LMC Spotlight: George Vogel & Ari Shamir

Featuring George Vogel, CPA Family Office & Tax Partner

Featuring Ari Shamir, CPA Family Office Co-Lead

The Bottom Line was excited to interview George Vogel, Family Office and Tax Partner, and Ari Shamir, Family Office and Tax Director of LMC Family Office Services. George and Ari recently joined LMC after the strategic partnership between LMC and Vogel & Co (press release here). Vogel & Co is an independent business management and tax advisory firm, specializing in family office services for high-net-worth clients. George and Ari each have extensive experience in financial management and a deep commitment to personalized client care.

What made LMC the right partner for Vogel & Co.?

• Choosing LMC as a strategic partner was an exciting decision, fueled by our shared commitment to unparalleled service and enhanced capabilities for our high-net-worth clients. After our initial discussions with LMC’s CEO, Lee M. Cohen, it became evident that LMC’s vision to be the leading family office services provider perfectly aligns with ours. LMC’s renowned excellence, comprehensive services, and steadfast dedication to client success enrich Vogel & Co’s personalized approach.
• This partnership enables us to broaden our expertise and deliver superior, wide-ranging solutions to our clients by leveraging LMC’s capabilities as a full-service accounting firm.
• We are confident in the success of this partnership, given the shared values of white glove service to clients and focus on a supportive firm culture.

Why did you both get into Family Office?

• George: My journey into Family Office was driven by a desire to positively impact our clients’ financial health and legacies. After spending time in public accounting with a focus on tax management and strategy, including serving as the VP of Tax and CFO for a NYSE-listed entertainment company, I decided that I wanted to start my own business management company focused on deep relationships within the media and real estate industries to add value to their financial lives. My mindset from the very beginning was for Vogel & Co to operate as a true trusted partner for high-net-worth clients in managing the complexities of wealth and optimizing their financial futures. I have built a lot of truly special and valued relationships with clients over the years, where Vogel & Co can act as their first and last line of defense in our complicated financial world for wealthy families.
• Ari: I was drawn to Family Office after beginning my career at a Big Four firm servicing one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers specializing in reporting to the senior partners and founders. I realized I could leverage my extensive tax and accounting expertise to cater to the unique needs of high-net-worth families. The family office role allowed me to fulfill my goals of becoming a trusted advisor, creating holistic solutions that align with our clients’ personal and professional aspirations.

What aspects of Vogel’s culture are you most excited to bring to LMC?

• At Vogel & Co., we are thrilled to merge our tradition of personalized client service with LMC’s commitment to white glove service.
• LMC and Vogel & Co are also both incredibly committed to our team; at Vogel & Co, we have had 100% retention of our core team over the past 5 years. We’re excited to provide further development opportunities to our team, leveraging the learning and development programs that LMC has built out.

What are the emerging trends in the family office industry and what challenges, or regulatory changes should we expect in the near future?

• Our team has invested in key resources and research to ensure that we are able to support our clients in the below key trends:
  • Increased governance and risk management: We are utilizing technologies to improve reporting and visibility of investments and evolving risks, while ensuring compliance with the ever-changing regulations.
  • Focus on succession planning, as founders or legacy CEOs are retiring: We are partnering with clients to develop succession plans that protect family wealth and ensure smooth transition of firm operations.
  • Emphasis on aligning family and investment strategies along with philanthropic efforts: Clients are increasingly focused on the well-being of their communities and contributing positively to society.

Looking forward, what are the strategic goals you would like to achieve at LMC?

• Our goals are centered on LMC Family Office Services becoming the premier family office services firm, recognized for unparalleled service and expertise in managing the complexities of high-net-worth clients. We aim to leverage our combined strengths to bolster service offerings, deepen technical expertise, and enhance our operational capabilities.
• Our shared vision is to empower our clients through personalized financial management, helping them grow their wealth and preserve their legacies, while helping LMC Family Office Services set new industry standards for excellence and transparency.

For more information on LMC’s Family Office Service offerings, contact George Vogel at george@vogelandco.com or Ari Shamir at ari@vogelandco.com.