The Mariner Story

Be a Part of The Mariner Story

Mariner was founded in 2006 when Marty Bicknell saw an opportunity to change the financial services industry with a specific vision in mind: To positively impact the lives of many. How? By giving clients and advisors access to everything they need to be successful.

At Mariner, our advisors are empowered to do more for their clients.

Learn how we spent the last two decades going all in, using speed as a force to grow the business so our advisors can help clients take on complex wealth challenges in taxes, trusts, insurance and more.

2006

Spotting the opportunity

After 16 years at a large, national firm, Marty saw an opportunity to change the financial services industry, so he brought a team together to begin the discussion.

2006

May 11, 2006

It started with eight

Marty founded Mariner with an initial team of eight people who shared the simple aspiration to build a firm they were proud of.

2008

The big talent bet

Amidst the financial crisis, Mariner’s growth doubled as top talent from larger firms gravitated toward its client-centered approach, upset with decisions made at the larger firms. A mainstay throughout Mariner’s time is the emphasis on growing by developing services tailored to clients’ needs rather than outsourcing solutions.

2009

Impacting the lives of many

The Mariner Foundation, Mariner’s charitable-giving vehicle, was established, funded through associate donations and dollar-for-dollar company match.

2012

Investing in new relationships

Mariner acquired its first major firm outside Kansas City, initiating significant relationships within the investment banking community.

2015

Partners in growth

Partnered with referral programs to drive new client growth.

2016

Top of the ranks

Barron’s has ranked our firm #6 Mega RIA in 2025 out of nine firms and in the top five 100 RIAs from 2016-2024.

Barron’s Top RIA Firms: Barron’s awarded 2025 #6 (Mega RIA), 2024-2023 #4, 2022-2020 #5, 2019 #4, and 2018 #3 rankings to Mariner based on data compiled for Mariner Wealth Advisors, LLC registered investment adviser subsidiaries and the 2017 #2 and 2016 #1 rankings to Mariner Holdings (MH) based upon data compiled for MH registered investment adviser subsidiaries. Rankings for 2016-2025 were published in September of each award year and were based on June 30th data, including annual figures for the previous three years. No fee was paid for participation in the rankings; however, Mariner has paid a fee to use the ranking. The rankings are based on firm surveys, and filings with the regulatory databases were used to cross-check the data provided. The rankings are based on assets managed by the firms, technology spending, staff diversity, succession planning, and other metrics. The formula Barron’s uses to rank firms is proprietary. In 2025 Barron’s ranked the largest registered investment advisor firms separately from its broader Top 100 RIA ranking. For the list of Mega RIAs, they selected firms that manage 2% or more of the total assets of all ranking applicants. In 2025, that creates a threshold of $70 billion in assets. The number of firms included in the rankings was: 20 (2016), 30 (2017), 40 (2018), 50 (2019), 100 (2020-2024) and 109 (2025). The ranking does not indicate future performance, and there is no guarantee of future success. For additional information, visit www.barrons.com.

2018

One Mariner

Introduced the One Mariner mindset, unifying the Mariner sub-brands under one roof for the first time. This began with nationwide expansion through acquisitions of advisory firms sharing our common vision.

2020

Innovation meets independent

Mariner launched an independent platform to serve the needs of independent firms and advisors, providing more access to more types of advisors and their clients.

2021

Positioned to lead

Secured private equity investment – reinforcing Mariner’s position as an industry leader.

2023

Endless ambition

Mariner reached—and quickly surpassed—100 locations around the country, working toward an ambitious goal to have 5,000 Mariner advisors by the end of 2027.

2024

Growing in new directions

Growth continues in new and existing areas of expertise, including a strategic acquisition that more than doubled the size of Mariner’s institutional business unit.

2025

A giving milestone

The Mariner Foundation surpassed $10 million in total giving, reflecting years of associate-led philanthropy and community support.