(Wheeling, W.Va.) – CEFEX, the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence, LLC, an Fi360® company, has certified McKinley Carter Wealth Services to the standard described in the handbook “Prudent Practices® for Investment Advisors.” McKinley Carter joins a limited group of Investment Advisors to successfully complete the independent certification process. McKinley Carter, headquartered in Wheeling, W.Va. with regional offices in Pittsburgh (PA), Charleston (W.Va.), and Gaithersburg (MD), is the first West Virginia investment firm to receive this fiduciary certification.

CEFEX is an independent global assessment and certification organization. They work closely with industry experts to provide comprehensive assessment programs to improve the fiduciary practices of investment advisors, stewards (retirement plans, foundations and endowments, etc.), investment managers, and other financial service providers. CEFEX confers a formal certification for those firms that are willing to undergo an independent audit and able to demonstrate that they fully conform to high standards which are substantiated in case law and best fiduciary practices.

This certification signifies McKinley Carter’s commitment to uphold the highest level of fiduciary care, according to Carlos Panksep, General Manager of the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence.

“Through CEFEX’s independent assessment, the certification provides assurance to foundations and other institutions, that McKinley Carter has demonstrated adherence to the industry’s best fiduciary practices,” Panksep said. “This indicates the firm’s interests are aligned with those of stakeholders.”

McKinley Carter’s Manager of Retirement Plan Services Rod Diaz, CRPS®, AIFA®, says the CEFEX certification aligns perfectly with the McKinley Carter mission.

“At McKinley Carter we follow well-defined processes, grounded in best practices, so that we can make sound, objective, and consistent decisions in service to our clients,” Diaz said. “CEFEX certification offers testament to the fact that we understand the importance of paying close attention to everything from high level strategies and policies all the way down to the details of our business practices. The CEFEX Mark signifies that our clients can be confident that we are worthy of their trust and that serving our clients’ best interests is our highest priority.”

McKinley Carter President and Chief Investment Officer David McKinley says the recognition for fiduciary excellence from an industry expert sets the firm apart.

“I am proud of our team’s recognition for fiduciary excellence and believe this positions us very well to attract valuable client relationships,” McKinley said. “Since shortly after our founding in 2003, we have operated under the fiduciary standard with the intent to provide unquestionably excellent advisory services to our clients. As more firms are now choosing to operate as fiduciaries as well, we sought from an industry expert an independent assessment of our commitments and practices to differentiate our standard for client care.”

As a CEFEX firm, McKinley Carter is certified in advisory and consulting services provided to trustee-directed and participant-directed defined contribution, defined benefit and section 403(b) plans, including discretionary management services under ERISA 3(21) and 3(38). McKinley Carter is registered at www.cefex.org, where its certificate can also be viewed.

McKinley Carter Wealth Services is an SEC-registered independent wealth management firm that provides Wealth Management and Trust Services for individuals and families committed to growing and protecting their wealth across multiple generations; Retirement Planning Services for businesses focused on the long-term financial success of their owners and employees; and Nonprofit Advisory Services for nonprofit organizations seeking long-term financial security and sustainability. The WV Chamber of Commerce honored the firm with the Five-Diamond Employer Award in 2017, and CNBC ranked the firm in its Top 100 List of U.S. Fee-Only Wealth Managers* in 2015.