MADISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Transcend Capital Advisors today announced the appointment of Jim Baka as Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer. Baka will assume responsibility for day-to-day leadership of Transcend, including firm strategy, geographic expansion, advisor recruiting, operations, and organic growth initiatives.
Baka joins Transcend with over three decades of industry experience, most recently serving as President of Calamos Wealth Management for the past 20 years. In that capacity, Baka conceived and launched the wealth business for Calamos and then successfully built it into a comprehensive wealth management firm and multi-family office with roughly $4 billion of assets under management.
Transcend was founded in 2019 on the premise that individuals and families deserved access to the same types of investment opportunities that institutions, endowments, and foundations have long utilized to achieve consistent long-term performance. The company has seen explosive growth since its founding three years ago and was recently named in Citywire RIA's "50 Growers Across America," an industry report recognizing the fastest-growing RIAs in the United States. Transcend is an employee-owned firm and manages approximately $2.4 billion of assets out of offices in New Jersey, Michigan, and its recently opened office in Naples, Florida. The addition of Baka marks the next phase in the company’s evolution as it bolsters its wealth management capabilities and expands its investment platform nationally.
Baka joins a leadership team of Wall Street industry veterans with over 100 years of collective investment experience across multiple asset classes who utilize the power of their networks to source unique private investment opportunities for its clients. In addition to Baka, Transcend will continue to be led by managing partners Duncan Niederauer, Robert Brown, Brian Gorczynski, and Matthew Guenther.
“Our differentiated approach to wealth management has resonated with clients and advisors alike, and we could not be more thrilled to add an executive of Jim’s character and caliber to the Transcend leadership team. He is not only a strategic and growth-oriented visionary, but also a tactical and proven operator whose experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we look to enhance the client and advisor experience and grow into new markets,” stated Duncan Niederauer, Transcend Founder and Managing Partner, and former Chief Executive Officer of the New York Stock Exchange.
“I have been in the wealth management industry for over 30 years and the Transcend investment platform, leadership team, and company culture is unlike any I have experienced. From its differentiated approach to portfolio construction and network-powered access to institutional-quality investment opportunities to its uniquely collaborative company culture and relentless focus on client outcomes and impact, Transcend is elevating the wealth management experience in every respect,” said Baka.
“With the continued market volatility and the trend towards higher interest rates, Transcend has the investment capabilities and solutions to help clients navigate these uncertain times. I am humbled to join the Transcend team and excited to deliver the firm’s offering to more clients and advisors across the country,” Baka continued.
About Transcend Capital Advisors
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, Transcend is an independent registered investment advisor (RIA) offering wealth management services, public and private investments, strategic advisory services, and access to banking, lending, and family office solutions. Transcend manages approximately $2.4 billion of assets and serves families, business owners, executives, retirees, and entrepreneurs across the United States. Leveraging the unique network of its experienced management team, Transcend provides clients with access to investment opportunities not typically available to individual investors. For more information on Transcend, please visit transcendcapital.com.
CityWire RIA identifies and selects the fastest growing RIAs in each state by analyzing Form ADV data reported to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") at the time of publication. Data for this publication is gathered by Discovery Data. No compensation was paid in exchange for inclusion in the “50 Growers Across America.” To learn more about CityWire’s methodology, click here.
