Chartered Capital Advisers Research
Firm Overview
Chartered Capital Advisers, Inc. is a New York-based financial advisory and valuation firm providing merger & acquisition, business valuation, and corporate financial advisory services since 1988. The firm operates from its headquarters at 375 Park Avenue, Suite 2607, in Manhattan, serving over 600 clients of all sizes across a broad range of industries throughout the world. Rather than focusing exclusively on M&A transactions like traditional investment banks, Chartered Capital Advisers takes a multidisciplinary approach to financial advisory services, combining transaction expertise with deep valuation knowledge and litigation support capabilities.
Advisory Approach & Philosophy
Chartered Capital Advisers operates with a thesis centered on the integration of valuation expertise with transaction advisory services. The firm believes that rigorous, defensible valuation analysis should underpin all M&A transaction work, whether serving as advisor to buyers or sellers. Unlike boutique M&A banks that focus primarily on deal sourcing and closing, Chartered Capital Advisers combines transaction experience with the credibility of independent valuation expertise, particularly valuable when valuation disputes arise or when extensive financial analysis is required to justify transaction pricing.
The firm differentiates itself through the depth of professional backgrounds. All professionals have occupied senior positions at Big Four accounting firms, investment banks, commercial banks, valuation and appraisal firms, or in private industry. This creates a unique blend of traditional investment banking expertise combined with valuation rigor and litigation support experience. The firm's founder, Ronald G. Quintero, spent 20+ years in investment banking at Bear Stearns and as a management consultant at Zolfo Cooper before founding the firm.
Service Capabilities
Chartered Capital Advisers provides a comprehensive range of financial advisory services including:
Merger & Acquisition Services:
- Developing acquisition criteria and identifying acquisition candidates
- Negotiating transactions between buyers and sellers
- Financial and operational due diligence
- Valuation and pricing analysis
- Preparation of information memoranda and selling memoranda
- Post-transaction integration planning
Valuation & Fairness Opinions:
- Business valuations for M&A, sales, divestitures, recapitalizations
- Fairness opinions for shareholders and boards
- Solvency and insolvency opinions
- ESOP valuations
- Complex capital structure valuations
- Intangible asset valuations (patents, copyrights, trademarks)
Restructuring & Insolvency:
- Financial restructuring advisory
- Bankruptcy advisory services
- Turnaround consulting
- Financial workouts
- Litigation support in bankruptcy proceedings
Litigation Support:
- Expert testimony and affidavits
- Valuation for shareholder disputes, business dissolution, equitable distribution
- Forensic accounting and fraud investigation
- Economic damages analysis
- Investment suitability analysis
Transaction Experience
While Chartered Capital Advisers does not operate as a high-volume transaction originator like larger boutique or middle-market M&A firms, the firm has been actively involved in valuation and financial advisory work across multiple transaction types. The firm has provided valuation expertise in notable transactions including expert witness services in Tesla's acquisition of SolarCity and technical valuation work on PLX Technology transactions.
The firm's most publicly documented transaction involvement includes expert testimony on significant matters and valuation work supporting complex transactions. The firm reports serving "several hundred clients of all sizes, representing nearly every major industry" with M&A and valuation services. While comprehensive deal tracking is not available in public sources, the breadth of client work across diverse industries demonstrates established transaction experience.
Industry Focus & Sector Expertise
Chartered Capital Advisers serves clients across a broad spectrum of industries without specialization in a single vertical. The firm explicitly markets its services to clients "of all sizes in a broad range of industries," suggesting a generalist rather than specialist approach. This breadth allows the firm to serve diverse client needs but reflects a different positioning than sector-focused LMM firms.
The firm's documented experience spans manufacturing and industrial services, healthcare services and physician practice management, financial services and banking, professional services, business services, technology and software, retail and distribution, transportation and logistics, real estate, and educational institutions. The multidisciplinary approach enables the firm to serve complex transactions that benefit from specialized valuation expertise.
Team & Professional Expertise
Founder & Leadership: Ronald G. Quintero, CPA, CFA, ABV, CDBV, CFE, CFF, CMA, CTP, CIRA, CFP — Founded the firm after 20+ years of investment banking at Bear Stearns and management consulting. Recognized expert in valuations, having performed over 1,000 valuations and testified as an expert witness on 50+ occasions in courts throughout the United States and abroad. Author of "Mergers and Acquisitions," used for AICPA continuing professional education.
Managing Director: Stephen B. Blum, CFA — Former KPMG partner who led the firm's valuation practice and served as National Director of Corporate Finance. Helped establish KPMG as the #1 global M&A ranking firm in terms of completed transactions. Now teaches M&A seminars at Columbia University, NYU, Amos Tuck, and University of Illinois. Quoted and published in major financial publications, appeared on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox.
Senior Advisors: The firm maintains a team of senior advisors with diverse backgrounds. William D. Betts, Jr. brings 30+ years financial and operational management experience, particularly in retail and turnaround situations. Charles H. Calhoun has 20+ years forensic accounting, fraud investigation, and litigation support experience. Frederick E. Nydegger provides 30+ years of M&A and acquisition advisory services experience, having headed Big Five acquisition advisory practices. John C. Reynolds contributes expertise in general management, corporate planning, and finance. Susan J. Trammell, CFA, brings 15+ years business planning and M&A analysis experience. Christopher Novak, CFA, has originated dozens of capital raise and M&A transactions and led hundreds of valuation and litigation support assignments.
Process & Service Delivery
Chartered Capital Advisers follows a structured advisory process. Prior to engagement, the firm establishes clear scope of services, time requirements, expected results, and anticipated fees. Professionals maintain close client communication throughout to ensure clients are apprised of significant developments on a timely basis.
The firm's multidisciplinary team allows engagement scope to range from consultation on specific valuation or transaction issues to comprehensive M&A or special advisory projects. This flexibility enables the firm to serve both buyers and sellers, as well as providing support services to boards, attorneys, accountants, and financial institutions.
Fee Structure
Fee information for Chartered Capital Advisers is not publicly disclosed on the firm's website. Based on the service profile (valuation plus advisory rather than high-volume transactional work), fees are likely structured as project-based retainers for M&A engagements, hourly rates for valuation and expert witness services, and potentially negotiated success fees on transaction engagements. The firm's practice of custom-tailoring engagements suggests flexibility in engagement structures and fee arrangements.
Geographic Coverage & Reach
Chartered Capital Advisers is based in Manhattan with significant presence in New York and the greater Northeast region. The firm serves clients "throughout the world" and has represented clients across the United States and international markets. The firm's involvement in litigation support work spans courts throughout the United States and abroad. With its New York headquarters and Big Four backgrounds of team members, the firm has demonstrated ability to serve national and international transaction opportunities.
Professional Credentials & Affiliations
The firm is recognized for deep professional credentials and affiliations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, American Society of Appraisers, Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, CFA Institute, National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Turnaround Management Association, and New York State Society of CPAs.
Firm professionals regularly publish in national publications including The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, The CPA Journal, American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, and Bloomberg. Team members are frequent speakers at AICPA, American Management Association, Turnaround Management Association, and other professional forums.
Competitive Positioning
Chartered Capital Advisers occupies a distinctive market position distinct from traditional boutique or middle-market M&A firms. The firm differentiates through a valuation-first approach where financial analysis foundations underpin transaction work. Rather than transaction-volume optimization, the firm prioritizes defensible valuation analysis. The multidisciplinary expertise across M&A, valuation, restructuring, and litigation support gives the firm unique breadth. Expert witness credibility of founder and team members adds credibility in complex valuations or disputed transactions. Through affiliate R.G. Quintero & Co., the firm maintains deep expertise in turnarounds, workouts, and insolvency situations. All professionals have Big Four or investment banking backgrounds, providing institutional-grade advisory quality.
Transaction Approach
Chartered Capital Advisers' positioning suggests the firm is best suited for transactions where financial analysis, valuation credibility, and restructuring expertise create competitive advantage. The model works well for sellers prioritizing valuation credibility, complex restructurings, and situations where independent financial expertise matters more than deal volume. The firm appeals to business owners valuing analytical rigor and independent financial expertise as much as deal sourcing and process management.
The firm may be less optimal for high-volume transactional shops seeking primarily deal sourcing and process management, buyers requiring extensive PE buyer network access, situations prioritizing speed-to-market over valuation rigor, or transactions requiring significant leveraged financing capability. However, the firm's multidisciplinary approach makes it well-suited for transactions with significant complexity or valuation disputes.
Registration Status
Chartered Capital Advisers is not registered with FINRA as a broker-dealer. The firm operates as a consulting and valuation advisory firm providing professional services, not as a registered securities provider. This positioning is appropriate for their service model focused on valuation expertise and transaction support rather than securities sales or investment advisory registration. Individual team members may hold FINRA registrations for specific transaction advisory roles.
Summary
Chartered Capital Advisers represents a specialized advisory model combining transaction experience with valuation depth and litigation support expertise. With over 35 years of operations, the firm has established itself as a credible advisor for transactions requiring sophisticated financial analysis. Rather than competing on deal volume or buyer network size, the firm differentiates through intellectual capital, multidisciplinary team expertise, and the credibility that comes from recognized valuation expertise and professional credentials. The firm's positioning makes it well-suited for transactions in sectors ranging from business services to manufacturing, where analytical depth and financial rigor drive value.