term growth, we knew we wanted to align with a like-minded group of leading innovators who shared a deep industry knowledge, vast network of specialized services, demonstrated investment strategies and abiding passion for serving clients,” said Chris. Greater efficiency will give me and my team more quality time to be present with our clients and to continue to build a sustainable, multi-generational firm with even greater access to investment options, improved high net-worth planning and succession strategies. That will be a positive for us and will translate to an even better experience for the clients we serve.”

“The marketplace is clamoring for high value, no matter the industry or profession,” said Chris. “Investors are demanding more and more from advisors. The Destiny Wealth Partners team recognized this shift taking place and has made some extraordinary leaps to prepare for the future growth of their firm. I know my clients will see the immediate effects of our partnership by having increased access to a broad sphere of investments including alternative investments for accredited investors and direct investments and co-investments for our qualified purchasers.”

“Tom has earned national recognition as an innovative and forward-looking advisor from some of the most respected names in the industry,” said Chris. “We are extremely excited for what our partnership together will bring to the table, both for our firm and our clients.” To schedule an appointment or second opinion with Nichols Wealth Partners, visit nicholswealth.com or call 561.939.8323. To reach Destiny Wealth Partners, visit RuggieWealth.com or call 352.343.2700.

Investment Advisory services offered through Destiny Wealth Partners, LLC an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Recognitions are specific to Tom Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP®. Listing in any publication is not a guarantee of future investment success. These recognitions should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. Barron’s rankings are based on factors including assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice and philanthropic work. Forbes rankings are based on quality of practice, telephone and in-person interviews, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations and quantitative criteria. *Additional disclosures and important information at ruggiewealth.com/disclosures.

Ruggie Wealth Management’s Senior Wealth Advisor Mark Dickerson, ChFC®, CFP® has added the designation of Certified Divorce Financial Analyst^® to his credentials as a Chartered Financial Consultant^® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM. The designation was earned following rigorous coursework set forth by The Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA™) and successful completion of a certification exam.

The announcement was made by Tom Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP®, Founder and CEO of Destiny Wealth Partners, independent RIA for Ruggie Wealth Management, Destiny Family Office and KCG Investment Advisory Services in Savannah.

“Even with more than two decades of experience in the financial field, Mark continues to demonstrate his commitment to our firms, our clients, and our profession by expanding his skills and knowledge,” said Tom.

A CDFA® is trained to provide financial advice on divorce cases and to educate clients on the financial implications of different divorce settlement proposals. The CDFA® designation is sponsored by the IDFA™, which helps ensure the financial health and welfare of the divorcing public by certifying professionals who uphold their high standards.

“To help effectively manage the transition through divorce and the years following, it may be important for a divorcing spouse to have a knowledgeable CDFA®, along with an attorney as part of his or her team,” said Mark. “This may be particularly important when minor children, substantial assets or businesses are involved, or for so-called ‘Grey Divorces’ of those 55 years of age or older, particularly if one spouse has not consistently been involved in managing the details of her/his finances, taxes, and investments during the marriage,” he added.

A CDFA® can assist in evaluating assets, liabilities, compensation, adverse tax consequences, and available retirement and employee benefits. Certification requires successful completion of the CDFA® Exam, continuing education in the field, and commitment to uphold the Institute’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

If you or someone you know is going through a high-net-worth divorce, or if there are a lot of marital assets to be divided, it’s a good idea to hire a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®. Contact Mark at 352.343.2700 or [email protected]

Tom Ruggie has collected sports memorabilia since childhood. This recent interview touches on his expertise about collectibles as alternative investments.

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Michael J. Marrone, II, an operations veteran with global, hands-on experience with both small and large firms in the investment management industry, has joined Central Florida-based Destiny Wealth Partners as its operations manager. In this role, Michael will be supporting the growth trajectory, and expanding capabilities and service offerings, of a nationally recognized independent firm that serves various clients including the complex needs of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

“I am thrilled to welcome Michael,” said Thomas Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP®, Founder and CEO of Destiny Wealth Partners, an independent RIA that conducts business as Ruggie Wealth Management, Destiny Family Office, and KCG Investment Advisory Services (Savannah). Destiny Wealth Partners currently has approximately $1 Billion in Assets Under Management and Advisement.

“Michael has earned a reputation for his exceptional leadership and strategic thinking, with a focus on client service and support. He recognizes the importance of consistently delivering an exceptional client experience and therefore continually innovates in the areas of people, systems, and processes. Culturally, he is a great fit for our organization and the clients we serve,” said Ruggie.

Marrone comes to the firm with more than 20 years of experience, most recently working with RIAs that served high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as institutions and foundations, helping them scale their operations and systems. He has served on the boards of private investment projects in the UAE, Spain, and Norway.

Marrone enjoys spending time with his family, boating, skiing, and participating in activities that promote health & fitness.