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About Us ›
Meet the Team
RiverStone Wealth Management team delivers the mix of expertise, professionalism, and innovative approaches you expect from your financial professionals.
President/Chief Executive Officer, Brian E. Smith
CFO/FinOp, Ed Valle, CPA
VP of Investment Banking, Paul Gautier
Executive Vice President, Morrie Galter
President of Insurance Agency, Torry Scott
San Antonio Branch Manager, Thomas Faught
Brian E. Smith - President/Chief Executive Officer
In addition to being the President and CEO, Brian is one of the founders and majority shareholder of the firm. His practice is focused on helping investors minimize taxes, preserve wealth and efficiently utilize assets. He is a graduate of Texas A&M, and is active in church, as well as charitable and professional organizations. Brian holds FINRA Licenses 4, 7, 24, 31, 63, 65 and 79.
Ed Valle, CPA - CFO/FinOp
Ed is an accomplished business strategist and entrepreneur who has founded successful businesses and currently consults with several corporations in the Austin area. In addition to his involvement in a complete range of financial planning and execution strategies, he plays an integral role in the overall development and execution of companies’ growth, financial management and tax planning strategies. After receiving a BS Degree in Accounting at the University of Alabama, Ed cut his teeth in corporate accounting with Shell Oil and later, KPMG/Peat Marwick (Houston). He founded his first company in Houston in 1984 and successfully built it to over $25 million in revenue before splitting into separate companies. Ed relocated to Austin and continued to grow his company until its 1997 sale to a Fortune 100 company. Subsequently, he championed the re-structuring of a privately-owned manufacturing and distribution company from a meager ˝% pre-tax profitability on $70 million in revenue, to a robust 12% pre-tax on $100 million.
He has been a strategist and financial advisor to business owners and high net worth investors through Wachovia Securities, Merrill Lynch and most recently as a partner in RiverStone Financial Group, where he currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and FinOp. Ed holds a CPA license in Texas, and FINRA Series 7, 28, 31, 63, 65 and 79 licenses.
Paul Gautier – Managing Director Riverstone Investment Banking
 Paul's entrepreneural background includes co-founding, growing and selling a successful regional ad agency, and founding and successfully funding a technology start up in Austin. Paul’s commitment to lifelong learning has included such varied fields as Communications, Leadership, Public Speaking, Business, Finance, Anthropological Research, Language, Marketing and Philanthropy. He is a national speaker and business advisor/consultant. Paul holds a bachelor's degree from Lamar University and is active in numerous charities, non-profit and civic organizations. Gautier holds the FINRA Series 7, 24, 66 and 79 licenses.
Morrie Galter – Executive Vice President
 Morrie brings twenty-eight years of experience to RiverStone Wealth Management, Inc. He started at Merrill Lynch in 1977.
Morrie became a director of First Financial Investment Securities, Inc. in 1996. He’s the Executive Vice President of RiverStone Wealth Management.
Torry Scott – President of RiverStone Insurance Agency
 Torry Scott currently holds the position of President of RiverStone Insurance Agency, which formed in March 2001.
Torry was a founding member of The Avantus Group, Inc.; a private Austin-based financial service company. In 2000, The Avantus Group, Inc., received the Austin Business Journal’s annual award as the fastest growing private company under $10 million in revenue for 1999 – 2000. In December 2000, the Avantus Group, Inc., merged with First Financial Investments, another Austin-based financial services firm, to create First Avantus Securities, Inc. Torry played a key role in managing both the merger and the subsequent transfer of client accounts to First Clearing Corporation, the firm’s current clearing firm for client transactions. Torry graduated Magna Cum Laude in December 1991 from California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with emphasis in Organizational Communication. Torry holds the series 7, 53, 63, 65, 24 and group one and four licenses
Thomas Faught – San Antonio Branch Manager, Senior Vice President
 Thomas holds the position of Branch Manager for the San Antonio Branch of RiverStone Wealth Management. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Texas A&M University, Thomas recognizes the importance of professional education and has accumulated a number of professional designations, to include Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). Thomas has served on the Professional Qualifications Advisory Committee for the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) and on a North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) committee. As the Executive Director for a Fortune 500 financial services company, Thomas managed training and continuing education in the life insurance and annuity, investment management, financial planning and banking services divisions. He is active in his church, serving as a deacon and Bible study leader, along with a number of committees and community service projects. Thomas also serves on the boards of two non-profit organizations.
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