Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC
Data sourced from SEC public records (and other sources when available). Refreshed weekly • Updated today.
About
Ballast Capital Advisors serves primarily high‑net‑worth individuals and institutional‑type clients — including trusts, retirement plans, estates, charitable organizations, corporations and funds — through discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning, retirement, estate and tax planning services. The firm’s client base does not generally include non‑high‑net‑worth retail individuals, resulting in a relatively small number of clients managing roughly $329 million in assets.
The firm emphasizes a liability‑driven investment process that treats fixed income as the foundation of portfolios, favoring individual bonds and asset‑liability matching over bond funds, while using low‑cost indexed ETFs for core equity exposure and selectively adding active equity or credit positions when opportunities arise. Investment decisions combine top‑down cycle and sector analysis with bottom‑up company and capital‑structure research, and the firm may include alternative investments and limited partnership interests within client policy limits.
Distinctive features include an affiliated sponsor that originates and manages commercial and residential real estate syndications and other private offerings, which the firm may make available to clients (often subject to accredited investor status and separate sponsor fees), and a small advisory team with institutional fixed‑income experience and professional credentials that focuses on bespoke, bond‑centric portfolios for a concentrated client roster. The firm discloses these relationships and referral arrangements and reports potential conflicts of interest when affiliated private opportunities are presented to clients.
Client services
Expertise
Fee options
$0 - $299,999: $4,500 fixed fee $300,001 - $600,000: $5,500 fixed fee $600,001 - $900,000: $7,500 fixed fee $900,001 - $1,500,000: $10,000 fixed fee $1,500,001 - $3,000,000: $17,500 fixed fee $3,000,001 - $5,500,000: $30,000 fixed fee $5,500,001 - $10,000,000: $50,000 fixed fee $10,000,001+: Negotiable fixed fee
Minimum fee: Annual fixed fees ranging from $4,500 to $50,000 based on asset size tiers Fee-only: Fee based on the greater of 0.75% of AUM or fixed fee schedule as listed; fees are negotiable
Main office
See office1200 Office Plaza Drive
West Des Moines IA 50266
Advisors at this office
2
Offices (2)
Most active in
Iowa · Texas
Also doing business as
Ballast Capital Advisors LLC · Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC
Disclosures
Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.
Business activities & affiliations
Is active or affiliated with:
Fund sponsor
They manage or sponsor investment funds and may earn management or performance-based fees if clients invest in them.
Is not active or affiliated with:
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Insurance agent
They sell insurance products and may earn commissions on those sales.
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Broker-dealer / trader
They provide brokerage services and may earn transaction-based compensation in addition to advisory fees.
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Bank
They're affiliated with a bank that may offer its own financial products and services.
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Trust company
They provide trust and estate administration services, typically for separate fees.
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Accountant / CPA / tax prep
They offer tax and accounting services, typically for separate fees.
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Lawyer
They provide legal services, typically billed separately.
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Real estate agent
They facilitate real estate transactions and may earn commissions.
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Other specialized services
They may provide services such as pension consulting or municipal advisory work, typically for separate fees.
Quick links
Advisors at this firm
Gregory C
CFA®
West Des Moines, IA
Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC
Gregory Carstensen is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as sole member of Veritas Capital, LLC, which serves as General Partner of the Ballast Distressed Opportunity Fund, LLLP, and holds leadership positions in other investment-related partnerships. Ballast Capital Advisors serves primarily high-net-worth and institutional clients through discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes a liability-driven investment approach centered on individual bonds and asset-liability matching, supplemented by indexed ETFs and selective active equity or credit positions.
Chad C
Series 63, Series 65
New Hartford, NY
Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC
Chad Carstensen is a financial advisor at Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Ballast since 2016. He is also a board member of the Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency, a nonprofit organization based in Utica, NY. Ballast Capital Advisors primarily serves high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients through discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes a liability-driven investment approach focused on fixed income and offers bespoke, bond-centric portfolios to a concentrated client base.
Patrick F
CFA®
West Des Moines, IA
Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC
Patrick Freund is a CFA® charterholder with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Ballast Capital Advisors, LLC since 2017 and previously spent eight years at American Equity Investment. Freund is a member-manager of Spire Capital, LLC, a private investment holdings entity that is currently dormant. Ballast Capital Advisors serves primarily high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients, offering discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes a liability-driven investment approach centered on fixed income, combining top-down and bottom-up research, and provides access to affiliated private investment opportunities.
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