Wealth management company Evergreen Gavekal is opening its first Spokane office on the sixth floor of the Rock Pointe Tower, just a short walk from the city’s cluster of sports venues in the North Bank neighborhood.

The new office marks the fifth satellite location nationwide for Evergreen Gavekal — a trade name for Evergreen Capital Management LLC. The company is operating at 316 W. Boone in an 1,100-square-foot office designed to accommodate future staff as wealth consultant Sage Swanson gets operations up and running. For now, Swanson is supported by a dedicated client service team based at the company’s Bellevue, Washington, headquarters.

Swanson, who previously worked at the company’s Bellevue office, brings a book of existing clients with her and will focus on building relationships with business owners, families, and retirees in the Spokane area.

Swanson, 28, says she feels motivated to build a long-term client base in a community she feels connected to, while expanding the company’s footprint east of the Cascades. Evergreen Gavekal's business growth strategy is to expand organically through adviser-led growth rather than acquisition, she says. The Spokane office reflects that strategy.

“We get to wear a lot of hats, and we get to put ourselves in the deep end of the pool … because it’s just a young, growing environment and they really foster that,” Swanson says of her pitch to open a Spokane office. “They’re like, 'Go for it. See if you can do it. Dream big.'"

Swanson's path to one day opening a satellite office in Spokane began during the pandemic, she says, when a career pivot led her into wealth management after originally planning to attend law school. A Whitworth University alum, Swanson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and earned a master's degree shortly after. She entered the wealth management industry in a client service role before earning credentials such as a Series 65 license and later a Certified Financial Planner designation. She joined Evergreen Gavekal three years ago to gain access to broader in-house investment resources and planning tools. Swanson previously worked remotely in Spokane for the company before relocating to the West Side.

Now back in Spokane, Swanson will focus on serving privately held business owners, families, and retirees seeking income planning, estate strategies, and long-term investment management. Much of her work centers on helping clients plan for generational wealth transfers, charitable giving, and liquidity events tied to business ownership or real estate, she explains.

In addition to referrals from her existing network, Swanson receives prospective clients through Evergreen Gavekal’s relationship with Charles Schwab as part of the Schwab Advisor Network, a selective platform that refers clients to independent registered investment advisers that meet Schwab’s fiduciary, performance, and fee standards.

Referrals often involve complex financial situations, including business succession planning, multigenerational wealth transfers, and tax-sensitive investment strategies, Swanson says.

To mark the opening of the Spokane office, Swanson has scheduled an open house on Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 5-9 p.m., where guests will find food, drinks, and watch the Gonzaga University basketball game in which the Bulldogs will face off against the Portland Pilots.

Founded in 1983, Evergreen Gavekal is an independent registered investment company that started out managing endowments for cemeteries before transitioning to private wealth management for families and individuals. Evergreen Gavekal has about 50 employees at offices in Bellevue, Lake Oswego, Oregon; San Francisco and Napa, California; and Spokane.

The employee-owned company operates under a partner model, Swanson adds.

“Our different offices run their shop a little bit differently,” she explains. “It’s just the way our firm grew, we’re still all employee-owned, we’re not sold to private investments, which I think is a huge delineator for our office, just being able to be super nimble and as things change, we’re able to change pretty quickly.”

As of September, Evergreen Gavekal had $6.8 billion in assets under management, Swanson says. The company is comprised of four divisions, known as the four doors of Evergreen, and includes private wealth, family office, tax services, and a private alternative arm. Swanson says each portfolio is custom-built depending on the client’s needs and goals.

The private wealth model, for example, is a good fit for individuals who want to invest and plan for their future and includes building a comprehensive and custom portfolio. The family office model expands on the private wealth model and is designed with the needs of high-net-worth families who want to grow and transfer their wealth over generations.

“Really, the main difference is somebody who has very specific family office needs who are trying to do something ordinary people aren’t trying to accomplish,” Swanson says. “I equate it to being a custom home builder. Everything we do at Evergreen is extraordinarily custom.”

Evergreen Gavekal also draws on international macroeconomic research through its partnership with Gavekal Research, an independent global investment research firm. Gavekal Research owns a minority stake in Evergreen Gavekal and provides the company access to global market analysis that helps inform portfolio strategy, particularly within its global investment offerings, Swanson says.

The Spokane office will take a measured approach to growth for now, prioritizing long-term relationships over rapid expansion, Swanson says. As the regional client base grows, the company plans to add more staff, further anchoring Evergreen Gavekal’s presence in the Spokane area.