Q. How long has Tower Bridge been in business?
A. The firm was founded in 2001.
Q. Is Tower Bridge registered with any investment regulatory bodies?
A. Yes, Tower Bridge is registered with the SEC as a Registered Investment Advisor. Our form ADV is filed with the SEC and can be found on our website.
Q. What differentiates you from your competitors?
A. There are three key differentiators. 1. As an independent, employee-owned firm, everything we do is guided by one thing- what is in our clients’ best interests. 2. Each member of our team of portfolio managers and analysts has, on average, over 25 years’ experience analyzing stocks and building client portfolios. Experience brings great perspective to the investment process. 3. We are committed to outstanding client service. We pride ourselves on our robust communication with clients through whatever means works best for them—phone calls, emails or in-person meetings.
Q. What is your investment style?
A. On the equity side we manage growth stocks, but with a value tilt. That means we buy stocks that have better than average growth characteristics, but we are not willing to overpay for them. For fixed income investing, we believe in buying high quality corporates, as well as government, agency and muni bonds. We generally do not buy bond funds.
Q. What are the qualifications of your Investment Staff?
A. Our Investment Staff is comprised of 7 portfolio managers and 1 analyst. Three of those individuals are CFA® Charterholders, six also have MBA degrees and one CFP®. Their backgrounds include experience as sell side analysts for investment firms and large fund companies.
Q. How much money do you manage?
A. $1.3 Billion (as of quarter ending 06/30/2024)
Q. What is your minimum investment amount?
A. Our minimum investment size is $1 Million. It becomes challenging to truly customize a portfolio at smaller asset sizes.
Q. How do you service your clients?
A. We assign two portfolio managers to every client relationship, in addition to an account administrator. We communicate with clients as frequently as they would like, whether over the phone, in person or via email. We also send clients a brief market commentary 3 times per week, and offer educational web seminars on a monthly basis.
Q. What geography do you cover?
A. We have clients spread out across the country. Particularly with today’s electronic communication, we are able to service clients regardless of location.
Q. Do you work with Investment Advisors?
A. Tower Bridge has a number of relationships with investment advisors who utilize us for our asset management skills, while they oversee the overall client relationship. We work with these advisors to develop a communication plan that satisfies the client’s needs and keeps the advisor front and center in the relationship.
Q. Where would my assets be held?
A. Tower Bridge is not a custodian and does not physically handle client assets. We work with a number of reputable third party custodians to house client assets. This provides our clients with another level of comfort that their assets are secure, and that our only interest is in providing quality investment advice.
Q. How do you charge for your services?
A. Tower Bridge receives a fee based on a percentage of assets under management. This is our only fee since we do not sell any products nor provide other services, such as custody.
Q. How do I find out if Tower Bridge can help with my investments?
A. Contact Nick Filippo via phone or email, or fill out the contact form on our website. We will be happy to meet with you to understand your situation and your concerns, and together we can determine whether Tower Bridge would be a good fit.
Q. Are there any fees or consulting charges associated with an initial conversation?
A. No. We are always interested in meeting with prospective clients to see if there is a good personal fit and if we can help them with their investment needs.
Q. I am not satisfied with my current Investment firm. How easy is it to switch to Tower Bridge?
A. The process is typically very straightforward. Our account administrators put together the appropriate paperwork to open an account and manage all the details.
Q. What kind of reporting do you provide to clients?
A. Each quarter Tower Bridge provides a comprehensive report which includes detail about holdings, transactions, gains and losses, and performance. The report includes graphs that make it easy to read and understand.
Q. I work closely with an estate planning attorney and an accountant who prepares my taxes. How would Tower Bridge work with these professionals?
A. We work with many attorneys and accountants to ensure that they are aware of how your funds are invested. Likewise, we need to be sure we understand your estate plan and tax situation, as that may impact the way we manage your portfolio. We can also provide your attorney or accountant with copies of your statements if you wish for us to do so.