About

About us

Carrick Bend Advisors is a Bay Area registered investment advisory (RIA) firm founded in 2004. Located in Santa Rosa, California, Carrick Bend Advisors specializes in fee-only, comprehensive portfolio and wealth management services. We offer our services to individuals, small businesses, and retirement plan sponsors.

Like the carrick bend, a knot used to join the ends of two large ropes, we integrate disparate investments into a strong whole. We are particularly adept at creating an effective investment strategy and managing multiple account portfolios with taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free investments.

  • Our clients’ objectives and goals drive our investment and financial planning advice.
  • We partner with our clients, working with other professionals our clients select to help meet their financial and life goals.
  • We charge for our services based upon clearly disclosed fees.
  • We offer concise and unbiased advice without ever earning commissions.

About the Principal

Carrick Bend Advisors was founded by Brian Berberet, CFA, CFP® who brings more than 20 years of institutional and private client portfolio management, securities research, and institutional equities trading experience to the firm.

Berberet has held the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation since 1996. The CFA program, of the CFA Institute, tests and grants expert status in core areas of the investment process, specifically in securities valuation and portfolio management. The CFA® charter sets the standard as the most highly respected designation in the investment management profession.

In 2015 Brian earned a CFP® certificate. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ mark represents a high level of competency, ethics, and professionalism. A CFP® professional is held to a fiduciary standard of care and is required to act in the client’s best interest.

Berberet worked eight years at the San Francisco-based mutual fund company Highmark Capital Management.

  • He co-managed a small cap mutual fund that received a four-star rating from Morningstar.
  • He served as an associate portfolio manager of a large cap equity income mutual fund.
  • He developed successful equity portfolio strategies for his prior firm’s private client group.

As an equity analyst, Berberet covered the banking, telecommunications services, entertainment, utilities, gaming and leisure, and R.E.I.T. industries. His work experience also includes institutional equities trading.

Brian was a CFA Society of San Francisco Board Member from 2005-2009 and he served as the Society’s Public Awareness Committee Chair.

Brian served as the President of the Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA) from 2008-2010.

He also served on the Investment Advisory Committee for the City of San Mateo from 2006-2016.

Brian is originally from Santa Barbara and earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. Brian also successfully completed a Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University.