Arax Acquires Omni Financial in Strategic Northeast Expansion

NEW YORK, NY – March 30, 2026 – Arax Investment Partners, a national wealth management firm, announced today its acquisition of Omni Financial Advisory Group, a boutique practice from Poughkeepsie, New York. The move marks another significant step in Arax's rapid, private equity-fueled expansion and underscores a powerful consolidation wave reshaping the independent advisory landscape.

Omni Financial, a multi-generational firm founded by Gregory Bayer over 30 years ago, will be integrated into Arax Advisory Partners (AAP), the division of Arax designed to house top-tier wealth management providers. The deal adds an established Northeast presence to Arax’s growing national footprint and brings a family-run business known for its deep client relationships into the fold of a much larger entity.

For industry observers, this partnership is a textbook example of the forces driving the record-setting M&A activity in the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) space. It pairs a rapidly scaling consolidator with a successful legacy firm seeking resources for its next chapter.

The Architect of Aggregation: Arax's Blueprint for Growth

Since its founding in 2022, Arax Investment Partners, led by industry veteran CEO Haig Ariyan, has pursued an ambitious and aggressive growth strategy. Backed by the formidable financial power of RedBird Capital Partners, Arax has become one of the fastest-growing wealth management platforms in the United States. The firm’s model is not merely to acquire assets, but to make strategic control investments in leading RIAs, creating a network of firms that can leverage centralized resources while maintaining their unique brand identities.

In a statement, Ariyan framed the acquisition as a strategic fit, noting, “Firms like Omni Financial represent exactly the kind of advisors we seek to partner with, teams that have built strong reputations, deep client relationships and sustainable businesses. Omni brings a legacy of expertise and integrity that resonates with our core values.”

The numbers behind Arax’s ascent are striking. From a standing start at its launch, the platform's assets under management (AUM) surged to over $32 billion by the end of 2025. This explosive growth was driven by a string of high-profile acquisitions, including U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors ($9 billion), SRS Capital Advisors ($1.7 billion), and GFP Private Wealth ($1.5 billion), among others. The acquisition of Omni Financial continues this momentum into 2026.

RedBird Capital’s involvement provides more than just capital; the private equity firm actively assists in M&A sourcing, due diligence, and execution. It also spearheads technology initiatives across the Arax platform, including the integration of AI and data science, giving partner firms access to sophisticated tools that would be difficult to develop independently.

Riding the Consolidation Wave

The Arax-Omni deal is a microcosm of a much larger trend. The wealth management industry is in the midst of unprecedented consolidation, with private equity-backed aggregators leading the charge. In 2025, a staggering 88% of all RIA acquisitions were made by firms with private equity backing, transforming a once-fragmented landscape into one dominated by a few dozen large-scale players.

For boutique firms like Omni, the motivations to join a larger platform are compelling and multifaceted. While succession planning remains a key driver—with nearly 40% of financial advisors expected to retire in the next decade—the primary impetus has shifted towards strategic growth. Selling to a larger partner provides access to capital for expansion, advanced technology, broader investment platforms, and sophisticated compliance and marketing infrastructure.

This allows founding advisors to solve for succession, de-risk their personal finances, and equip their practice for a future where client expectations are rising. The demand for integrated, “family office” style services that combine investment management with tax, estate, and trust planning is pushing smaller firms to find partners who can provide these capabilities at scale.

The “sell and stay” model, which Arax employs, has become increasingly popular. It allows founders like Gregory Bayer to monetize the equity they have built over decades while remaining at the helm of their practice, ensuring continuity for clients and staff. This structure addresses the desire for long-term growth without forcing a complete exit.

Preserving a Family Legacy

At the heart of Omni Financial is a family story. Founded by Gregory Bayer, the firm was built as a multi-generational practice. Today, he is joined by his son, Braedon, a CFP® practitioner, and his daughter, Reilly, who serves as the Client Service Coordinator. This structure has been central to Omni's success, fostering a culture where clients are, as the firm says, “treated like family.”

The decision to partner with Arax was framed as a move to secure this legacy for the future. “Partnering with Arax prepares us for sustainable long-term growth, expanding our offerings and capabilities without losing touch with the core values that have defined this firm for decades,” said Gregory Bayer. “We’re excited to enter the next chapter for our family’s business, supported by the opportunities this partnership creates for the future of our practice.”

This sentiment reflects a critical challenge for family-run RIAs: how to scale and compete in an industry of giants without losing the personalized, high-touch service model that earned them their clients' trust. By joining Arax Advisory Partners, Omni aims to strike this balance. The AAP platform is designed to allow firms to tap into shared resources and a national infrastructure while retaining a significant degree of operational autonomy and their client-facing brand.

For Omni's high-net-worth clients, the transition is intended to be seamless, providing them with the same trusted advisors but now backed by a deeper well of resources, including more sophisticated investment solutions and wealth planning tools. The continued involvement of the Bayer family is crucial for maintaining the long-standing relationships that are the bedrock of the firm’s value proposition.