David Grau Sr., JD
Founder / Principal
David is one of the original founders of FP Transitions. As a former securities regulator (the operative word being “former”) and securities attorney, David has spent almost half his life in this industry, helping advisors set their practices up, take them apart, and everything in between.
David is the author of the best-selling book, Succession Planning for Financial Advisors: Building an Enduring Business, published by Wiley & Sons in 2014. His second book, Buying, Selling and Valuing Financial Practices: The FP Transitions M&A Guide, was published in 2016. Together, these books provide “bookends” for most advisors as they consider retirement or end-game strategies. David has also written over 90 nationally published articles, white papers, and manuals on continuity issues, income perpetuation strategies, mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, tax strategies, synthetic equity, and internal ownership tracks. David was named one of the most influential people in the profession in an industry survey of financial advisors by Financial Planning magazine. David was also honored to be named one of InvestmentNews magazine’s 2017 Icons and Innovators.
David travels a lot. He is one of the nation’s leading speakers and instructors on succession planning issues, mergers and acquisitions, practice value and valuation, and long-range strategic exit plans, having delivered over 1,000 presentations and workshops to date.
David is a current member of the Oregon State Bar and a past board member of the Oregon and SW Washington Chapter of the Financial Planning Association. David is a graduate of Purdue University with highest honors and Northwestern School of Law.
