Disciplined Capital Management starts 2018 with a CEO

SYRACUSE — Disciplined Capital Management, LLC began 2018 with one of its principals now holding the titles of president and CEO.

Adam Gagas, a founder and principal of the firm, assumed the leadership role on Jan. 1.

Disciplined Capital Management (DCM) is an independent SEC-registered investment advisor with nearly $500 million in assets under management. It operates at 220 S. Warren St. in Syracuse. The firm’s clients include nonprofits, foundations, endowments, and institutions. 

When asked who he replaced, Gagas said “we didn’t have anyone in that role.”

Gagas in 2015 launched DCM with Robert (Bob) Ryan, a veteran in the corporate-finance business. At the time, they agreed to “collaborate closely” on matters that needed decisions.

“We just weren’t really focused on having a title. We were more focused on putting our heads together and coming to conclusions and problem solving,” says Gagas.

As time progressed and the partners focused on future growth, “it really made sense to say” that Ryan would focus on philosophy and research and that Gagas would concentrate on “growth and strategy and operational delivery on what we’re doing on the investment advisory side,” Gagas explains.

“Bob will transfer from principal to chief investment officer and I will transfer from principal to CEO,” says Gagas. He spoke to CNYBJ by phone on Dec. 29 from Los Angeles, California where he was visiting family.

Ryan’s firm, RJR Associates, and Gagas’ entity, Breakwall Asset Management, LLC, share equal ownership in Disciplined Capital Management, which will change this year. 

“There’s a transition process that affects the ownership as well,” says Gagas. “Eventually I’ll transition to being a larger owner … in ‘18.”

DCM has four additional employees, besides Gagas and Ryan. They include Craig Buckhout, who is also known for his work with Rockbridge Investment Management, a fee-only registered investment advisory firm that serves individual investors and often runs advertisements on TV. Rockbridge also operates at 220 S. Warren St. in Syracuse.

Besides Buckhout, Ryan is also listed among the employees at Rockbridge. In addition, Ethan Gilbert, a chartered financial analyst, works for both DCM and Rockbridge, according to their websites.

Becoming business partners

Ryan and Gagas became acquainted in 2012 when Gagas joined the board of directors at Oswego Health, an organization for which Ryan provided financial services.

Gagas recalled learning “a lot” from Ryan in their interactions and, in 2015, they decided to become business partners.

“We had lunch one day … We get along. We think alike,” Gagas notes. 

They both believe that nonprofit organizations and boards of directors should be investing “in a way that aligns their mission with the investment philosophy at the same time,” according to Gagas.

They eventually decided to form Disciplined Capital Management, which Gagas described as a “rebranding of RJR Associates,” a firm that Ryan operated.

“It’s focused 100 percent on delivering that investment philosophy and process into the nonprofit, foundation, endowment, and institutional space,” says Gagas. 

Vision for DCM

When asked about his vision for DCM, Gagas indicates that its employees, resources, investment philosophy, and process will remain the same.

He also contends that “there aren’t a lot” of mid-sized investment firms that focus only on foundations and nonprofit organizations.

“We want organizations to think of us as an extension of their own board…” he adds.

DCM likes it when clients will call asking for advice on matters that aren’t related to their investment portfolio, such as developing a capital plan for a project.

“We work so closely with folks that we think that we’re really valuable to them across a whole spectrum of different financial decisions,” says Gagas.

The firm will spend 2018 and 2019 sharing that vision “more and more broadly” and will hope to use technology to offer its services to clients outside New York state, he notes.

Gagas is a 1993 graduate of Hobart College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and Russian studies. In the years that followed, Gagas spent time living in both New York City and in Russia. He later earned an MBA degree with a concentration in finance from New York University in 2008.

SYRACUSE — Disciplined Capital Management, LLC began 2018 with one of its principals now holding the titles of president and CEO.

Adam Gagas, a founder and principal of the firm, assumed the leadership role on Jan. 1.

Disciplined Capital Management (DCM) is an independent SEC-registered investment advisor with nearly $500 million in assets under management. It operates at 220 S. Warren St. in Syracuse. The firm’s clients include nonprofits, foundations, endowments, and institutions. 

When asked who he replaced, Gagas said “we didn’t have anyone in that role.”

Gagas in 2015 launched DCM with Robert (Bob) Ryan, a veteran in the corporate-finance business. At the time, they agreed to “collaborate closely” on matters that needed decisions.

“We just weren’t really focused on having a title. We were more focused on putting our heads together and coming to conclusions and problem solving,” says Gagas.

As time progressed and the partners focused on future growth, “it really made sense to say” that Ryan would focus on philosophy and research and that Gagas would concentrate on “growth and strategy and operational delivery on what we’re doing on the investment advisory side,” Gagas explains.

“Bob will transfer from principal to chief investment officer and I will transfer from principal to CEO,” says Gagas. He spoke to CNYBJ by phone on Dec. 29 from Los Angeles, California where he was visiting family.

Ryan’s firm, RJR Associates, and Gagas’ entity, Breakwall Asset Management, LLC, share equal ownership in Disciplined Capital Management, which will change this year. 

“There’s a transition process that affects the ownership as well,” says Gagas. “Eventually I’ll transition to being a larger owner … in ‘18.”

DCM has four additional employees, besides Gagas and Ryan. They include Craig Buckhout, who is also known for his work with Rockbridge Investment Management, a fee-only registered investment advisory firm that serves individual investors and often runs advertisements on TV. Rockbridge also operates at 220 S. Warren St. in Syracuse.

Besides Buckhout, Ryan is also listed among the employees at Rockbridge. In addition, Ethan Gilbert, a chartered financial analyst, works for both DCM and Rockbridge, according to their websites.

Becoming business partners

Ryan and Gagas became acquainted in 2012 when Gagas joined the board of directors at Oswego Health, an organization for which Ryan provided financial services.

Gagas recalled learning “a lot” from Ryan in their interactions and, in 2015, they decided to become business partners.

“We had lunch one day … We get along. We think alike,” Gagas notes. 

They both believe that nonprofit organizations and boards of directors should be investing “in a way that aligns their mission with the investment philosophy at the same time,” according to Gagas.

They eventually decided to form Disciplined Capital Management, which Gagas described as a “rebranding of RJR Associates,” a firm that Ryan operated.

“It’s focused 100 percent on delivering that investment philosophy and process into the nonprofit, foundation, endowment, and institutional space,” says Gagas. 

Vision for DCM

When asked about his vision for DCM, Gagas indicates that its employees, resources, investment philosophy, and process will remain the same.

He also contends that “there aren’t a lot” of mid-sized investment firms that focus only on foundations and nonprofit organizations.

“We want organizations to think of us as an extension of their own board…” he adds.

DCM likes it when clients will call asking for advice on matters that aren’t related to their investment portfolio, such as developing a capital plan for a project.

“We work so closely with folks that we think that we’re really valuable to them across a whole spectrum of different financial decisions,” says Gagas.

The firm will spend 2018 and 2019 sharing that vision “more and more broadly” and will hope to use technology to offer its services to clients outside New York state, he notes.

Gagas is a 1993 graduate of Hobart College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and Russian studies. In the years that followed, Gagas spent time living in both New York City and in Russia. He later earned an MBA degree with a concentration in finance from New York University in 2008.