Wind River runs a quarterly investing LLC for its fourth generation

Wind River Trust Company, a Wyoming trust company serving Generations 3, 4 and 5 of one small family that manages a shared investment pool, runs a quarterly investing LLC for its G4 members.

The vehicle makes small investments in funds aligned with members' interest in climate, environment and venture, said Susie M Roh, the trust company's president and CEO. Roh said the goal is "to connect the G4 with one another and the office."

For advisors drafting next-gen governance, Wind River's structure poses a concrete design question: whether the rising generation gets its own vehicle, a set meeting cadence and a defined mandate.

Chicago Financial, Inc. took a different route in the same roundup. Josh Kanter, its president, said his office backed off requiring attendance at certain meetings in favor of opt-in roles on the investment committee and in philanthropic efforts, plus narrowly targeted task forces. "Everyone is busy, and everyone has different interests," Kanter told FO Pro — The Family Office Professional.

Brian Schultz, a CPA who leads Plante Moran Wealth Management's tax practice, told FO Pro the problem is widespread across families. "G2 might not have that same interest, so the question is how do you get them engaged enough that it allows the family office to run?" he said, adding that the family still needs oversight.

Wind River is also building out guidelines on how to execute values-based investing, Roh said.