A Holiday Message From Our CEO

Written by Brian Shepler, CEO of Blue Trust

As I share this first end-of-year holiday message as CEO, my thoughts are immediately drawn to a place of gratitude, as a genuine reflection of Paul’s charge in 1 Thessalonians, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).

I am especially grateful for the more than 10,400 clients we had the privilege of serving this year (adding over 800 new clients in 2024) and the dedicated advisory team members that offer wisdom to those on their journey of effective stewardship. I am thankful for the feedback received directly from clients as part of our client experience initiative this year that confirmed the greatest value clients receive is when we are engaged relationally with them; ours has never been a “transactional” business at Blue Trust but, from inception, a client-centric, relationship-based business. Our continued focus on that relational dynamic has produced peace of mind, clarity, and record levels of charitable engagement by clients. Our mission is indeed being accomplished!

I am equally grateful for our talented National Office leaders and team members who support the work of advisory teams across all of the firm’s divisions. They have rallied around a compelling vision to become the advisory and employer of choice in our niche and have demonstrated a unified commitment to implementing the platform enhancements needed to enable future growth. As we surpassed $60 billion in assets under advisement this year, it became clear the generational wealth transfer previously viewed on the horizon is now upon us, and our support teams are excited to take new ground together!

I am thankful for our board of directors and our majority owner, Casey Crawford, who willingly offer their insights and resources to encourage our forward progress, believing we have just scratched the surface of the potential for maximizing the firm’s mission. It is a blessing to celebrate new milestones with them each quarter and draw upon their wisdom as we navigate forward.

Finally, I am grateful for our privileged vantage point as we observe God’s Kingdom work being accomplished through the lives of our clients. To share a few quick examples, over the past two years, Blue Trust clients have actively directed their capital to align with causes important to them, investing over $2 billion in Access Portfolios, which allow for curated proxy voting and direct corporate engagement, and increasingly embraced the faith-driven-investor movement. In addition, clients have engaged Blue Trust’s experienced estate and philanthropic planning team to direct tens of millions of dollars into tax-efficient charitable structures, fueling current and future giving strategies. Finally, thousands of our clients are actively contributing their time and talents to lead or support ministries, making significant Kingdom impact around the world.

Entering my 25th year at Blue Trust, I am more compelled than ever by our mission to help clients experience financial freedom and “true riches” as they “store up eternal treasures for themselves and take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19 ESV). It is a joy to lead this team and support their incredibly impactful work, all to God’s glory!

We at Blue Trust pray that you and your families experience a wonderful Christmas!

Brain Shepler

CEO, Blue Trust

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