DFX Intelligence

RIA Intelligence

Registered investment advisers, the advisors registered through them, the capital they report, the private vehicles they run and the people who own them, as a graph with a filing date behind every number. RAUM is what the adviser filed, a move is two registration dates, and a class is a rule you can read.

SEC-registered adviser

Defender Capital

Independent wealth managerCharlotte, North CarolinaCRD 159607SEC 801-80977websiteIAPD
Legal name Defender Capital LLC
Latest filing Jan 28, 2026
First filing on the tape Feb 6, 2015 · 25 filings
SEC status approved since Mar 13, 2015
RAUM
$510M
reported, Item 5.F
Discretionary
100%
of RAUM
Private clients
88%
$447M individuals and HNW
Advisors
3
registered through the firm on IAPD
RAUM per advisor
$170M
derived; firm RAUM over IAPD count
Employees
3
2 advisory (5.B.1)
Offices
1
beyond the principal office
Private funds
1
reported on Schedule D
History
25 filings and snapshots on the tape
RAUM$510M as of Jan 28, 2026
Feb 1, 2016$95.5M then
HNW client RAUM$371M as of Jan 28, 2026
Feb 21, 2018$113M then
State-registered IARs (5.B.3)2 as of Jan 28, 2026
Feb 1, 20164 then
Employees (5.A)3 as of Jan 28, 2026
Feb 1, 20166 then
Private funds1 as of Jan 28, 2026
Feb 1, 20161 then
RAUM +15% over the last fiscal year+9.5% a year over threeIARs 2 to 2
Practice profile
derived from the filing of Jan 28, 2026; every figure names its basis
Archetypes, each a printed rule
  • HNW wealth manager · private-client share of RAUM at least 50 percent and HNW share of private-client RAUM 50 to 90 percent
  • Independent boutique · a wealth manager with no broker-dealer, bank or insurance affiliate, 2 to 25 advisors, one to three offices, no public reporting company control
  • RIA with private funds · a wealth manager (private-client share at least 50 percent) that reports at least one private fund on Schedule D 7.B.(1)
RAUM per advisor
$170MderivedRAUM over IAPD advisors; not a book size
Clients per advisor
62derivedindividual and HNW clients (5.D) over advisors
Average HNW client
$2.9MderivedHNW RAUM over HNW clients
Average account
$2.7MderivedRAUM over accounts (5.F.2.f)
Discretionary
100%derivedof RAUM
Institutional
3.3%derivedpensions, charities, corporations, government, insurance, banks, other advisers
Employees per advisor
1.0derivedItem 5.A over advisors
Advisors per office
1.5derived2 offices incl. principal (1.F.5)
RAUM growth, one year
+15%derivedbetween the last two annual amendments
Advisor growth, one year
+0.0%derivedItem 5.B.3 between annual amendments
Client growth, one year
-7.0%derived
Compensation
percentage of assets, hourly, fixed feesreportedItem 5.E
Advisory activities
financial planning, portfolio management for individuals, portfolio management for businesses and institutions, portfolio management for pooled vehicles, pension consultingreportedItem 5.G
Custody
$60.0M, 2 clientsreportedItem 9.A
Ownership
no PE, bank or public-company owner found on Schedule Aderived
Advisor book size
not public; not estimatedreported
Also answered yes on Form ADV
  • is an insurance broker or agent (6.A.6)
  • buys or sells securities as principal to or from clients (8.A.2)
  • has discretionary authority over which securities are bought or sold (8.C.1)
  • receives research or other products from a broker-dealer, soft dollars (8.E)
  • has custody of client cash or bank accounts (9.A.1.a)
  • has custody of client securities (9.A.1.b)
  • a related person has custody of client cash (9.B.1.a)
  • a related person has custody of client securities (9.B.1.b)
  • an independent public accountant performs a surprise examination (9.C.1)
Where the RAUM sits
Form ADV Item 5.D, latest filing
  • High-net-worth individuals$371M73%
  • Individuals$76.0M15%
  • Pooled investment vehicles$46.0M9.0%
  • Charitable organizations$17.0M3.3%
Individual clients
57reported
HNW clients
129reported
Pension plan clients
n/areported
Charitable clients
n/areported
Accounts
189reported
Financial planning clients
26-50reported
Wrap fee programs
noreported
Custody of client assets
$60.0M for 2 clientsreported
Compensation
% of AUM, fixed, hourlyreported
Class basis
private_client_share=0.88 fund_share=0.09 institutional_share=0.03 related_bd=false related_bank=false bd_reps=0.0derived
Advisors registered through the firm
3 on IAPD today, longest tenure first
NameBranchHere sinceIn industryPrior firms
John Dean StamasCharlotte, NcFeb 2, 201234 y1
Don Gus StamasCertified Financial PlannerCharlotte, NcJan 2, 201329 y3
Jennifer Avesian FullerCharlotte, NcJun 11, 202628 y0
Advisor movement
0 left, 0 joined in 12 months
net 0 in 12 months0 left in 90 days0 joined in 90 daysdeparture rate 0.0% of current headcount6 left over 36 months
Left, latest
Joined, latest
Teams: two or more advisors moving together within fourteen days, from one state
    Private funds
    1 reported on Schedule D 7.B.(1)
    FundTypeGross assetsOwnersFirst reported
    Defender Capital Partners LLCHedge Fund$38.5M21Feb 6, 2015
    Owners and control persons
    Schedule A and B, latest filing
    • Gus Don Stamas · President, Managing Member, Secretary And Ccocontrol
      since 12/2012 · owns 50% to 75%
    • Dean John Stamas · Vice President, Treasurer, Managing Membercontrol
      since 09/2011 · owns 50% to 75%
    Related persons
    Schedule D 7.A
    No related person reported.
    Office movement
    IAPD branch city; joins and departures in 12 months
    OfficeAdvisorsJoinedLeftTeams outForming
    Charlotte, Nc · principal310
    Nashville, Tn000
    Raleigh, Nc000
    Offices
    Schedule D 1.F, the 25 largest
    • , 1 employees
    What changed
    consecutive filings, newest first
    • Accounts · 201 to 189
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • HNW clients · 135 to 129
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Individual clients · 65 to 57
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Assets in custody · $54.0M to $60.0M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Discretionary RAUM · $440M to $508M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • HNW RAUM · $330M to $371M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Individual RAUM · $56.0M to $76.0M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Non-discretionary RAUM · $1.7M to $2.1M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Pooled vehicle RAUM · $42.0M to $46.0M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • RAUM · $442M to $510M
      Mar 21, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026
    • Accounts · 511 to 201
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Advisory employees · 7 to 2
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • HNW clients · 141 to 135
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Individual clients · 87 to 65
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Assets in custody · $49.5M to $54.0M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Employees · 7 to 3
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Financial planning clients · 26-50 to 26-50
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • State-registered IARs · 5 to 2
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Other offices · 3 to 1
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Discretionary RAUM · $412M to $440M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • HNW RAUM · $308M to $330M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Individual RAUM · $54.2M to $56.0M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Non-discretionary RAUM · $1.5M to $1.7M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Pooled vehicle RAUM · $38.5M to $42.0M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • RAUM · $414M to $442M
      Nov 18, 2024 to Mar 21, 2025
    • Accounts · 486 to 511
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Advisory employees · 6 to 7
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • HNW clients · 135 to 141
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Individual clients · 84 to 87
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Assets in custody · $48.0M to $49.5M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Employees · 6 to 7
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • State-registered IARs · 6 to 5
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Other offices · 4 to 3
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Discretionary RAUM · $387M to $412M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • HNW RAUM · $294M to $308M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Individual RAUM · $52.0M to $54.2M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Non-discretionary RAUM · $1.0M to $1.5M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Pooled vehicle RAUM · $37.0M to $38.5M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • RAUM · $388M to $414M
      Sep 26, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024
    • Accounts · 475 to 486
      Oct 20, 2022 to Feb 24, 2023
    Signals
    9 dated events
    • Grant Christopher Wilson left Defender Capital for Org Partners (registered 2025-02-19)
      Feb 18, 2025 · Advisor changed firm · fact
    • Thomas Clarkson Worth left Defender Capital for Org Partners (registered 2025-02-19)
      Feb 18, 2025 · Advisor changed firm · fact
    • Joseph Clarence Leary left Defender Capital for Org Partners (registered 2025-02-19)
      Feb 18, 2025 · Advisor changed firm · fact
    • Defender Capital's advisors moved to Org Partners (Charlotte, NC): 3 of 5 registered, on the same day
      Feb 18, 2025 · Firm absorbed (people side) · derived
    • Dylan Jackson Coe left Defender Capital for Wells Fargo Advisors (registered 2025-01-07)
      Oct 24, 2024 · Advisor changed firm · fact
    • Enrique J. Rabell left Defender Capital for Wells Fargo Advisors (registered 2025-02-06)
      Jul 15, 2024 · Advisor changed firm · fact
    • Patrick Joseph Walsh left Defender Capital for Walsh Capital Llc (registered 2024-07-02)
      Mar 13, 2024 · Advisor changed firm · fact
    • Defender Capital reported RAUM $367.0M, up 62% from $227.0M (2020-06-15 to 2021-02-18)
      Feb 18, 2021 · RAUM change · derived
    • Defender Capital filed its initial SEC registration (Form ADV)
      Feb 6, 2015 · First SEC registration · fact
    Across DFX
    shared identifiers only, never a name match
    No identifier-backed link to the venture, private equity, family office or sponsor graphs.
    How to reach
    public business contact points only, each with its source
    Business email
    ds@defendercapital.usreportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 17, 2026
    Business email
    js@defendercapital.usreportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 17, 2026
    Business email
    jf@defendercapital.usreportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 17, 2026
    Business phone
    704-494-7373reportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 17, 2026
    Business phone
    704-373-1716reportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 17, 2026
    Business phone
    704-266-6073reportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 17, 2026
    Firm profile
    LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/1434434reportedpublic record, Form ADV, Sep 17, 2026
    Website
    DEFENDERCAPITAL.USreportedpublic record, Form ADV, Sep 17, 2026
    Principal office phone
    704-373-1716reportedpublic record, Form ADV, Jan 28, 2026
    Provenance
    Form ADV
    SEC filing data 2011 to 2024 and the monthly roster 2025 onreportedadviserinfo.sec.gov
    Advisors
    IAPD individual compilation feed, dailyreportedadviserinfo.sec.gov
    Class
    Independent wealth managerderiveda rule over Items 5.D and 7.A
    RAUM per advisor
    $170Mderivedfirm RAUM over the IAPD count; not a book size
    Loaded
    Sep 14, 2026