Wealth Management
1. Greenwood Gearhart (1982) Founded by investing pioneer Mary Ann Greenwood, this is Fayetteville's longest-standing independent wealth management firm. Greenwood has been a trailblazer, building a fee-only fiduciary practice decades before the industry embraced that model, insisting advisors invest alongside clients, and mentoring generations of young professionals. Now managing over $2 billion in assets under CEO Brock Gearhart, the firm has evolved into a multi-family office. With more female advisors than male and deep philanthropic ties to Northwest Arkansas, Greenwood Gearhart's legacy is inseparable from Fayetteville's identity.
2. 1828 Capital (2024) Named for the year Fayetteville was founded, 1828 Capital was launched by Arkansas natives Edward Prewitt, Max Mahler, and Mark Gilbert after departing Wells Fargo Advisors. The team brought over $1.6 billion in client assets and decades of combined NWA experience. All three founders have deep Fayetteville roots, Prewitt and Mahler were born and raised here and are University of Arkansas graduates. Their move to an independent firm signals a broader trend of top-tier advisors planting flags locally and keeping wealth management decisions homegrown.
3. The Cabana Group (2007) Co-founded by University of Arkansas graduate and attorney Chadd Mason, Cabana grew from a Fayetteville startup into a national firm after Mason's family lost an inheritance during the early 2000s recession and he vowed to build better risk management tools. The result was CARA, a proprietary algorithm that dynamically reallocates assets based on economic cycles. Named the fastest-growing company in Arkansas by Inc. Magazine in 2019, Cabana surpassed $1 billion in AUM by 2020, proving that innovative financial technology could be built in Fayetteville, not just Silicon Valley.
CPA Firms
1. PRZ CPAs & Advisors (1991) A full-service Fayetteville CPA firm serving Northwest Arkansas for over three decades. PRZ has carved out specialties in nonprofit and governmental auditing as well as construction contractor accounting, two niches that reflect the region's growth in both public institutions and development. Their multi-professional tax team handles individual and business preparation, making them a go-to for Fayetteville families and business owners alike. Their longevity speaks to consistent, relationship-driven service.
2. Pierce Firm, PLLC (2015) Led by Allen Pierce, this CPA practice has built a loyal following among small and mid-size businesses. What distinguishes Pierce is his reputation as a true strategic partner, clients describe him not as a bookkeeper but as an advisor who helps them think about profitability, tax optimization, and long-term planning. With over 40 years of professional experience, Pierce represents the kind of deeply personal, one-on-one CPA relationship that Fayetteville business owners value in a market increasingly served by larger regional firms.
3. Sandlin & Parham (1986) A boutique accounting firm headquartered in Fayetteville, Sandlin & Parham has built its practice on personalized attention to individual and business tax clients. As a smaller firm, they offer the kind of direct-access, partner-level service that gets harder to find as our landscape grows. They're a Fayetteville Chamber member and a familiar name among locals who prefer working with professionals who know the community as well as the tax code.
Banks
1. Signature Bank of Arkansas (2005) The quintessential Fayetteville startup bank story. Founder Gary Head raised $45 million in capital at a bar on Dickson Street, the largest bank capital raise in Arkansas history at the time, and opened Signature's doors on N. Crossover Road. The bank has since grown to nearly $1 billion in assets and expanded across the state while keeping its headquarters firmly in Fayetteville. Its launch of Banco Sí, Arkansas' first dedicated bilingual banking experience, reflects a commitment to serving the region's evolving demographics. A true local original.
2. The Bank of Fayetteville (1987) Fayetteville's namesake bank opened with a mission centered on dignity, respect, and local decision-making. With five Fayetteville branches plus locations in Farmington, Prairie Grove, and West Fork, it became a pillar of community banking in Washington County. In 2015 it merged with Farmers and Merchants Bank of Stuttgart but retained its name and local identity. Its location on the historic town square connects it to a banking lineage on that site stretching back to the 1800s, making it both a modern institution and a piece of Fayetteville history.
3. Generations Bank (1907) One of Arkansas' oldest family-owned banks, founded in the small south Arkansas town of Harrell. Now led by fifth-generation chairman Jon Harrell, the bank entered the Fayetteville market in 2014 and quickly became a significant player, growing so fast that leadership called it "two years ahead of schedule." The bank relocated its charter to Northwest Arkansas in 2019, signaling the region's momentum. Its name honors over a century of family stewardship, and its Fayetteville expansion represents a compelling blend of deep Arkansas heritage meeting NWA's booming economy.