About Our Firm
Argonautica Private Wealth Management, Inc. (“Argonautica”) is a registered investment adviser that
provides investment management and financial advisory services to individual and institutional
investors to help them achieve their financial needs and goals. Argonautica has been a registered
investment adviser since 2021. The sole shareholders of the firm are Theodore C. York and Frank X.
Rambusch.
Our firm takes pride in providing personalized service to our clients and acknowledges that it is held
to a fiduciary standard of care.
Types of Advisory Services We Offer
Argonautica offers a variety of investment advisory services to individuals, high net worth
individuals, retirement plans, non-profit organizations and foundations, and
businesses/corporations. These services include:
• Investment and portfolio management
• Selection of Independent Managers
• Financial planning and consulting
• Fiduciary and non-fiduciary services for plan sponsors
We work with our clients to determine their investment objectives and risk profile and develop and
execute a customized investment plan based on their individual needs and goals. Argonautica will
utilize the financial information provided by the client to analyze and develop strategies and solutions
to assist the client in meeting their financial goals.
Prior to Argonautica rendering any of the foregoing services, clients are required to enter into one or
more written advisory agreements with Argonautica setting forth the relevant terms and conditions of
the advisory relationship.
Investment and Portfolio Management Services
As part of our investment and portfolio management services, we offer:
• Investment policy development
• Asset allocation analysis
• Investment due diligence
• Investment search and recommendations
• Investment portfolio management
• Portfolio and performance monitoring
Argonautica manages our clients’ portfolios on a discretionary and non-discretionary basis. Our
investment and portfolio management services are tailored to the needs of our clients and are based
on a comprehensive understanding of each client’s current situation, past experiences, and future
goals. With this acquired knowledge we create, analyze, strategize, and implement goal-oriented
investment solutions. These solutions become our clients’ investment policy. This policy and our
matched strategies are designed to be risk-appropriate, cost-effective and tax-efficient.
Our portfolio management services generally include a broad range of comprehensive financial
planning and/or consulting services, as well as discretionary and non-discretionary management of
investment portfolios.
Client assets are primarily allocated among individual equity and debt securities, exchange-traded
funds ("ETFs") and mutual funds in accordance with the client's stated investment objective and
risk/volatility parameters. We may also recommend clients allocate a certain portion of their assets
to independent investment managers ("Independent Managers") or alternative investments. Where
appropriate, Argonautica may also provide advice about many types of legacy positions or other
investments held in client portfolios. Clients may also engage Argonautica to manage and/or advise
on certain investment products that are not maintained at their primary custodian, such as variable
life insurance and annuity contracts and assets held in employer-sponsored retirement plans and
qualified tuition plans (i.e., 529 plans). In these situations, Argonautica will direct or make
recommendations on a non-discretionary basis for the allocation of client assets among the various
investment options available with the product. These assets are generally maintained at the
underwriting insurance company or custodian for the plan trustee or administrator and clients retain
responsibility for effecting trades in these accounts.
Argonautica consults with clients on an initial and ongoing basis to assess their specific risk tolerance,
time horizon, liquidity constraints and other related factors relevant to the management of their
portfolios. Accordingly, you should promptly notify us if there are changes in your financial situation
or if you wish to place any limitations on the management of your account. You may impose
reasonable restrictions or mandates on the management of your account if Argonautica determines,
in our sole discretion, the conditions will not materially impact the performance of a management
strategy or prove overly burdensome to the firm's management efforts.
To the extent a client’s assets are managed by an Independent Manager or are invested in a particular
fund, those managers and funds will have their own investment practices. Those investment practices
are described in each manager’s Form ADV or fund’s prospectus, or in its offering or other disclosure
documents. In addition, selected money managers or funds typically have discretion to determine the
type, and amount, of securities to be purchased or sold for the portion of the assets managed by the
money manager or fund.
Selection of Independent Managers
As part of our selection of independent managers, we offer:
• Manager due diligence
• Manager search and recommendations
• Monitoring of manager risk and performance
Argonautica may select certain Independent Managers to actively manage all or a portion of its clients'
assets. Pursuant to the terms of the investment advisory agreement, Argonautica shall have the
discretion to appoint and terminate these third-party advisers. The specific terms and conditions under
which a client engages an Independent Manager may also be set forth in a separate written agreement
with the designated Independent Manager. In addition to this brochure, clients will also receive the
written disclosure documents of the respective Independent Managers engaged to manage their assets.
Argonautica evaluates a variety of information about Independent Managers, which may include the
Independent Managers' public disclosure documents, materials supplied by the Independent
Managers themselves and other third-party analyses it believes are reputable. To the extent possible,
Argonautica seeks to assess the Independent Managers' investment strategies, past performance, and
risk results in relation to its clients' individual portfolio allocations and risk exposure. Argonautica
also takes into consideration each Independent Manager's management style, returns, reputation,
financial strength, reporting, pricing, and research capabilities, among other factors. When utilizing
Wells Fargo & Company as the Independent Manager or managers available through Wells Fargo
Advisors, portfolio services will be provided through the Personalized Unified Managed Account
Program.
Argonautica continues to provide services relative to the discretionary or non-discretionary
selection
of the Independent Managers. On an ongoing basis, Argonautica monitors the performance of those
accounts being managed by Independent Managers. Argonautica seeks to ensure the Independent
Managers' strategies and target allocations remain aligned with clients' investment objectives and
overall best interests.
Financial Planning and Consulting Services
Argonautica offers different levels of financial planning and consulting services to help our clients
identify, prioritize and work towards their goals and objectives. Our consulting services give our
clients the ability to receive a broad range of financial advice and services, including specific security
recommendations, for the duration of the advisory agreement.
Our process starts with an extensive review of a client's family situation, which includes assets and
liabilities as well as estate, tax, and insurance needs. We then employ a risk tolerance and risk
capacity-focused simulation to get a detailed cash flow analysis and proposed asset allocation.
Together, this information is analyzed to develop a proposed financial plan, which is designed to be
dynamic in nature, ever-evolving due to life changes, along with changes in cash flow needs, risk
tolerance, time horizon, or investment objectives.
Argonautica’s financial planning and consulting services may include any of the following topics:
• Cash Flow Analysis and Forecasting
• Risk Management
• Trust & Estate Planning
• Charitable Giving
• Education Planning
• Business Planning
• Retirement Planning
• Liability Management
• Investment Consulting
• Distribution Planning
• Tax Planning
• Insurance Review
• Next-Generation Family
• Retirement Plan Consulting and
Employee Benefits Analysis
While each of these services is available on a stand-alone basis, certain services may also be rendered
in conjunction with investment portfolio management services as part of a comprehensive portfolio
management engagement. In performing these services, Argonautica is not required to verify any
information received from the client or from the client's other professionals (e.g., attorneys,
accountants, etc.), and is expressly authorized to rely on such information. Argonautica may
recommend clients engage the firm for additional related services, or we may recommend other
professionals to implement our recommendations. These additional services by Argonautica or
another professional are provided at an additional cost to you, which is based on the nature, extent,
complexity, and other characteristics of the services. This creates a conflict of interest because we will
have an incentive to recommend additional services based on the compensation to be received, rather
than solely based on your needs, and in some cases, based on the prospect of cross-referrals of advisory
clients from the other professional or his or her firm. Implementation of financial planning
recommendations is entirely at your discretion. You have complete freedom in selecting a financial
adviser to assist you with implementing the recommendations made in your financial plan and are
under no obligation to act on the advice of Argonautica. Financial planning recommendations are of
a generic nature and are not limited to any specific product or service offered by a broker-dealer or
insurance company. Should you choose to implement the recommendations contained in the plan,
Argonautica suggests you work closely with your attorney, accountant and/or insurance agent.
Argonautica will act solely in our capacity as a registered investment adviser and does not provide any
legal, accounting or tax advice. You should seek the counsel of a qualified accountant and/or attorney
when necessary. As part of our advisory services, we may assist clients with tax loss harvesting and
will work with the client’s tax specialist to answer any questions related to the client’s portfolio. Any
incidental tax discussions on topics, such as required minimum distributions, retirement plan
contributions, etc. should be verified with your tax advisor.
Fiduciary and Non-Fiduciary Services for Plan Sponsors
Retirement plan sponsors may retain our firm to provide advisory and consulting services for plan
assets. Fiduciary services available to plan sponsors include:
• Reviewing and assisting in the establishment of investment policies and objectives on behalf
of the plan.
• Assistance with the development of an Investment Policy Statement.
• Recommending core investments to be offered to plan participants for selection by the plan
sponsor.
• Recommending investment managers, within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(38), on behalf
of the plan, to be offered as investment options for plan participants.
• Monitoring of the plan’s investments or investment managers in accordance with the plan’s
Investment Policy Statement or other relevant guidelines.
Non-fiduciary consulting services available to plan sponsors include:
• Educating plan participants on investment options available within the plan.
• Preparation of periodic performance reports for the plan’s investments.
• Assistance with monitoring the reasonableness of the fees and expenses of the plan’s
investments or investment managers in accordance with the plan’s Investment Policy
Statement or other relevant guidelines.
• Benchmarking existing plan service providers to industry peers, and where appropriate,
conducting a search for new providers for the plan sponsor’s consideration and providing our
recommendation.
Portfolio Management Services for Wrap Fee Program
Argonautica offers portfolio management services through a wrap fee program. A bundled or “wrap
fee” program is an advisory fee program under which you pay one bundled fee to compensate
Argonautica for portfolio management, transaction costs and custodial services. A wrap fee program
may not be the lowest cost option if you would like to restrict your investments to open-end mutual
funds or other long-term investment products.
Amount of Assets We Manage
As of December 2023, Argonautica manages approximately $373,973,304 of assets on a discretionary
basis and $30,047,046 of assets on a non-discretionary basis. Discretionary assets under management
are those for which we have an ongoing responsibility to select and make securities recommendations
that are in line with your financial needs and objectives and then effect those securities transactions
without first consulting you. Non-discretionary assets under management are those for which we have
an ongoing responsibility to select and make securities recommendations that are in line with your
financial needs and objectives and then effect those securities transactions only after consulting with
you to inform you of the transaction(s) and obtaining your approval to move forward.