Welcome

We understand the demands of building and eventually exiting your business. Our founder, Bruce Lyle, has worked for 40 years with wealthy families and business owners who have been involved with a merger or acquisition.

Bruce works with each business owner and their family to preserve and manage their wealth. He points to pivotal figures in American business to underscore three important questions:

• Andrew Carnegie: "Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations."

How can we help your future generations learn to manage and preserve what you have worked so hard to build?

• J.P. Morgan: "The changing of a vague difficulty into a specific concrete form is a very essential element in thinking."

How can we better define your vision for the future, including how you want to live your life, the people you value and the impact you want to make?

• Sam Walton. The Walton family fortune has been passed down through generations thanks in part to innovative family trusts.

How was Sam Walton able to pass his wealth to his children without losing the majority to taxes?

The value of collaboration
We engage clients three to five years ahead of a successful exit, merger or acquisition. This time frame allows a client's attorneys, tax advisors and J.P. Morgan specialists to do their best work.

Bruce points to a lifetime of experience in shaping his perspective:

• Unwinding complexity. Early in his life, Bruce was exposed to the intricacies of family wealth. His father was an estate planning attorney, and his mother was an accountant, financial advisor and Vice Chairman of BCBS in Arizona. He grew up hearing about the risks and challenges wealthy families face.
• Learning from history. With more than 40 years of experience, Bruce has witnessed volatile markets and highs and lows in the economic cycle. In 1987, his second year in the business, the market dropped 21% on October 19th. These experiences have helped him manage clients' expectations and emotions.
• Being open-minded. Bruce believes he can add the most value to families by listening to their personal stories, weighing their priorities and charting their next steps. Each family has had a one-of-a-kind journey with a specific destination in mind.
• Looking ahead to the next generations. Bruce enjoys the opportunity to nurture future generations. He includes second and third generations in meetings to address their personal interests, teach them about financial checks and balances and build a model to carry on the family's values.

Bruce and his wife, Laurie, went to high school together in Tucson, Arizona. Bruce was the state tennis champion and Laurie was a gymnast, diver and cheerleader. They have four children and five grandchildren. Their grandchildren, who live in Kentucky and Arizona, spend weeks with them in the summer to enjoy the beach and the waves.