Ballast, Inc. logo

Ballast, Inc.

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Client assets under management

$715,380,562

Clients

454

48% high-net worth

Advisors

8

of 12 employees

Firm type

Team

4-10 advisors or $500M+ in AUM

Clients per advisor

57

Typical

Average account size

$1,575,728

About

Ballast serves a mix of individual and high-net-worth clients as well as corporate and retirement-plan sponsors, managing roughly $751 million through a team of eight advisors. In addition to discretionary investment management and financial planning, the firm provides pension and retirement consulting, participant services for 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) plans, and advice on 529 plans.

The firm constructs customized portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, options, and, for suitable accredited investors, alternative investments such as REITs and private partnerships, generally with a long-term orientation while allowing tactical reallocation as market conditions warrant. Ballast also provides plan-level fiduciary services (including 3(21) investment manager support), benchmarking and plan design reviews, and in select cases leverages third-party order management (FeeX) and third-party managed-account platforms to implement client strategies.

What is distinctive about Ballast relative to many peers is its institutional footprint: it advises pension plans and state or municipal government clients and performs benchmarking and retirement-plan administration reviews, roles held by only a small share of similar team firms. The firm also discloses the use of endorsements and client testimonials in its advertising and maintains established participant servicing relationships with custodians such as TIAA-CREF and Fidelity, with negotiated arrangements (including fee caps) for certain institutional clients.

Client services

Financial planning Portfolio management Pension consulting Selection of other advisers

Expertise

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.)

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner Executive

Fee options

Fixed

Flat fees ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 for financial planning services; consulting services may also be flat fee

Percentage

$0 - $100,000.00: 1.75% $100,000.01 - $250,000.00: 1.60% $250,000.01 - $500,000.00: 1.50% $500,000.01 - $1,000,000.00: 1.35% $1,000,000.01 - $3,000,000.00: 1.25% $3,000,000.01 - $5,000,000.00: 1.15% $5,000,000.01+: Negotiable

Commissions

Commissions earned by advisory persons for selling insurance products, separate and in addition to advisory fees

Project-based

Hourly rates from $200 to $700 for financial planning services

Subscriptions

Consulting services may be charged as quarterly or monthly retainer fees payable in advance, including percentage of net worth up to 1%

Other

Fee-only: Negotiable hourly rates from $200 to $700; flat fees from $1,000 to $10,000 for financial planning; consulting fees up to $10,000/month or $30,000/quarter or percentage of net worth up to 1%

Main office location

Ballast, Inc.

400 East Vine St, Suite 400

Lexington KY 40507, United States

Number of offices

1

Most active in

Colorado · Florida · Georgia · Indiana · Kentucky · North Carolina · Ohio · Tennessee · Texas

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

Advisors at this firm

user avatar

Trent L

Series 65

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Trent Lakes is a financial advisor at Ballast, Inc. in Lexington, KY, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. He has been with Ballast since 2022 and previously attended the University of Kentucky. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting through a team model, managing over $625 million with a long-term investment approach that incorporates both fundamental and technical analysis.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Cameron H

CFP®, Series 66

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Cameron Hamilton is a CFP® and Series 66-registered advisor with Ballast, Inc. in Lexington, KY, bringing 11 years of industry experience. He previously worked at APW Capital, INC. for seven years and has been with Ballast since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Hamilton serves on multiple nonprofit boards, including Life Plan of Kentucky, Ashland Terrace, and Bike4Alz, and owns a part-time BBQ business that donates its net profits to a charitable cause. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, emphasizing a long-term investment approach tailored through fundamental and technical analysis. The firm manages over $625 million with a six-advisor team and offers plan-level advisory services, including ERISA Section 3(21) consulting for public-sector and municipal retirement plans.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

John B

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

John Boardman is a CFP® with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ballast, Inc. since 2010. He previously worked at APW Capital, Inc. from 2010 to 2021. Outside of his advisory role, Boardman is an insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products and serves on the boards of the Markey Cancer Foundation, Idle Hour Country Club (where he is also Treasurer), and The Lexington School Endowment Committee. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach combined with both fundamental and technical analysis and offers plan-level advisory services, managing over $625 million with a six-adviser team.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Brian B

CFP®, Series 65

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Brian Burton is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Ballast, Inc. for the entirety of his career, currently working as part of their six-advisor team in Lexington, KY. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes a long-term investment approach combined with fundamental and technical analysis, and it offers specialized services in retirement-plan consulting and participant advisory for public-sector and municipal plan sponsors.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Catherine R

Series 65

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Catherine Richmond is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Ballast, Inc. with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Ballast, she spent ten years at Kaplan, Inc. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes customized portfolios with a primarily long-term investment approach and offers plan-level consulting and participant advisory services, managing over $625 million with a six-advisor team.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Jeffrey L

Series 65

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Jeffrey Lehmann is a financial advisor at Ballast, Inc. in Lexington, KY, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ballast, he worked at Russell Capital Management for five years. Ballast, Inc. serves individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans with investment management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach combined with fundamental and technical analysis, and it emphasizes plan-level advisory work, including ERISA Section 3(21) services for public-sector and municipal plans.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Andrew R

CFP®, Series 66

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Andrew Reynolds is a CFP® professional with 16 years of experience currently serving at Ballast, Inc. He has worked at Ballast and APW Capital, Inc., and maintains an outside insurance business. Reynolds volunteers as a board member of the Blue Grass Community Foundation and serves on the University of Kentucky MBA Advisory Council, contributing to program development and candidate mentorship. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, emphasizing a long-term investment approach combined with personalized client contact. The firm manages over $625 million with a team of six advisers and offers services including discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and participant advisory services.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Frank Y

CFP®, Series 65

Lexington, KY

Ballast, Inc.

Frank Yozwiak is a CFP® and Series 65 licensed advisor with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Ballast, Inc. since 2017 and previously at Stidham & Associates, P.S.C. from 2015 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is a minority owner and consultant for Sorbothane, Inc. and Sorbo Holdings, LLC, both manufacturing businesses, and serves as vice president and finance committee member of the Park Early Childhood Center board. Ballast, Inc. provides investment and planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, emphasizing customized portfolios with a long-term investment approach. The firm also specializes in plan-level advisory services for public-sector and municipal clients, managing over $625 million with a six-advisor team.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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