Balentine Named One of Investment News' Top Ten Up and Coming Registered Investment Advisors

Online, June 13, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Balentine, an independent, employee-owned investment management firm serving individuals, families and not-for-profit institutions, was named one of InvestmentNews' top ten up and coming Registered Investment Advisors (RIA). Founded in January 2010, Balentine currently has more than $900 million in assets under management.

When asked by InvestmentNews to discuss the key components that have led to Balentine's growth, Jeff Adams, Balentine's President, explained, "When we restarted our firm at the end of last year, we insisted on hiring the best and brightest for every position...the firm has a specific culture." He continued, "That culture is defined by our people. We feel diversity of background and experience is essential to bringing best thinking to our work and encouraging innovation in our industry. We have been fortunate to staff our firm with qualified professionals who know their jobs and understand that putting clients' interests first is the idea that underpins everything we do."

Balentine was re-launched in January 2010 by Robert Balentine, who co-founded the original Balentine & Company with his father in 1987 - a firm that was sold to Wilmington Trust Company in 2002. At the time of Balentine & Company's acquisition, they were the largest privately-owned investment counseling firm in the southeast.

The fast-growing firm now has 22 employees, with offices in Atlanta, Raleigh and Baltimore serving most of the eastern seaboard. The Balentine team is comprised of three Ph.D.s, seven CFA® charter holders, the former director of research for the Shanghai Stock Exchange and three former chief investment officers of multi-billion dollar institutions. Of Balentine's current employees, nearly half are women and a quarter lived or were educated outside of the United States.

About InvestmentNews

InvestmentNews is part of Crain Communications, Inc., one of the largest privately owned business publishers in the United States. Their May 30, 2011 "The Up and Comers" rankings were determined by each firm's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings in conjunction with a range of other factors.