William Catton
Financial Advisor
NMLS #2462756
1331 North California Blvd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925.946.3062
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I tailor my services to meet client needs across every aspect of our relationship, combining the scale and access of a global financial institution with the high-touch, personalized approach of a boutique family office.
Welcome

I work closely with individuals and multi-generational families to help preserve and grow their wealth by providing them with timely, strategic advice that extends beyond the scope of traditional investment management. I am backed by a dedicated team with an average tenure of 21 years at the firm. We seek to add only a select number of new client relationships each year and work tirelessly to make ourselves indispensable to each one. Our services are individually tailored to help meet the needs of each client across every aspect of our relationship.

William Catton is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and a member of The Cusick Catton Team in Walnut Creek. He is responsible for crafting wealth plans, portfolio construction and management, and investment due diligence.

Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Mr. Catton was a Senior Analyst at Horizon Partners, where he advised high-growth technology companies on M&A opportunities. Previously, Mr. Catton was an Analyst at Swingbridge LLC, where he performed due diligence on the firm’s public equity investments. Mr. Catton began his career in the San Francisco office of Hall Capital Partners LLC, where he built and managed global, multi-asset class portfolios for endowments, families, and foundations.

Mr. Catton received a B.S. in Business Administration from the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon, where he was an analyst in the University’s Investment Group and co-founded the Oregon Consulting Group.

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The Cusick Catton Team
About Me
Overview

OUR TEAM

We are a six person team operating under the umbrella of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with an average tenure of 22 years at the firm(1)

OUR BUSINESS

We help individuals and families make timely and effective decisions in addressing investment and financial issues

We develop comprehensive wealth plans that reflect our deep understanding of our clients' wealth ecosystem and their objectives and constraints

We build portfolios across asset classes and geographies that are tailored to our clients' requirements and preferences

We leverage our firm's deep capabilities to offer clients an extensive suite of products and potential solutions

OUR CLIENTS

We foster long-term relationships with our clients. The average length of our client relationship is over 14 years(1)

(1) as of 12/31/2023

About Me
Overview

OUR TEAM

We are a six person team operating under the umbrella of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with an average tenure of 22 years at the firm(1)

OUR BUSINESS

We help individuals and families make timely and effective decisions in addressing investment and financial issues

We develop comprehensive wealth plans that reflect our deep understanding of our clients' wealth ecosystem and their objectives and constraints

We build portfolios across asset classes and geographies that are tailored to our clients' requirements and preferences

We leverage our firm's deep capabilities to offer clients an extensive suite of products and potential solutions

OUR CLIENTS

We foster long-term relationships with our clients. The average length of our client relationship is over 14 years(1)

(1) as of 12/31/2023

What Sets Us Apart

EXPERIENCE. Our experience and judgement crafting comprehensive wealth plans and managing customized portfolios for individuals and families for over 40 years

INVESTMENT PLATFORM. Our rigorous evaluation of opportunities on our firm's well-established investment platform to identify the most promising, relevant ideas

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP. Our solutions-driven approach, customized advice, and superior level of service and confidentiality

RESEARCH TEAM. Our firm's 235 member Chief Investment Office(1,2)

SIZE. Our dedicated team combines the high-touch, personalized approach of a boutique-like family office with the access and reach of a global financial institution

(1) As of 1/31/2023
(2) The Chief Investment Office (CIO) provides thought leadership on wealth management, investment strategy and global markets; portfolio management solutions; due diligence; and solutions oversight and data analytics. CIO viewpoints are developed for Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., ("Bank of America") and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("MLPF&S" or "Merrill"), a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp.").

Investment Philosophy

While each client differs in their specific investment objectives, we adhere to a core set of investment principles that guide portfolio construction.

We maintain a long-term investment horizon and are highly selective about where to invest

We invest globally and prudently concentrate portfolios in high conviction opportunities to help deliver better risk-adjusted returns over time

We diversify across drivers of return. To achieve this, our portfolios typically have fixed income, equities, hedge funds, private equity, and real assets(1)

We are fundamental investors and work with those we believe are among the best professional investors to express our investment views

We are tax-aware. We use active managers where we expect they will they will add long-term value, after fees and taxes

We evaluate environmental, social and governance factors(2) as value enhancement and/or risk mitigation

(1) Some or all alternative investment programs may not be in the best interest of certain investors. No assurance can be given that any alternative investment's investment objectives will be achieved.
(2) Impact investing and/or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) managers may take into consideration factors beyond traditional financial information to select securities, which could result in relative investment performance deviating from other strategies or broad market benchmarks, depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. Further, ESG strategies may rely on certain values based criteria to eliminate exposures found in similar strategies or broad market benchmarks, which could also result in relative investment performance deviating.

Meet Our Professional Staff
Steve Catton
Vice President, Senior Consultant
925.945.4846
Maria A Ricciardi-Leonard, CRPC™
Registered Senior Wealth Management Client Associate
925.945.4873
Chris J Millis, CRPC™
Registered Senior Wealth Management Client Associate
925.946.3070
Colleen E Cusick, CIMA®,CPFA™,CRPC™
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor
925.945.4859
John D. Cusick
First Vice President, Senior Financial Advisor
615.750.1012
Additional Resources
The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.
Nafisa Azami
Wealth Management Banking Specialist
Merrill
Ross Morand
Alternative Investments Regional Specialist
Bank of America, N.A.
Veronica Lopez
Wealth Management Lending Officer
Bank of America, N.A.
NMLS #1019073
About Merrill

Bringing fresh perspectives to your financial life

The financial decisions you make today can help determine the future you build for yourself and your family. Carving a clear path forward starts with connecting your life and finances. A Merrill advisor provides access to the investing insights of Merrill and banking capabilities of Bank of America to help you make informed decisions as you pursue your goals.

About Merrill
Fresh perspectives

Bringing fresh perspectives to your financial life

The financial decisions you make today can help determine the future you build for yourself and your family. Carving a clear path forward starts with connecting your life and finances. A Merrill advisor provides access to the investing insights of Merrill and banking capabilities of Bank of America to help you make informed decisions as you pursue your goals.

Personalized planning

Helping you create a personalized plan

At Merrill, we go beyond the traditional role of an advisor.

  • Your goals, concerns and attitude about investing are the foundation of your plan.
  • We actively listen and provide personalized advice — ensuring we understand what matters most to you and your family.
  • We're committed to creating a personalized plan that evolves with you to help you live well today while preparing for the future.
Team and resources

Giving you access to our teams and solutions

Your advisor is one part of an experienced team dedicated to helping you achieve your goals. Acting as your single point of contact, your advisor provides personalized strategies and connects you with:

  • Bank of America specialists, such as mortgage or trust professionals
  • Timely insights from BofA Global Research1 to help you stay informed and navigate ever-changing markets
  • A full suite of Merrill investing and Bank of America banking solutions

1BofA Global Research is research produced by BofA Securities, Inc. ("BofAS") and/or one or more of its affiliates. BofAS is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp.").

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William Catton is registered to do business in AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV.