A name chosen with intent.
Most firm names tell you nothing. Ours tells you exactly how we work.
Not a knowledge problem. A leverage problem.
In an age of unlimited information, building a financial path on your own is rarely a knowledge problem; it is a leverage problem. There is more to read, buy, and try than ever, and less clarity about what actually applies to you. Atlatl Advisers exists to convert your effort into reach: a team that takes what you have built and helps it travel farther, with more precision, than it could on its own. That is what an atlatl did for hunters thousands of years ago, and it is the standard we hold our work to now.
The name also carries a personal history. A beloved relative of one of our team members was a skilled artisan who crafted wooden atlatls by hand; several of his pieces are displayed in our office. As the firm grew, taking his craft as our namesake felt like the right way to honor him, and it serves as a daily reminder of the care his work embodied.
An ancient spear-throwing tool that uses leverage to propel a projectile with greater velocity, precision, and range than the arm alone.
Built by a family, for families.
Atlatl Advisers was founded by Ross Fedenia, CFP®. The first graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s Wealth Management and Financial Planning Program, Ross built his career in private wealth after starting as a hedge fund analyst, and started Atlatl to bring institutional-quality investment management to private clients. He did not build it alone. His wife and co-founder, Emily, has been the firm’s champion from its first days and shapes its culture still. And his father, Mark Fedenia, Ph.D., the Baird Professor of Finance at the Wisconsin School of Business who spent decades managing portfolios connected to the University of Wisconsin, joined as Director of Investments, bringing two careers under one roof. With the rest of the team, the practice grew into what Atlatl is today: a boutique multi-family office headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.
It is no accident that family sits at the center of the business. Our team includes family members working side by side, and colleagues who have come to be treated as family. We have built a firm where people can spend time with the people they love and pursue what matters to them, because that is precisely what we help clients do with their wealth.
To be trusted advisers in navigating the complexities of multi-generational wealth, with services tailored around each client and their family’s evolving needs.
To redefine and elevate the financial services experience through exceptional client service and a commitment to excellence in all that we do. We empower individuals, families, business owners, and institutions to realize their aspirations: today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
What we hold ourselves to.
Client Stewardship
Exemplary service across the full range of our clients' needs is our paramount and unrelenting focus. We measure our work against your aspirations, not against industry averages.
Integrity as the Standard
We operate under a fiduciary duty, which requires us to act in your best interest at all times. We would do it anyway. We want our employees, clients, and communities to be proud of this firm, its history, and what it stands for.
Education First
The best advice starts with understanding, not assumptions. We take time to learn each client's perspective and background before we recommend anything, and we invest in educating the next generation of every family we serve. We hold ourselves to the same standard, staying ahead of the changes that affect our clients' lives.
Let’s talk about what your wealth is for.
Whether you are exploring a full advisory relationship or have a single question, we are glad to talk.