Ronald M. Yolles, JD, CFA
Co-Founder & Chief Visionary Officer | Partner
(248) 633-8175 | ryolles@divport.com
In my second year at the University of Michigan Law School, I picked up a copy of What Color Is Your Parachute? —and it changed everything. I realized my real passion wasn’t practicing law—it was helping people make smart decisions about their money and their lives. I loved the strategy, the analysis, and most of all, the opportunity to collaborate one-on-one with people to make a difference.
Since 1987, I’ve been helping clients not just build wealth, but use it in ways that bring meaning and clarity to their lives. Many of the people I work with lead fast-paced, demanding lives, and they don’t just want a financial plan—they want a partner who can help them make thoughtful choices and feel more confident about the future.
I take that role seriously. I listen closely, ask good questions, and help clients explore their options—until we land on a path that truly fits. My approach is grounded in trust, transparency, and always sitting on the same side of the table as our clients. That mindset was shaped early by my dad, who got me started investing in no-load funds and avoiding high-fee, conflicted products. It’s what led me, in 1993, to co-found the Council of Independent Financial Advisors (CIFA), a national group of fiduciary firms which believe in putting clients first. Today, eight CIFA firms manage well over $20 billion.
I hold a BA with honors and a JD from the University of Michigan and its law school,; I’m also a CFA charterholder. I’ve written about wealth and family in You’re Retired, Now What? (John Wiley, NY 1998 – a retirement best seller on Amazon.com & Barnes & Noble), and for the State Bar of Michigan’s Trusts & Estates Journal (“Preparing Heirs for the Challenges of Wealth”). Outside of work, I’m a former president of the Detroit Tennis Club, and my wife Laura Hirschhorn and I are deeply involved in several Detroit-area nonprofits, including U-M Hillel.
Helping clients find clarity, confidence, and purpose in their financial lives is what drives me—and why I love what I do and love the great colleagues who I have the privilege of working with every day.
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute. The CFA Charter is a globally recognized designation that attests to success in a rigorous and comprehensive study program in the investment management and research industry and a commitment to ethical conduct. As CFA Charterholders, we are held to a standard of loyalty, prudence, and care in all our interactions with clients and must act for the benefit of our clients and place our clients’ interest above our own. We are bound to comply with any legally required fiduciary duty.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. CFP® professionals meet rigorous standards to provide comphrensive financial planning advice.
