Blair Cornell, a wealth advisor at UBS Wealth Management in Miamisburg, OH, comes from a background rooted in the financial industry. With over $1.6 billion in team assets custodied, Cornell has made a name for himself as one of America’s top wealth advisors. Growing up, Cornell interned for his father, who also worked as an advisor at UBS, and eventually teamed up with him after graduating from Ohio University in 2004.
Cornell’s work primarily involves high net worth clients, including business owners and families with special needs children. He focuses on legacy planning, offering comprehensive planning perspectives to add value to his clients. His team at UBS is multi-gendered and multigenerational, providing stability and a trust-based culture that clients value. With an average team tenure of 13 years, they prioritize collaborative decision-making and client satisfaction.
In terms of investment philosophy, Cornell believes in a bucketing strategy that divides client assets into segments for liquidity, longevity, and legacy. This approach aims to create a steady income stream for clients through dividends, interest, and tax-free strategies from equities and bonds. Additionally, Cornell and his team have been actively allocating part of client portfolios into alternative investments in recent years to diversify and reduce risk while aiming for higher returns.
Looking ahead to 2024, Cornell predicts a couple of interest rate cuts in the second half of the year, necessitating portfolio adjustments to maintain steady income streams for clients. He advises clients not to overreact to political noise, as elections typically have a short-term impact on markets. Cornell emphasizes the importance of focusing on long-term trends based on fundamentals rather than short-term market fluctuations.
Outside of work, Cornell is the founder of the nonprofit JoyRide, a car club exclusively for children with special needs. The organization organizes weekend rides in exotic cars, such as Ferraris and McLarens, to bring joy to children with special needs. The idea for JoyRide came to Cornell while driving with his special needs son in his convertible, highlighting his dedication to making a positive impact on his community beyond financial advising.
