William Harris Investors, Inc.

Overview

WILLIAM HARRIS INVESTORS, INC., CRD No. 108353, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under SEC file number 801-29805.¹ The firm is organized as a corporation under Delaware law.¹ WHI describes itself as the family office for the Irving B. Harris family.²

History

Irving B. Harris founded WHI in 1976 to manage his family’s capital.² He had left institutional investment counseling in 1975 to focus exclusively on his family’s assets.⁴ The family investment office adopted the name William Harris Investors, Inc. in 1986 in honor of Irving’s father.³ William Harris & Company was established by William Harris in 1910 as a wholesale wool-fabric jobber.³ WHI states that it established WHI Trust Company in 2018.³

Timeline

1. 1910William Harris & Company was established by William Harris in 1910 as a wholesale wool-fabric jobber.
2. 1975He had left institutional investment counseling in 1975 to focus exclusively on his family’s assets.
3. 1976Harris founded WHI in 1976 to manage his family’s capital.
4. 1986in 1986 in honor of Irving’s father.
5. 2018WHI states that it established WHI Trust Company in 2018.

Leadership

Form ADV lists Charles V. Polsky as Director, CEO and President.¹ Marc D. Bassewitz is Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary/Chief Compliance Officer.¹ Adam Blake Langsam is Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer.¹ Ann Marie C. Wolf is Vice President and Treasurer.¹ Jack R. Polsky is Director and trustee of the Jack Polsky Investment Trust.¹

Form ADV reports 38 employees, including four performing investment-advisory functions.¹

Services

WHI lists public and private equities, fixed income, venture capital, hedge funds and real estate among its investment strategies.² Its family services include financial and estate planning, trust services, cash management, accounting, administrative services, tax preparation and philanthropic services.² Form ADV identifies financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for pooled vehicles, portfolio management for businesses and institutional clients, pension consulting, and selection of other advisers as advisory activities.¹

WHI Trust Company, LLC is an affiliate providing trustee and trust-administration services for Harris family trusts and a select group of other clients.²

What the firm offers

• Investment management
• Financial planning
• Tax planning
• Estate planning
• Trust and fiduciary
• Philanthropy
• Administration and bill pay
• Private and alternative investments

Client focus

WHI provides investment and wealth-management services to four generations of the Harris family.² Form ADV brochure categories include individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, foundations and charities, private funds or pools, and financial-planning services.¹

Investment philosophy and approach

The firm states that its investment goal is to pursue attractive long-term, risk-adjusted returns while protecting capital during volatile markets.² WHI states that its operating values include integrity, loyalty and excellence.²

Assets and minimums

As of March 21, 2017, Form ADV reported $1,629,685,632 in total regulatory assets under management across 419 accounts, including $1,604,085,653 discretionary assets and $25,599,979 nondiscretionary assets.¹

FAQs

Related resources

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• Network siteEstatePlanner.com

  EstatePlanner.com provides practical guides on wills, trusts, and related planning questions. A business owner or family reviewing William Harris Investors can use these materials to prepare questions about estate planning, tax planning, fiduciary arrangements, and transitions across generations.

• Network siteFamilyOfficeDatabases.com

  FamilyOfficeDatabases.com offers directories of family offices and investors for broader market research. Readers can use it to compare how privately owned offices serving multigenerational families are described, including their investment approaches, alternative investments, administrative support, and geographic focus.

• GuideThe annual MFO review

  The annual MFO review provides a broader view of developments among multifamily offices. It can help readers place services such as investment management, philanthropy, family administration, and private investments within current priorities for wealthy families and business owners.

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  Profiles for Cresset Wealth Advisors, Northern Trust Corporation, and Aaron Wealth Advisors give readers additional firms to examine on this site. Comparing their stated services, client types, and locations with William Harris Investors may help a family organize questions before contacting an adviser.

Sources

1. Form ADV, CRD No. 108353 , as of 2017-03-21.
2. About William Harris Investors , accessed n.d.
3. Office History , accessed n.d.
4. Irving B. Harris , accessed n.d.

Claim or correct this profile

This profile is a factual summary written in our own words from public sources. It is for information only. It is not an endorsement, rating, ranking or recommendation, and it is not investment advice. MultiFamilyOffices.com is not affiliated with the SEC or with this firm unless stated. Form ADV figures are self-reported by the firm.