Bennicas and Associates, Inc. is a woman founded (MWBE) independent Registered Investment Advisor located in Portola Valley, California. Founded in 1989, we manage "quality value" style balanced portfolios.  We have been fee-only since our founding, and we work with both families and small institutions. 

We are committed to a personal relationship with our clients, and are expert listeners.  We become intertwined in your financial decision making, which includes consulting with your CPA, your estate planning attorney, and your bankers.  We take the lead in this process, and that results in the accountability from your professional services team that you need. 

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As a boutique firm, we have a close knit, accessible environment. You will notice the difference when you feel like you’re being listened to, and consulted with. You won’t be handed off to junior team members, you will work with very experienced professionals who will guide your financial decision making.   Bennicas & Associates now works with multiple generations of our clients families.  Simply put, we put you first.  

The Team

Georgia Bennicas

Georgia Bennicas grew up in Woodside and spent years learning simple values at her uncle James's Morgan Horse ranch. The hard work and devotion to craft that she saw first hand instilled in her the principles that she follows today.  She cares for her clients, and puts them first.  Lessons learned in her earliest days as a trainee at Merrill Lynch, at a time when they were the standard bearer in wealth management, have guided her own development as an independent thinker, willing to take the road less traveled. Georgia is a real estate expert, and has guided myriad clients through transactions and financings. Additionally, she is also very skilled in matters of elder care and estate planning.  Georgia received her BA in economics from Notre Dame de Namur University. 

Michael Dunn

Michael first met Georgia when he worked at Charles Schwab.  At that time he was assigned to "tamp down Georgia's rabble rousing" (which was actually just advocacy on behalf of her clients).  For the next 30 years they have been investment confidantes and believers in such things as strong balance sheets and paying reasonable prices. Over those years he was a partner at Elijah Asset Management, and Dalton Greiner Hartman & Maher. He also worked for nearly 10 years at Robertson Stephens.  He shares Georgia's quality value investment style bias, and believes in maintaining as simple an investment portfolio structure as possible.  Michael received his BA in economics and history from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 

Yvonne Berriatua

Yvonne joined Bennicas & Associates in 1998. Her interest in finance and wealth management evolved into a rewarding career working with Georgia Bennicas while overseeing the firm's operations. For over 20 years, Yvonne has been a constantly reliable go-to resource for all of our clients.  She is known for her strong work ethic, attention to detail, and dedication to the company's goal of excellence in client service and investment success. 

Lorraine Giberton 

Lorraine joined Bennicas & Associates in 2008 and has been essential in making each of our clients feel extremely well taken care of.  Her attention to detail is something the clients remark about, and appreciate.  As Client Services Manager, she plays a key role on our team by fostering client relationships and providing administrative and operational support by directly managing the day-to-day account and administrative responsibilities for our clients.

Our Mission is to Guide our Clients to Long Term Financial Security, Help them Achieve Peace of Mind with their Financial Objectives, and Vigorously Protect their Best Interests

History

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At a time when wealth management was dominated by commission charging brokers, Georgia Bennicas founded Bennicas & Associates, Inc.  It was pioneering for a woman to open her own wealth management boutique in the late 80's, just as it was pioneering to break away from the commission charging model, with all of its conflicts of interest.  But, like her contrarian investment style, Georgia has always done her own thing with great ambition.  As a college student she bought her first home, having borrowed a down payment from her mom and dad.  She paid that loan back before she graduated, and began her parallel career in real estate investing. 

Her objectives for starting her own business were to be free of the product pushing orientation of the wealth management industry, and to deliver a highly individualized, deeply client focused service to her clients.  Her investment process, and her client relationship management ethos have stood the test of time, as she now manage assets for three generations of her first clients families. 

At Bennicas & Associates, you won't be fit into some model portfolio.  Your assets won't be handed a set of third party managers, with an imbedded cost structure that's hard to discern. You won't own so many funds that you're actual holdings total thousands of stocks, a defacto expensive index.  Instead, you'll join us in a number of conversations about your goals, aspirations, and your willingness to tolerate risks of different sorts.  You'll have a manageable portfolio of stocks, bonds, precious and industrial metals, and liquid alternative assets designed for your exact circumstances.  You will not feel like you're another transaction for a large and impersonal wealth monolith.  You'll feel listened to, and have our promise of ethical, personalized investment management.  

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Our Golden Rules

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Put your interests first. Treat you as we would treat family. Listen to you and share clear communication.   

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Personalized Service and Management Strategies

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At Bennicas & Associates we believe it is essential to offer the highest level of personalized service and attention. For any of your financial concerns such as retirement planning, making gifts of your estate to children, selling a business and looking for a suitable reinvestment options, or caring for a senior member of your family, Bennicas & Associates is ready to guide you.    We take the time to get to know our clients and develop a good understanding of their full financial picture, including their current holdings, tax situation, income needs, risk tolerance and goals. This knowledge becomes the foundation of our long term plan.  

Portfolio management begins with our proprietary quantitative model that screens stocks on their relative value to industry peers, their profitability, and their balance sheet strength.  This is the underpinning of our "quality value" style.  Client portfolios are balanced between equities and bonds.  Each portfolio will typically hold about 30-40 stocks, most culled from a universe of "great businesses".  We may opportunistically use third party managers to access a specialized situation, such as a private credit strategy. In order to protect against market volatility and the vagaries of inflation, we will further diversify our portfolios with precious and industrial metals, and other natural resources.  We believe that we must be flexible and open minded about opportunities. We will balance this flexibility alongside our very disciplined quality value approach.  The ultimate goal is to methodically compound our client assets, while offering a measure of protection from the markets risks.  Your portfolio will be a reflection of your own investment attitudes, and long term objectives. 

Finally, we maintain close contact with our clients to stay tuned into their changing circumstances and needs, and to make sure that our work remains transparent and understandable.