You are why we're here.
Money is personal - so is our commitment to you.
Wayne Wilbanks, firm co-founder and Managing Principal, describes his original vision for WST and describes the firm's enduring mission and values.
A Firm Built On a Client-First Foundation
Since its establishment in 1990, Wilbanks Smith & Thomas has sought to nurture a culture
of progress and innovation anchored by diligent research and tried-and-true best practice.

Pillars of Our Business
01
Customized solutions
Each relationship begins with our listening to you. Your story is the cornerstone of our process and a strategy that is a thoughtful reflection of you and your goals. It is our responsibility to promote confident commitment to your long-term plan.
02
Disciplined approach
Market volatility can test the nerve of any investor, encouraging short-term decision-making that can lead to disappointing outcomes. We can’t eliminate risk but we can prepare you for it through a disciplined approach that focuses on both reward and risk.
03
Objective advice
We are grateful to have served many clients for decades and through challenging market environments. We don’t make the right call every time, but every decision upholds our fiduciary duty and aims to honor the trust you place in us.
04
Transparent process
We believe a clearly defined plan, access to key decision-makers, and goals-based reporting are factors that support partnerships, nurture relationships and differentiate the experience of WST clients. Transparency is a standard you deserve and we demand of ourselves.
05
Personal commitment
Whatever his or her role, every WST employee takes pride in creating and implementing tailored solutions, exceeding your service expectations and sustaining a client-first culture.  You are why we’re here.
Organizational Structure:
Wealth Management

Strategic wealth management

  • Financial planning
  • Generational planning
  • Portfolio management

Customized solutions

Independent research, experienced analysis

Objective advice

  • Open architecture
  • Internal & external expertise for portfolio implementation

Serving individuals, families, trusts

Institutional Advisory

Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and institutional portfolio advisory

Serving institutions, profit-sharing and 401k plans

  • spending policy, liquidity requirements & IPS analysis
  • definition of long-term strategic asset allocation
  • portfolio execution

Independent research & analysis

Objective advice, accountability and availability to staff, boards, etc.

Serving institutions, profit-sharing and 401k plans

Advisor Solutions

Strategic partner to intermediaries

  • Operational and investment support for national platforms and independent advisors
  • Leverage asset management capabilities to deliver customized portfolio solutions
  • Facilitate strategic plans to grow practices and better serve clients

Serving as sub-advisor to RIAs, brokers, advisor networks & intermediaries

WST Capital Management

ETF strategist division offering quantitative, rules-based investment solutions across equity, fixed income, alternatives, multi-asset and balanced.

Sophisticated quantitative science joins progressive portfolio design, leveraging the structural strengths of ETFs

Serving institutions, financial intermediaries, Turnkey Asset Management Programs (TAMPS), and sub-advising WSTAM mutual funds & other vehicles

Strategic wealth management

  • Financial planning
  • Generational planning
  • Portfolio management

Customized solutions

Independent research, experienced analysis

Objective advice

  • Open architecture
  • Internal & external expertise for portfolio implementation

Serving individuals, families, trusts

Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and institutional portfolio advisory

Serving institutions, profit-sharing and 401k plans

  • spending policy, liquidity requirements & IPS analysis
  • definition of long-term strategic asset allocation
  • portfolio execution

Independent research & analysis

Objective advice, accountability and availability to staff, boards, etc.

Serving institutions, profit-sharing and 401k plans

Strategic partner to intermediaries

  • Operational and investment support for national platforms and independent advisors
  • Leverage asset management capabilities to deliver customized portfolio solutions
  • Facilitate strategic plans to grow practices and better serve clients

Serving as sub-advisor to RIAs, brokers, advisor networks & intermediaries

ETF strategist division offering quantitative, rules-based investment solutions across equity, fixed income, alternatives, multi-asset and balanced.

Sophisticated quantitative science joins progressive portfolio design, leveraging the structural strengths of ETFs

Serving institutions, financial intermediaries, Turnkey Asset Management Programs (TAMPS), and sub-advising WSTAM mutual funds & other vehicles

Our Process
CUSTOMIZE
Strategic Asset Allocation
Strategic asset allocation is a tailored product of
consultation and analysis around investment horizons,
risk appetite and tolerance, goals.
DIVERSIFY
Investment Research & Selection
Rigorous research within an open architecture framework,
seeking to develop efficient core complemented by
satellite and alternative exposures.
SIMPLIFY
Portfolio Construction & Execution
Portfolio structured as a single managed account
focused on the most cost-efficient, liquid profile
achievable within strategic framework.
Scope of Investment Services
Asset allocation
Security selection
Asset management
Performance reporting
Portfolio rebalancing
Global equities

Passive/ asset class funds
Actively managed funds

  • Equity asset class funds
  • Alternative strategies
  • Qualitative/ quantitative analysis

Independent research and analysis

Fixed income

Managed portfolios

  • Government and corporate bond
  • Short- to intermediate-duration
  • Single-state municipal
  • High income:
    • Preferred stock
    • High Yield
    • MLP/Income Stocks

Active and passive funds/ETFs

Independent research and analysis

Bottom-up equity

Managed portfolios

Independent research and analysis

Alternatives

Liquid alternative mutual fund model

Tactical ETF Portfolios

  • Equity
  • Fixed
  • Multi-Asset
  • Balanced

Independent research and analysis

This chart is intended to illustrate the firm's capabilities and high-level approach to asset management. It is not intended to represent a recommendation to buy any particular security or pursue any particular investment strategy.
Connect with WST