Westlake Village Wealth Management

Industry Start Date: 2000

KAR Start Date: 2013

Education: B.S. from Arizona State University, M.B.A. in Finance & Strategy from the University of California, Los Angeles (selected for the Student Investment Fund).

Credentials: Series 7, Series 63, Series 65, Series 86, Series 87, Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor (CMFC) license

Recognition:
Darnel was named a Five Star Wealth Manager by Los Angeles Magazine last year, a designation awarded to wealth managers who scored highest in overall satisfaction.

Prior to Joining KAR:
Darnel worked in equity research for KeyBanc Capital Markets covering the gaming and lodging industries. Before working at KeyBanc Capital Markets, Darnel was a Vice President-Financial Consultant for Charles Schwab & Co. During his seven years at Charles Schwab, Darnel provided private-client investment-management services to high-net-worth families.

When Not in the Office:
Darnel loves spending time with his family. He is married to Tamany Vinson Bentz and they have two children, Blaise and Nora. The Bentz’s support the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, among other organizations. Darnel also enjoys travel, reading, skiing, golf and basketball. He currently resides in Manhattan Beach, California.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job?
I really enjoy the collegial, collaborative environment that we have at Kayne Anderson Rudnick. People of all different backgrounds come together and really work hard to help our clients meet their goals.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Working at KARWA?
I love what I do at KAR because I get to see people achieve their retirement goals and dreams, or save for their children’s education. It’s really satisfying to be able to give them peace of mind and confidence in what they’re doing.

How Does KARWA Approach Wealth Management Differently?
With a 30-year history, we’ve seen the ups and downs of the market and we have great experience managing volatility by investing in only the highest-quality companies, along with fixed income and select alternative strategies. We also have a strong track record of playing great defense during the inevitable difficult market environments. This gives our clients a much smoother return along the way.

What Do You Hope to Achieve For Your Clients?
I want my clients to experience the highest-quality service, to gain valuable peace of mind and to have trust and confidence that we are doing all the rights things to help them achieve their goals and dreams for retirement and college savings. I want to allow them to not worry about their investments or any market volatility.

Industry Start Date: 1979

KAR Start Date: 1991

Education: B.S., Business and Economics, Loyola Marymount University

Prior Work Experience:
Vice President – Shearson Lehman Brothers

What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job:
There are two aspects of my role that are very rewarding. The first aspect is working with our clients. We have the pleasure of working with a wonderful group of institutional and individual clients and, over the years, we have become very close to our clients. It’s been very rewarding to see the positive impact we have been fortunate to have on our clients and their financial well-being.

The second aspect of my job that I find rewarding is strategic planning for the firm. It has been exciting and rewarding to see the firm evolve over the years as we execute on our business plans. I also enjoy getting the opportunity to watch our employees advance in their careers and the organization as the firm has continued to grow.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Working at KAR:
What I enjoy most about working at KAR are my colleagues. We are a close knit group. We have a number of employees that have been with the firm for 10 to 20 years and that is pretty unusual in most organizations. I think many of us have stayed with the firm for so long because we have shared common values and we work very closely together within those shared values for the benefit of our clients.

What Are You Involved in Outside of Work:
Outside of KAR, I enjoy cycling. I have been cycling, specifically road cycling, for over 10 years. Cycling is great for clearing the mind. I enjoy the close knit group and I tend to find that cyclists generally are people that are motivated, social and have a positive outlook on their lives. Cycling has taken me all over the world and I think the best way to travel is on a bike.