VestGen Launches New Division for Athlete Wealth
VestGen Wealth Partners, a Chicago-based registered investment advisor platform that went live last December, is launching a new service line for athletes through a strategic partnership with the Athlete Collective, a sports marketing platform that helps athletes monetize their brand.
VestGen Athlete will be run by Cole Dow, a former Dayton Flyers quarterback and co-founder of the Athlete Collective.
The new division will support college athletes in the era of name, image and likeness, professional and former athletes, as well as high schoolers and their families preparing for NIL opportunities. An NCAA rule change in 2021 allowed college athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness and profit from endorsements, subscriptions and licensing deals.
“Fewer than 2% of college athletes make it to the pros—and even for those who do, careers can be short,” Dow said in a statement. “That’s why our focus is bigger than a season or even a contract. At VestGen, we help athletes build a long-term plan-for their education, their money, their brand and their life after the final whistle. We also guide families navigating the realities of sudden income and life-changing opportunities.”
VestGen Athlete will provide investment management, estate planning, tax strategy, insurance, trust/legacy planning and risk management. It will also help athletes with contingency planning in the case of injury, performance swings and transitions to new careers.
Cole Dow
“NIL is creating sudden wealth and new risks overnight, while pros can see fortunes rise and fall just as fast,” said Josh Gerry, founder and CEO of VestGen, in a statement. “That reality demands advisors who understand the nuance of the sports world. By pairing Cole’s experience with VestGen’s comprehensive planning platform, we’re giving athletes a single, trusted team to build a brand, protect wealth and create an enduring legacy.”
This follows news last month that VestGen launched a retirement plan advice division. VestGen Retirement Services provides fiduciary oversight and participant engagement programs to plan sponsors and participants seeking to roll over their retirement assets. It seeded the new division by bringing on a former Osaic team led by Bob Greulich, who has a roughly 40-year track record in retirement and wealth management.
Last month, VestGen announced it had won six breakaway advisors across four states, representing $1.5 billion in assets.
The firm launched in late 2024 with 10 financial advisory practices and $5.3 billion in assets under management. It aims to provide a platform for retiring advisors looking to exit the business and next-gen advisors focused on growth. VestGen acquires businesses from retiring advisors, some of which are then transferred to younger advisors. Before they leave the business, senior advisors act as mentors and consultants to their younger peers.