Stephen Brown has been in the Financial Services industry since 1987. In 2014 his team opened an office for Stifel in Rochester New York, the first upstate NY office for this St. Louis based firm which was founded in 1890.

The Brown Group at Stifel advises clients that represent $2.8 Billion in assets. Stephen and his team take a holistic approach to all clients, looking beyond the mandates, and offering assistance and problem-solving help to all client needs. Stephen has been advising families, institutions, and retirement plans his entire career. There are very few advisors in the country with the depth of expertise and length of experience that he possesses. On the private wealth side, they take a multi-family office approach that is planning based, to address family goals & values first. Stephen is a specialist in multi-generational planning with a certification from the Money, Meaning & Choices institute in San Francisco.

Steve is one a few Stifel Advisors that are qualified to act as Regional Retirement Plan Consultant, allowing other Stifel Advisors to partner directly with his as an expert in the Retirement Plan field. He sits on the Advisory Council to the Retirement Group at Stifel currently, and he sat on the Advisory Council to Management at Stifel [2018-2020], and acts as a liaison to the Investment Banking and Commercial Banking divisions of Stifel.

Stephen has been nationally recognized by the following organizations:

  • Barron’s Top Advisor 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013

  • Registered Rep Top 100 Wirehouse Advisor 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012

  • Financial Times Top 400 Advisors in 2013

  • Plan Sponsor Top Retirement Plan Advisor 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011

  • Plan Advisor Top 100 Advisor in 2010 and 2020

  • NAPA’s Top DC Advisor Teams in 2022, 2024 and 2025

  • 401(k) Xchange Top 300 Advisor in 2010

  • Advisor to Plan Sponsor’s Sponsor of the Year – 2020 [ARJO]

  • Top Private Wealth Management Advisor, Wealth and Finance Magazine 2014

  • He has been a speaker at national conferences for Barron’s, and Plan Sponsor.

  • Rochester Business Journal’s Financial Leaders - 2025

Stephen holds the following certifications:

  • Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), Investment Strategist Certification (ISC) and Alternative Investment Certification (AIC) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

  • Chartered Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) from the Graduate School of Business at University of Chicago. CIMA and CPWA are co-sponsored by IMCA, Investment Management Consultants Association.

  • Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) from fi360/Capstone

  • Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC) from SPARK (Society of Professional Asset Managers and Record-keepers)

  • C(k)P Certified 401(k) Professional from TRAU (Retirement Advisor University) and the Anderson School of Business at UCLA.

  • Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) from National Association of Plan Advisors.

Finally, Stephen is active in the community and dedicated to giving back. He is Trustee of Nazareth College; and the Seneca Park Zoo Society [Past President], and a former Trustee for The Harley School; He also is on the Investment Committee of Rochester Regional Health Systems. In 1991, he co-founded the iconic bar The Bug Jar, bringing live alternative music to Rochester NY. In 2011, he co-founded Iron Smoke Whiskey, an internationally acclaimed brand, ranked one of the ten best bourbons in the United States by Forbes. He plays on a national “old Goat” lacrosse team for Navy, and regionally for High Peaks Lacrosse. Steve lives in Brighton with his wife and blended family of six children.