1986
René Nourse begins her career as a stockbroker at Fortune 500 firms, a time when women made up less than 5% of financial advisors, building a foundation of wealth management expertise and resilience in a male-dominated industry.
1998
René and April Charles establish a professional partnership founded on shared values and a commitment to delivering personalized advice.
2012
René and April became independent advisor representatives and co-founded UWM with a mission to serve affluent and high-net-worth individuals and families as fiduciaries. At a time when women comprised just 11.6% of independent advisors, they were committed to transparency and always acting in their clients’ best interests.
2017
UWM is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an independent investment advisory firm. Between 2013 and 2017, the visibility of women financial advisors in the media nearly doubled from 15% to 30% reflecting a vital shift toward inclusive leadership in wealth management. This growing representation accelerated client and advisor trust, driving our firm’s growth.
2022
UWM recruits Lily C. Huber to lead the firm’s strategic restructuring and succession planning, ensuring a thoughtful leadership transition and continued alignment with the founding vision and values. At a time when women held fewer than 20% of C-suite roles in independent advisory firms,
2025
April and Lily transition to equity ownership. This milestone builds on UWM’s legacy of meaningful industry progress. In an industry where only 6% of independent advisory firms are fully women-owned, UWM distinguishes itself by promoting equity participation that rewards expertise and measurable results. This strengthens a culture where every contribution is valued, ensuring clients benefit from a team united by accountability and excellence.
Our legacy reflects not only progress in the industry but also the values that continue to guide us today:
"When women are educated, generate wealth, and hold equity, they don’t just advance personally; they transform the power structures of the investment advisory industry. This is the legacy René Nourse began in 1986, and UWM proudly continues to build today."