Nicholas Kochanski has been Founder, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of Crescent Grove Advisors since April 2015, is a control person of the firm and directly owns under 5% of it. Nicholas Kochanski holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS in Finance from the University of Illinois.
Crescent Grove Advisors, LLC is a Lake Forest, IL firm with $5.5B under management, 382 clients and 14 advisers across 3 offices, as of its March 2026 filing.
Nick Kochanski is Founder, Managing Director, and Chief Financial Officer of Crescent Grove Advisors, based in Lake Forest, IL. Kochanski provides C-suite executives, entrepreneurs and private business owners with financial advice and solutions to complex financial planning matters. Before co-founding the firm, Kochanski was a Senior Client Advisor at Cedar Street Advisors, where he counseled high-net-worth families, and earlier a financial analyst with a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs.
Nicholas Kochanski’s longest registration is the current one, 11 years at Crescent Grove Advisors since 2015. Before joining Crescent Grove Advisors in 2015, Nicholas Kochanski was registered through Bmo Asset Management Corp. and M&i Investment Management Corp.
- Crescent Grove AdvisorsCurrent– present · 11 yearsLake Forest, IL · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 170912
- Bmo Asset Management Corp.– · 2 yearsChicago, IL · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 106466
- M&i Investment Management Corp.– · 3 yearsMilwaukee, WI · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 109802
- M&i Financial Advisors, Inc.– · 2 yearsMilwaukee, WI · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 16517
- The Ayco Company,l.p.– · 2 yearsLake Forest, IL · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 106693
Professional designations
Listed by Crescent Grove Advisors
- CFA
Investment adviser representative registrations
Nicholas Kochanski is registered as an investment adviser representative in 2 states. The first approvals date from April 2015; the most recent is Illinois, in May 2015.
- IllinoisSince 4 May 2015
- WisconsinSince 24 April 2015
Examinations
| Exam | Name | Passed |
|---|---|---|
| SIE | Securities Industry Essentials Examination | Credited |
| Series 66 | Uniform Combined State Law Examination | 4 February 2003 |
| Series 7 | General Securities Representative Examination | 8 January 2003 |
- Name
- Securities Industry Essentials Examination
- Name
- Uniform Combined State Law Examination
- Name
- General Securities Representative Examination
- Full name
- Nicholas Henry Kochanski
- CRD
- 4608208
- Firm
- Crescent Grove Advisors · CRD 170912
- Role
- Founder, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director
- Office
- 100 SOUTH SAUNDERS ROAD, SUITE 210, Lake Forest, IL 60045
- Registration
- Investment adviser registration
- In the industry since
- August 2003
- Disciplinary history
- Not yet shown here · SEC record
- Firm bio
- crescentgroveadvisors.com
Where does Nicholas Kochanski work?
Nicholas Kochanski has been Founder, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of Crescent Grove Advisors, LLC since April 2015, and is a control person of the firm.
Is Nicholas Kochanski a financial advisor?
Yes. Nicholas Kochanski has a current investment-adviser registration in Illinois and Wisconsin, through Crescent Grove Advisors since April 2015.
How many years of experience does Nicholas Kochanski have?
Nicholas Kochanski has 23 years in the financial industry, since August 2003, across 5 adviser firms.
What exams has Nicholas Kochanski passed?
Nicholas Kochanski has passed 2 licensing exams: the Series 7 and Series 66. The earliest, the Series 7, was passed in January 2003. FINRA credited Nicholas Kochanski with the SIE, which began in October 2018.
Where did Nicholas Kochanski work before Crescent Grove Advisors?
Before Crescent Grove Advisors, Nicholas Kochanski was registered through M&i Investment Management Corp., July 2008 to June 2012; M&i Financial Advisors, Inc., April 2006 to July 2008; The Ayco Company,l.p., February 2003 to September 2005.
Where is Nicholas Kochanski based?
Nicholas Kochanski’s registered office is in Lake Forest, IL.
Is Nicholas Kochanski registered with FINRA?
No. Nicholas Kochanski has no current broker registration.
Is Nicholas Kochanski a CFA charterholder?
Crescent Grove Advisors lists Nicholas Kochanski with the CFA credential (“CFA”) on its website. CFA Institute confirms certification status.
Source: Nick Kochanski, CFA, MBA biography, crescentgroveadvisors.com
How can I verify Nicholas Kochanski’s record?
Search CRD 4608208 on the SEC’s adviser search (adviserinfo.sec.gov), which publishes Nicholas Kochanski’s full registration record.
