About Us
What We Do
A Partner On Your
Life Journey.
Founded in 2017, Whispering Brook Capital emerged from the legacy of Eckroth Financial Group. This rebranding reflects our evolution and commitment to providing unparalleled wealth management services to ultra-high-net-worth clients. Our name may have changed, but our core values remain steadfast: integrity, honesty, and a dedication to the fiduciary standard.
At the heart of Whispering Brook Capital is a commitment to act in the best interests of our clients. Embracing our legal fiduciary obligation, we prioritize clients’ interests above all else. This means that every decision, every strategy, and every piece of advice is driven by your unique needs and goals. Our dedication to ethical practices ensures that trust is the foundation of every client relationship.
Whispering Brook Capital is proud to offer comprehensive financial planning and fee-only advice. We maintain transparency on client costs, fees, and terms, as well as portfolios and investments. By remaining independent from any bank, broker-dealer, insurance provider, or custodian, we ensure our advice is tailored to your needs. We measure client performance returns using independent third parties and do not create products to sell or price any public securities. Additionally, we do not physically hold or possess any client assets, securities, or money.
About Us
A Team That
Understands You
Our firm partners with professional and institutional money managers, granting us access to a diverse selection of portfolios designed with investment vehicles such as stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and endowment alternative funds/structured notes. Our clients' assets are placed with carefully selected third-party custodial firms: SEI, Charles Schwab, and Fidelity, all of which offer some of the highest levels of client security in the industry.
Through strategic partnerships with Case Central and Gradient Investments, a team of CFP®s and CFA®s collaborates on each individual client account to offer dedicated strategies that clearly address our clients’ complex financial objectives.
Whispering Brook Capital is more than a wealth management firm; it is a trusted partner in navigating the complexities of wealth preservation and growth. Our rebranding signifies a renewed commitment to excellence and a forward-thinking approach to wealth management. As we continue to evolve, our focus remains on empowering our clients to achieve their financial aspirations with confidence and clarity.
Explore how Whispering Brook Capital can support your financial journey, and discover the difference that integrity-driven, independent wealth management can make.
Steve Eckroth
Founder and CEO
I have always been passionate about helping families navigate complex financial issues. Growing up, I spent countless hours watching CNBC with my dad, sparking an early interest in the financial world. As my career progressed, I found immense satisfaction in guiding clients through complex decisions, translating intricate financial solutions into clear, actionable strategies. This ability to simplify the complex is my greatest strength, empowering wealthy clients to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently.
My journey into financial planning was profoundly influenced by a pivotal moment during my college years. I sat in on a meeting with a financial advisor from a local bank, my grandmother, and my dad. My grandfather had passed away, leaving my grandmother with $1 million in BP stock, which she lived off of through dividends. The advisor recommended selling the stock to reinvest in mutual funds, which would have incurred a $200,000 capital gains tax. The BP stock could’ve been protected using options, allowing her to live off the dividends for the rest of her life. Further, my family would’ve avoided the capital gains tax entirely due to the step up in basis when she passed. Selling the stock was a poor recommendation, driven by the advisor's potential commission rather than my grandmother's best interests. This experience exposed me to the greed and misguided advice prevalent in the industry and solidified my commitment to doing right by my clients.
Before founding my own firm seven years ago, I spent 20 years as a Private Banker at Wells Fargo and Bank of America. I love solving problems every day, and each client's situation is unique. After 27 years in the field, I've encountered countless challenges, but a truly great day is when a client presents a new one. Despite the differences, all families share a common goal: preserving the wealth they've worked hard to build for future generations. My passion lies in helping clients navigate the burden of passing wealth across multiple generations without disrupting family dynamics—in our opinion this is a skill that few advisors master as effectively as we do.
On the personal front, I am blessed with a wonderful family. My wife, Chrissy, has been a pillar of support throughout my career, enduring long hours and frequent travel during my years as a private banker. Our son, Steven III, is a junior at West Chester, aspiring to become a math teacher while minoring in finance. He’s also an honors student and a basketball referee. Chrissy is a dedicated cytotechnologist at Chester County Hospital, helping pathologists identify cancerous cells. My nephew, Christopher, recently married and coaches baseball while pursuing his passion for the sport.
In our free time, we enjoy basketball, baseball, and working out together. I love spending time at the shore, playing golf, pool, and cards, and walking the boardwalk in Wildwood Crest, NJ. I'm also a Jeep enthusiast and enjoy DIY construction projects and woodworking.
As an independent advisor with a Series 65 license and life, health, and accident certifications, I am committed to the fiduciary standard, always prioritizing my clients' best interests. My journey has been shaped by a love for problem-solving and a dedication to integrity and honesty in every client relationship.
Michael Binger, CFA®
President of Gradient Investments, LLC
Mr. Binger is the President of Gradient Investments. He has been with Gradient Investments since 2012 and has more than 30 years of total investment management experience. Mr. Binger’s prior roles include managing multi-billion dollar investment products for a large institutional asset manager. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and is a CFA® charterholder. We believe that he brings a depth of market experience that is rare within the industry and has been a featured contributor with several media outlets including CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and The Wall Street Journal.
Keith Gangl, CFA®
Senior Portfolio Manager of Gradient Investments, LLC
Keith joined Gradient Investments in 2018 and has more than 25 years of industry experience. Prior roles include asset management for a multi-billion dollar portfolio with a large institutional asset management firm. Keith is a CFA® charterholder, managed a Lipper Award winning mutual fund, and has been featured in media outlets such as Investor’s Business Daily, Nasdaq, Reuters, and Bloomberg.
Tyler Ellegard, CFA®
Portfolio Manager of Gradient Investments, LLC
Tyler joined Gradient Investments in 2018 after prior roles with a large retail wealth advisory firm. Tyler has developed experience with financial advice, asset allocation, and investment analysis across the asset spectrum. He is a CFA® charterholder and has been featured in media outlets including TD Ameritrade Network, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal.