Ekon Advisors is an SEC registered investment advisor with its principal place of business
located in St. Louis, Missouri. Ekon Advisors was formed in 2015.
The Firm's majority owners are Genelle Brakefield, Kendree Spisak and Keith Kowalczyk.
Advisory Services
Ekon Advisors provides both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory
services primarily to Sponsors and Trustees (hereinafter “Sponsor”) of Retirement Plans
(hereinafter “RPs”) and also to individual investors (hereinafter, collectively “Client(s)”) Ekon
Advisors may also provide RP participants with investment advice but only as a non-
discretionary fiduciary.
Ekon Advisors offers a number of different options to Clients with respect to investment
management. Clients can hire Ekon Advisors, though an advisory contract, to manage their
assets in accordance to the Client’s risk tolerance, investment objective, time horizon, and
investment experience. If a Client chooses to give Ekon Advisors discretion, it gives Ekon
Advisors the ability to manage the Client’s account(s) without having to speak with the Client
each time a transaction is made. This discretion does not allow Ekon Advisors to withdraw
funds from the Client account. Under a non-discretionary arrangement, Ekon Advisors will
make recommendations, while the Client is responsible for all investment decisions.
We typically offer the following services:
Preparation of or Advice Regarding the Establishment or Revision of Investment Policy
Statement (“IPS”)
Ekon Advisors will review with the Clients of RPs the investment objectives, risk tolerance
and goals of the RPs. If the RP does not have an IPS, Ekon Advisors will provide
recommendations regarding the establishment of an IPS and its contents. If the Plan has an
existing IPS, Ekon Advisors will provide recommendations to ensure the IPS meets with the
Plan’s objectives. In addition, Ekon Advisors may assist Sponsor’s with review of investment
objectives, risk tolerance and goals of the RP. If so contracted, Ekon Advisors will prepare
and deliver an IPS to the Sponsor that aligns with these factors.
Portfolio Management - Selection and Monitoring of Investments:
When acting the capacity of a 3(38) Discretionary Investment Manager, Ekon Advisors will
perform the selection of investments for the RP. Once the RP’s investments are selected, Ekon
Advisors, on a periodic basis, will provide reports and information to assist the
Sponsor/Trustee in monitoring and evaluating the Plan’s investment alternatives.
Consulting – Advice Regarding the Selection and Monitoring of Investments:
Ekon Advisors will review the investment options available to the RP and will make
recommendations to assist Client in selecting investments. Once the RP’s investments are
selected,
Ekon Advisors, on a periodic basis, will provide reports and information to assist the
Sponsor/Trustee in monitoring and evaluating the Plan’s investment alternatives.
Participants of Plans
Ekon Advisors may also provide investment advice directly to plan participants but only as a
nondiscretionary fiduciary. Ekon Advisors provides participants with diversification
strategies and recommendations, and the participants will execute the transactions. In some
cases, Ekon Advisors may, after approval of the Client, instruct the record-keeper or third
party administrator to execute recommendations on the Client’s behalf.
From time to time, Ekon Advisors will also meet with plan participants to provide general
investment education, which may include basic information regarding insurance products,
mutual funds, stable value funds, inflation, risk and diversification.
Advisor provides investment advice only with respect to the limited types of securities. Such
securities are: mutual funds, stable value funds and collective funds.
Advisor, at times, has discretionary authority; however, Ekon Advisors does not execute
transactions for Client accounts. An affiliated entity of the Advisor, Qualified Benefits
Consultants, Inc. DBA Ekon Benefits (hereinafter “QBC, Inc.”) is deemed to have
constructive custody in some instances. Please see Item 15 for more information.
Written Acknowledgement of Fiduciary Status
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or
individual retirement account, we are fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable,
which are laws governing retirement accounts. The way we make money creates some
conflicts with your interests, so we operate under a special rule that requires us to act in your
best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. Under this special rule’s provisions, we
must:
• Meet a professional standard of care when making investment recommendations
(give prudent advice);
• Never put our financial interests ahead of yours when making recommendations
(give loyal advice);
• Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and investments;
• Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that we give advice that is in
your best interest;
• Charge no more than is reasonable for our services; and
• Give you basic information about conflicts of interest
Client – Imposed Restrictions
All Clients have the opportunity to impose reasonable restrictions on the securities
purchased or the way the account is managed.
Assets under Management
As of December 31, 2023, Ekon Advisors had assets of $111,837,801 managed on a
discretionary basis and $91,751,477 on a non-discretionary basis.