About SYV Wealth Advisors
Long-term Relationships Built Right
Our Story
SYV Wealth Advisors is an independent wealth advisory firm serving families and individuals across the Santa Ynez Valley, including Solvang and Los Olivos, as well as Santa Barbara County and beyond.
We combine the capabilities of a seasoned financial services team with the trust, transparency, and personal attention that only a local, independent firm can offer.
Founding
Our founding partner, Colonel (ret) Bruce Porter, began his financial career in 2001 after a distinguished 25-year career in the United States Army.
Growth
Bruce grew his practice successfully for 16 years before opening SYV Wealth Advisors in 2017. His vision was to provide clients with the breadth of choices and opportunities that only an independent firm can offer. Bruce has always been intently loyal and fiercely protective of his clients and their interests. He believes his clients are truly like family. That service model is woven into our fabric and reflected in each of our advisors and staff.
Expansion
As SYV Wealth Advisors grew, Bruce began to look for the next generation of leadership that would carry the firm and its clients into the future, and a new era of mutual success. In 2022, Bruce recognized those qualities in long-time industry veteran, Brad Sicoff. Brad then took the helm of the firm as President and CEO. His expertise has brought an ideal complement to the foundation Bruce laid.
Today
In 2025, Partners Kelsey Bengoa and Javier Trujillo then added further expertise to our firm's service offerings with their own rich experience as private wealth advisors. Together, the leadership team has guided a client-centric, results-driven approach built to last on the foundation Bruce laid. Today, SYV Wealth Advisors is a premier firm that serves its clients with the same local values as always, but with the finest in technology, resources and research.
Meet Our Advisors
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Brad Sicoff, CRPC®
PRESIDENT & CEO | WEALTH ADVISOR
With deep experience in the financial services industry, Brad spent over 20 years at AIG, Prudential, and John Hancock. He offers private clients, foundations and business owners specialized expertise, including in tax and estate objectives, and tailored retirement strategies.
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Kelsey Bengoa
PARTNER | WEALTH ADVISOR
With over 15 years of rich experience in private wealth advisement from Wells Fargo Finet and LPL Financial, Kelsey maintains strong client relationships and offers diverse expertise to the nonprofits, commercial enterprises, large-scale agriculture operations and private families he serves.
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Javier Trujillo
PARTNER | WEALTH ADVISOR
Javier has spent over a decade serving clients with a unique skillset and perspective in retirement planning, estate planning and investment management. His client-centered approach ensures that each individual's financial goals are met with precision and personalized care.
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Bruce Porter, CFP®
FOUNDER | WEALTH ADVISOR
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and Stanford University, Bruce served a distinguished career in the U.S. Army before retiring as a Colonel and spending the past nearly 25 years guiding investment strategy for a diverse array of close clients.
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Molly Ware Director of Operations
To Us, This is Personal
Call it a philosophy, or simply a belief in how it should be. Our advisors handle each client's portfolio and communication personally — no relationship managers, no handoffs. That's by design. At SYV Wealth Advisors, the trust that comes from long-term relationships isn't a differentiator. It's the foundation. You'll always hear directly from your advisor, because that's the kind of wealth management we believe in.
Contact us
Interested in working together? Send us a quick message and we’ll be in touch to learn more about how best we can assist.
