NITC Service Center
305 S. Vienna Street
Ruston, LA 71270
Historical Background
Argent Financial Group is a diversified financial services entity providing
a full array of financial services through a developed corporate structure.
Argent Financial Group began as The Trust Company of Louisiana, (The Trust Company) formed in 1990, as a subsidiary of Heritage Financial Corporation. It is the successor of the Trust Department of Ruston State Bank, a department that began in 1930.
The management and core staff of Argent has been in place since 1990. Additional staff has come from other financial services entities, including banks, brokerage firms, insurance agencies, financial planning firms and other businesses. In some cases, other bank trust departments have been merged into Argent.
In 1991, a management-led group of investors purchased The Trust Company. Today, Argent remains a privately owned company with its management and staff comprising the largest component of its stockholder base.
Over the past few years we have created additional wholly-owned subsidiaries to provide a full range of financial services as Argent has expanded its footprint while still providing excellent trust services.
In 2000, after a decade of growth as The Trust Company of Louisiana, we took a series of steps to position our company for the future.
First, we created Argent Financial Group, Inc., as a holding company.
Then, we converted our original state trust charter to a national charter. This moved The Trust Company under the authority of the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC),
We also changed the legal name of our trust operation to National Independent Trust Company as we now enjoy nationwide branching authority.
Finally, we renamed all of our subsidiaries utilizing the Argent brand name.
Since the beginning of 2001, trust entities in other states have affiliated with us creating offices in Minnesota, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri and Texas.
Consolidated revenue for calendar year 1990 (eight months of operations) was $440,000. Consolidated revenue for 2006 exceeded $10,000,000. Trust assets began at approximately $48,000,000 and now exceed $1.4 billion. Argent operates offices in eight Louisiana cities: Ruston, Alexandria, Lake Charles, Minden, Monroe, Natchitoches, New Orleans, and Shreveport.
Current Structure
Expanding client needs have resulted in the expansion of our services over
the years. Today, we offer a full range of investment and financial services
through several affiliated companies.
Trust and Related Services
A full range of Trust services are available through Argent Trust, the largest division of National Independent Trust Company, our OCC regulated trust company headquartered in Ruston. Argent Trust is organized under three business lines, as are most traditional trust entities: personal trust services, employee benefit services and institutional services.
Personal trust services include personal trust administration, asset custodial services, tutorships of property for minors, curatorships, and estate settlement.
Employee benefit services include both qualified and non-qualified employee benefit plan services. We provide turnkey and unbundled services including investment management, plan documentation, participant recordkeeping, fiduciary services, and annual reporting.
Institutional services incorporate all functions of political subdivision financial management. Our services range from paying agent and registrar services for bond issues to cash management and reserve fund investment management services. We also provide custody and investment management services to a variety of other institutions including charities and corporations.
Investment Management Services-Argent Advisors, Inc.
Our investment management services are provided through Argent Advisors, Inc., an SEC registered investment advisory firm. Argent Advisors provides asset allocation, individual security portfolio management and other management services, all on a customized basis.
Argent Advisors offers its Managed Asset Portfolio (MAP) services as an asset allocation modeling system. MAP utilizes no-load, nonproprietary mutual funds from leading performance fund managers to build portfolios based on client needs. MAP has a ten-year investment track record that compares favorably to industry benchmarks. Larger balance account relationships are managed through the careful and disciplined selection of individual securities. The system and procedures are ones developed and utilized for over two decades by principals of Argent Advisors.
Momentum Select®, an additional offering, is a proprietary investment management service which uses a dynamic approach to portfolio management.
Investment Brokerage Services
through UVEST Financial Services
Argent provides a full range of retail investment brokerage services through our Broker/Dealer, UVEST Financial Services. Brokerage services include mutual fund investing and stock and bond investing and trading.
Through our clearing agreement, we have access to all major financial markets. While we offer discount and full service brokerage accounts, all Argent registered representatives are qualified and licensed to advise customers on their transactions.
Financial, Retirement, and Estate Planning
Argent offers fee-based planning services to assist clients in making decisions related to personal finances, retirement and estate matters. Extensive experience enables the principals of Argent Advisors to help clients make the most of their financial opportunities.
From determining insurance needs to estate structuring to personal budgeting, Argent offers a full range of planning services. Several principals of Argent are also licensed insurance agents.
Oil and Gas Management - Argent Property Services, LLC
Argent Property Services provides management and supervision of real property - including oil and gas management - to corporations, timber companies, banks, foundations, charities, families and individuals. Joe Rainer, APS President, has over 30 years experience managing oil and gas minerals and other real property.
Computer and Technology Support - Argent Technology Services, LLC
Argent Technology Services offers a full range of technology support which includes: network/software/telecommunications consulting, home and business network installation, network security, document imaging support, tech support, laptop and desktop repair, virus and spyware removal, hardware and software sales and custom built systems. Services are offered to both businesses and residences.
Fiduciary Consulting Services - Argent Fiduciary Consulting Services, LLC
Argent Fiduciary Consulting Services (AFCS) provides auditing and risk management for firms preparing for audit or regulatory examinations. Services are also provided to install procedures that will ensure preparedness for annual audits. AFCS is headed by Robert Barrett, a former lead fiduciary expert for the OCC, with over 25 years experience in fiduciary risk management.
Affiliated Trust Entities
Through National Independent Trust Company, several other trust entities are now affiliated with Argent Financial Group. Located in Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Texas, these entities and their associated companies are part of a growing network of financial professionals who utilize National Independent Trust Company's staff for a myriad of support services.
Management & Staff
Argent and its associated companies are staffed with a team of over eighty professionals which include persons with legal, accounting, investment, business management, banking, insurance, financial planning, and data processing backgrounds.
Argent Financial Group is organized along business lines and geographically. Each business line manager and each regional office manager has numerous years of financial services experience.
Financial Statement Information
Argent Financial Group, Inc. is audited annually by Heard, McElroy & Vestal. Our financial statements are presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. For the year ended December 31, 2006 AFG generated gross revenue of approximately $10 million. AFG has equity capital approaching $5 million and no long term debt. The company also is responsible for over $1.5 billion in client assets.