Trio launches new firm, McMillen Buckley Investment Consulting

McMillen Buckley Inc., doing business as McMillen Buckley Investment Consulting, recently opened in Boise.

The firm targets foundations, endowments, corporations and high-net-worth private clients. It is not affiliated with any other company.

Michael McMillen, John Buckley and Brandee Schuelke own the new firm, which provides independent investment consulting and seeks to match clients with institutional money managers around the country based on the clients’ individual needs.

The firm employs three in the Sonna Building at Ninth and Main streets (Suite 214) in downtown Boise and two in an office in Walla Walla.

“Within the Treasure Valley and the greater part of Idaho, there is a lack of independent investment consulting” geared to this market segment, McMillen said. “Most endowments, most larger portfolios, have out-of-state consultants. We feel there is value to be added by (clients) working with local professionals.”

After working with clients to allocate assets based on a client’s formal statement of investment policy and goals, the firm often refers the client to a money manager. McMillen Buckley performs its own research, and portfolio-performance reporting.

“Our research includes the most recent information on over 1,300 money managers representing nearly 6,000 portfolios,” company-supplied information said. “We are able to quickly sort managers by the characteristics we are interested in reviewing.” As a private, independent firm, “we have no relationships with any manager and do not receive compensation from them.”

Before launching their own firm, the principals worked as McMillen Buckley Partners, a unit of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray.

Longtime colleagues McMillen and Buckley spearheaded the formation of the Treasure Valley Wealth Advisory Board about two years ago. An affiliation of local investment, accounting and legal professionals who specialize in working with organizations and high-net-worth families, the independent entity has no referral agreements, fees or revenue-sharing agreements.