Snow Pine Private Wealth Launches in Wayzata, Minnesota
Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Team¹ Establishes Independent Practice Through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network (FiNet)
Wayzata, Minn. (March 4, 2026) — A veteran wealth management team with more than a century of combined financial services experience is pleased to announce the launch of Snow Pine Private Wealth, an independent advisory practice based in Wayzata, Minnesota. The team, previously operating as Snow Pine Private Wealth at UBS Financial Services Inc. and recently recognized as a 2026 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Team¹, joins FiNet with approximately $1.7 billion in client assets, as of December 2025, bringing a distinctive approach that integrates investment advisory, brokerage, and insurance capabilities under one advisor relationship.
"We built Snow Pine for a specific reason: to give our clients the service, access, and alignment that we believe other platforms can't provide," said Derek Cherne, CEPA®, CEO and Managing Partner of Snow Pine Private Wealth. "Our clients are first-generation wealth builders who created something from nothing. They deserve an advisor who can serve them across their entire financial life."
The practice is organized around what its founders call "One Steward, Complete Optionality"—a structure where a single advisor orchestrates investment management, family office services, providing access to banking and lending, and advanced insurance planning through an integrated model. Snow Pine serves successful family business owners and entrepreneurs managing complex wealth across multiple business holdings, real estate, and multi-generational planning needs.
"For thirty years, we've served entrepreneurs and family business owners—people who built empires in industries others overlooked," said Andrew Knutson, CEPA®, COO and Managing Partner of Snow Pine Private Wealth. "Now we've built something for ourselves and for them: a practice with the institutional access they need and the independence they deserve."
By affiliating with FiNet, Snow Pine leverages the resources and infrastructure of a major financial institution while preserving the flexibility to customize solutions and recommend strategies regardless of where they originate.
The practice name draws from Dakota tradition: Wazíya, the northern protector, is a guardian figure representing endurance, resilience, and steadfastness through harsh seasons. The city of Wayzata itself derives from the Dakota word wazíyata, meaning "north"—a connection that roots Snow Pine in both geography and purpose.
Snow Pine Private Wealth was advised on its transition to independence by Jeffrey Bischoff, Founder and CEO of Old Greenwich Consultants, a leading executive recruitment firm specializing in private wealth management.
About Snow Pine Private Wealth
Snow Pine Private Wealth is an independent wealth management practice serving first-generation wealth builders, family business owners, and entrepreneurs. Through its integrated multi-platform structure—registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, and insurance agency—the practice provides comprehensive wealth stewardship including investment management, family office services, banking and lending solutions, and advanced insurance planning. Based in Wayzata, Minnesota, Snow Pine is built on the principle that clients deserve one steward with complete optionality across their entire financial life. By affiliating with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, Snow Pine Private Wealth combines the resources of a leading financial institution with the independence to act in its clients' best interests. For more information, visit www.snowpinepw.com.
About Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network
For more than 25 years, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, the independent contractor business model of Wealth & Investment Management (WIM), has offered financial advisors more control, flexibility, and growth around business ownership as well as support from one of the nation’s largest financial institutions. WIM provides financial products and services through various bank and brokerage affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Member SIPC (WFAFN), a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Any other referenced entity is a separate entity from WFAFN.
DISCLOSURE
¹ 2026 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams: Awarded January 2026; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 3/31/24 - 3/31/25 (Source: Forbes.com). The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams rating algorithm is based on the previous year's industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management (minimum variable by state), revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 12,787 wealth management teams were considered for the rating; 6,149 (48% of candidates) were named 2026 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams.
Wayzata, Minn. (March 4, 2026) — A veteran wealth management team with more than a century of combined financial services experience is pleased to announce the launch of Snow Pine Private Wealth, an independent advisory practice based in Wayzata, Minnesota. The team, previously operating as Snow Pine Private Wealth at UBS Financial Services Inc. and recently recognized as a 2026 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Team¹, joins FiNet with approximately $1.7 billion in client assets, as of December 2025, bringing a distinctive approach that integrates investment advisory, brokerage, and insurance capabilities under one advisor relationship.
"We built Snow Pine for a specific reason: to give our clients the service, access, and alignment that we believe other platforms can't provide," said Derek Cherne, CEPA®, CEO and Managing Partner of Snow Pine Private Wealth. "Our clients are first-generation wealth builders who created something from nothing. They deserve an advisor who can serve them across their entire financial life."
The practice is organized around what its founders call "One Steward, Complete Optionality"—a structure where a single advisor orchestrates investment management, family office services, providing access to banking and lending, and advanced insurance planning through an integrated model. Snow Pine serves successful family business owners and entrepreneurs managing complex wealth across multiple business holdings, real estate, and multi-generational planning needs.
"For thirty years, we've served entrepreneurs and family business owners—people who built empires in industries others overlooked," said Andrew Knutson, CEPA®, COO and Managing Partner of Snow Pine Private Wealth. "Now we've built something for ourselves and for them: a practice with the institutional access they need and the independence they deserve."
By affiliating with FiNet, Snow Pine leverages the resources and infrastructure of a major financial institution while preserving the flexibility to customize solutions and recommend strategies regardless of where they originate.
The practice name draws from Dakota tradition: Wazíya, the northern protector, is a guardian figure representing endurance, resilience, and steadfastness through harsh seasons. The city of Wayzata itself derives from the Dakota word wazíyata, meaning "north"—a connection that roots Snow Pine in both geography and purpose.
Snow Pine Private Wealth was advised on its transition to independence by Jeffrey Bischoff, Founder and CEO of Old Greenwich Consultants, a leading executive recruitment firm specializing in private wealth management.
About Snow Pine Private Wealth
Snow Pine Private Wealth is an independent wealth management practice serving first-generation wealth builders, family business owners, and entrepreneurs. Through its integrated multi-platform structure—registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, and insurance agency—the practice provides comprehensive wealth stewardship including investment management, family office services, banking and lending solutions, and advanced insurance planning. Based in Wayzata, Minnesota, Snow Pine is built on the principle that clients deserve one steward with complete optionality across their entire financial life. By affiliating with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, Snow Pine Private Wealth combines the resources of a leading financial institution with the independence to act in its clients' best interests. For more information, visit www.snowpinepw.com.
About Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network
For more than 25 years, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, the independent contractor business model of Wealth & Investment Management (WIM), has offered financial advisors more control, flexibility, and growth around business ownership as well as support from one of the nation’s largest financial institutions. WIM provides financial products and services through various bank and brokerage affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Member SIPC (WFAFN), a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Any other referenced entity is a separate entity from WFAFN.
DISCLOSURE
¹ 2026 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams: Awarded January 2026; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 3/31/24 - 3/31/25 (Source: Forbes.com). The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams rating algorithm is based on the previous year's industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management (minimum variable by state), revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 12,787 wealth management teams were considered for the rating; 6,149 (48% of candidates) were named 2026 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams.