Vandalia Wealth completes move to standalone RIA

The West Virginia wealth management firm said it became fully operational as an independent registered investment adviser in April 2026, giving its leadership direct control over governance, compliance, technology and strategy. The shift marks a new phase for the Charleston-based firm as it expands across Appalachia and invests in future growth.

Why it matters: - Vandalia Wealth’s move to a standalone RIA gives the firm direct control over the systems that shape client service, advisor support and long-term strategy. - The transition also signals that the Charleston-based firm intends to scale without losing its planning-driven, relationship-focused model. - The independent structure is designed to support continuity for clients, employees and advisors over time.

What happened: - Vandalia Wealth Management Incorporated said its independent RIA became fully operational in April 2026. - The firm completed its transition away from Axxcess Wealth Management’s RIA platform and into its own SEC-registered advisory entity. - The company framed the move as the next stage of growth after five years of development. - Vandalia Wealth was established in July 2021 by Ian McIlvaine, John M. Jones, Lois A. Crichton and Samuel W. Crichton. - The firm is now owned and led by McIlvaine and Jones.

The details: - The standalone RIA structure gives Vandalia leadership responsibility for governance, compliance oversight, technology decisions, the advisor platform, service standards and strategic direction. - McIlvaine said the new RIA lets the firm take greater ownership of the systems and decisions that support clients, advisors and employees. - Jones said the firm wants to build the structure, people and capabilities needed to serve clients for decades. - Vandalia Wealth serves individuals, families, business owners, retirement plans and institutional relationships. - The firm offers financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate-planning considerations, business-owner planning, employer retirement-plan services and institutional consulting. - Vandalia says its planning process starts with each client’s circumstances, responsibilities, priorities and long-term objectives. - The firm says it works collaboratively across its advisory team to support continuity and service across generations. - Vandalia Wealth is headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia. - The firm also has offices in Beckley and Morgantown, West Virginia; Lexington, Kentucky; and Greenville, North Carolina. - Vandalia’s name reflects its West Virginia roots, while its reach now extends across the broader Appalachian region. - Lois Crichton remains an active co-founder and Senior Wealth Advisor. - Samuel Crichton is recognized as Founder Emeritus. - McIlvaine has worked in financial services since 2010 and leads the firm’s strategic and investment direction. - McIlvaine oversees the investment philosophy, portfolio-management processes, manager evaluation and risk framework. - McIlvaine holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst® credential and has experience serving private and institutional clients. - Jones has worked in financial services since 1994 and oversees operations and organizational development. - Jones’s background includes private-client and institutional advisory services, management, capital formation and mergers and acquisitions. - Jones earned a finance degree from Concord University and an MBA from West Virginia University.

Between the lines: - The RIA move gives Vandalia more independence, but it also raises the stakes by placing more responsibility inside the firm for compliance, infrastructure and execution. - The leadership structure suggests Vandalia is trying to balance growth with continuity, rather than chase scale alone. - The firm’s focus on internships and professional development points to a push to build its next generation of advisors from within. - Vandalia’s emphasis on Appalachia signals a regional identity, even as the firm broadens beyond West Virginia.

What's next: - Vandalia Wealth said it will continue investing in people, technology, planning resources and organizational infrastructure. - The firm is developing future advisors through internships and professional-development opportunities. - Vandalia also plans to expand the systems that support advisors and client-service teams. - The firm’s longer-term goal is to strengthen the client experience, develop future leaders, support advisor transitions and preserve continuity as client needs change. - More information is available on the firm’s About Us page and at VandaliaWealth.com.

The bottom line: - Vandalia Wealth is using its new independent RIA status to formalize control of its business and set up the firm for multigenerational growth.