"Our company was founded October 1st, 1950, by Henry Colton," said co-CEO Tate Groome. "He was educated as an engineer at Yale, flew over 20 combat missions as a naval aviator in World War II, and made the law review at UNC Chapel Hill. if you think  about the thoroughness of an attorney, the precision of an engineer, and the courage of that greatest generation, that’s the fabric and foundation of our firm."

That foundation has evolved through strategic succession planning rather than familial bloodlines. "We call ourselves a third-generation family-owned business, but it's not by blood, it's by association," said Tate. When Henry looked for a successor, it was George Groome,a family friend, who stepped up. George’s sons, Matt and Tate, now serve as co-CEOs.

Tate recalled the pivotal moment in 2009 when the next generation began to take shape: "I called Matt and said, 'Hey, I really love this business, but there's no way I can do this without you.'"

Together, the brothers modernized the business structure and culture. "Most organizations, even our father, thought there had to be one person at the helm," said Tate. "But we do it together."

At the heart of Colton Groome's sustained success is a people-first philosophy. "It's our team," said Tate. "We get emails all the time from clients saying, 'This person is just doing an exceptional job.' We try really hard to have teammates that are the right culture  fit."

So what defines that culture? "Teamwork, client-first, integrity always, over-prepare and over-communicate, and continuous pursuit of excellence," said Matt. 

Colton Groome is also one of the last independent firms of its kind in the region. "The top eight firms in our business lines, outside of us, have all merged or sold in the last five years," said Matt. "We're committed to staying local and independent."

That independence has allowed Colton Groome to remain agile and innovative. "We think of ourselves as a 75-year-old startup," said Tate. "We've been tech-forward, adaptable, and because we’re independent and directly registered with the SEC, we can customize everything for our clients. We want someone who retired here from New York or San Francisco to feel like they have every tool available to them, but also local accountability."

That innovation was guided in part by chief operating officer Taylor Bell Poteat. "She grabbed the fintech stack and said, 'I'm going to run with this,'" said Matt. "To Taylor’s credit, we were already cloud-based and paperless before COVID. When we had to go remote, we didn’t skip a beat."

Technology is married with a deeply personal approach to service. "We are not a volume shop," said Tate. "We want the right clients. We talk about the AAA: attitude, assets, and advocacy. You have to have two out of three."

In recognizing that succession planning contributed to the past 75 years, they've prioritized planning out that succession for the future. Tate's son Davis is currently interning with the company, and ownership and management are in place through at least 2050.  

As they prepare to celebrate the milestone at the Biltmore Estate with 200 clients and friends, the Groome brothers continue to build on the legacy of their founder, blending decades of tradition with the agility of a startup and a relentless focus on client service. “We are committed to innovation, people-first culture, and local independence, and that positions us well for another 75 years of excellence,” said Tate. 

Learn more at ColtonGroome.com.