Jonathan Connolly Leads Wealth Advisors Trust Company Expansion

Jonathan Connolly has been appointed as President and Chief Operating Officer of Wealth Advisors Trust Company (WATC), an independent, advisor-founded corporate trustee based in Rapid City, South Dakota. With over $4 billion in assets under administration and more than 400 trust relationships nationwide, WATC provides directed and delegated trust solutions designed to strengthen advisor and attorney relationships while protecting family legacies. Connolly brings more than 30 years of financial and trust industry experience, having previously served as CEO and President of Wealthspire Trust LLC, and brings extensive background from institutions including UBS, RBC Trust, PNC Bank, and TD Bank. His appointment marks a significant leadership transition for the growing trust company as it expands its national footprint.

In his new role, Connolly has outlined three immediate priorities for WATC's growth strategy: national expansion to bring the advisor-friendly model to underserved markets from New England to the West Coast, partnership excellence focused on maintaining values of kindness and responsiveness in every client interaction, and operational innovation through modernizing infrastructure while preserving the human warmth that defines the company's service approach. The company's independence from banks and custodians serves as its key differentiator, allowing WATC to avoid competing with advisors for clients and instead focusing exclusively on supporting advisor relationships. This custodian-neutral position enables the firm to provide flexible, collaborative solutions aligned with modern estate planning concepts and South Dakota's strong fiduciary framework.

Looking toward the future, Connolly identifies several industry trends shaping the trust and fiduciary space, including the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history, increasing demand for transparency and personalization, and regulatory emphasis on governance and privacy. WATC is positioning itself to blend technological innovation with human compassion through systems like their Data Reliability and Service Consistency Framework. The company's core promise to advisors and attorneys centers on making the trust administration process simple, elegant, and human while allowing professionals to maintain control of their client relationships. Connolly's long-term vision aims to establish WATC as a household name synonymous with "advisor-friendly trust company" that provides a permanent home for professionals disenfranchised by traditional trust companies.