A. Firm Information
Parks Capital is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). The
Advisor was established in 2005 by its founder Ralph Parks and his key associates Ms.
Gina Griffo & Mr. Rajiv Dixit. At the time of its inception, the Advisor was a single
member limited liability company (“LLC”) owned by Ralph Parks. On December 31,
2011, the entire ownership interest of the Advisor was acquired by Aspire Capital
Management Inc. (“ACM”). ACM is owned by Ms. Gina Griffo (Chief Executive Officer)
and Mr. Rajiv Dixit (Chief Investment Officer).
B. Advisory Services Offered
Parks Capital offers wealth management services to individuals, high net worth
individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and businesses (each referred to as a
“Client”).
The Advisor is currently managed with a single vision of helping its clients achieve their
respective long-term financial goals through active planning, execution and risk
management. We take pride in our exceptional customer service.
Wealth Management Services
The Advisor’s wealth management services consist of a broad range of comprehensive
financial planning services and investment management services.
Financial Planning Services - Services are offered in several areas of a client’s financial
situation, depending on the Client’s goals, objectives, and financial situation.
Generally, such financial planning services will involve preparing a financial plan or
rendering a financial consultation based on the Client’s financial goals and objectives.
This planning may encompass one or more areas of need, including, but not limited to
investment planning, tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, personal
savings, education savings, insurance needs.
A financial plan developed for the Client will usually include general recommendations
for a course of activity or specific actions to be taken by the Client. For example,
recommendations may be made that the Client start or revise their investment
programs, commence or alter retirement savings, establish education savings and/or
charitable giving programs. Parks Capital may also refer Clients to an accountant,
attorney or other specialist, as appropriate for their unique situation. For certain
financial planning engagements, the Advisor will provide a written summary of Client’s
financial situation, observations, and recommendations.
Recommendations made by the Advisor in connection with the development of a
financial plan for a Client pose a conflict between the interests of the Advisor and the
interests of the Client. For example, under circumstances where the Advisor’s
recommends that a Client purchase an insurance product and the Client accepts that
recommendation, the Client can, but is not required to purchase the product from a
licensed insurance professional affiliated with the Advisor. Moreover, the Advisor has
an incentive to recommend that Clients engage the Advisor for investment
management services or to increase the level of investment assets with the Advisor,
as it would increase the amount of advisory fees paid to the Advisor. Clients are not
obligated to implement any recommendations made by the Advisor or maintain an
ongoing relationship with the Advisor. If the Client elects to act on any of the
recommendations made by the Advisor, the Client is under no obligation to implement
the transaction through the Advisor.
Investment Management Services
With the exception of certain services provided to a subset of retirement plans, the
Advisor currently manages all Client assets on a discretionary basis.
Parks Capital’s portfolios are primarily long-term focused, but the Advisor may buy,
sell or re-allocate positions that have been held less than one year to meet the
objectives of the Client or due to market conditions.
Parks Capital will construct,
implement, and monitor the portfolio to ensure it meets the goals, objectives,
circumstances, and risk tolerance agreed to by the Client. Each Client will have the
opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be held in
their respective portfolio, subject to acceptance by the Advisor. Please also review
Item 12, Brokerage Practices, for information regarding the factors to consider in
selecting and recommending a qualified account custodian that provides custody and
safekeeping services for our clients’ accounts.
Retirement Accounts – When deemed to be in the Client’s best interest, the Advisor
will provide investment advice to a Client regarding a distribution from an employer-
sponsored plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended (“ERISA”) or with respect to a rollover of some or all of the assets of
the plan to an Individual Retirement Account (“IRAs”), or recommend a similar
transaction including rollovers from one ERISA sponsored Plan to another, one IRA
to another IRA, or from one type of account to another account (e.g. commission-
based account to fee-based account). In these instances, the Advisor will serve as
an investment fiduciary as that term is defined under ERISA and/or the Internal
Revenue Code (“IRC”), as applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts.
Such a recommendation creates a conflict of interest if the Advisor will earn a new
(or increase its current) advisory fee as a result of the transaction. No client is under
any obligation to roll over a retirement account to an account managed by the
Advisor.
Retirement Plan Advisory Services
Parks Capital provides retirement plan advisory services on behalf of the retirement
plans (each a “Plan”) and the company (the “Plan Sponsor”). The Advisor’s
retirement plan advisory services are designed to assist the Plan Sponsor in meeting
its fiduciary obligations to the Plan and its Plan Participants. Each engagement is
customized to the needs of the Plan and Plan Sponsor. Services generally include:
Vendor Analysis
Plan Participant Enrollment
ERISA 404(c) Assistance
Investment Oversight (ERISA 3(21))
Ongoing Investment Recommendation and AThese services are provided by Parks
Capital serving in the capacity as a fiduciary under ERISA. provided with ERISA Section
408(b)(2), the Plan Sponsor is provided with written description of Parks Capital’s
fiduciary status, the specific services to be rendered and all direct and indirect
compensation the Advisor reasonably expects under the engagement.
C. Client Account Management
Each Client is relationship is unique.
Once we understand the Client’s goals and risk profile, we construct a
customized portfolio that is intended to assist the client in reaching his or her
financial goals. The portfolio may consist of individual stocks, bonds, mutual
funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and, in some cases, options. All portfolios
actively managed to help them navigate through volatility and achieve their
goals.
With the exception of services provided to a subset of retirement plans, Parks
Capital manages all assets on a discretionary basis. Client portfolios are
managed on a household basis unless specifically requested by the client.
A Client may impose reasonable restrictions on the management of his or her
account, provided that the restrictions proposed by the Client are consistent with
fall within the agreed upon investment strategy.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
Parks Capital does not participate in wrap fee programs. Investment management
services are provided directly by Parks Capital.
E. Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023, Parks Capital manages $77,086,260 in Client assets,
$76,021,509 of which are managed on a discretionary basis and $1,064,751 on a
non-discretionary basis. Clients may request more current information at any time
by contacting the Advisor.