Meet Gil Baumgarten
Gil Baumgarten is the founder of Segment Wealth Management, a nationally recognized fee-only RIA firm serving UHNW clients with a commitment to clarity, fiduciary care, and long-term tax efficiency. With over 40 years in the securities and investment industry, Gil is widely regarded as one of the nation’s top independent financial minds.
A Career Built on Clarity and Integrity
Gil began his investment career in the early 1980s at the venerable EF Hutton. He quickly became a top producer for Smith Barney and UBS, now Morgan Stanley. However, after decades in the brokerage world, Gil grew increasingly concerned about the inherent conflicts of interest that plagued the industry, where firms often prioritized their compensation over client outcomes.
In 2010, Gil made a decisive shift, walking away from Wall Street to found Segment Wealth Management — a fee-only, fiduciary firm designed to put the client first through comprehensive wealth management services. Segment reflects Gil’s values: independence, transparency, tax efficiency, and a long-term investment outlook. Since its founding, Segment has been consistently ranked among the Largest Houston-Area Wealth Management Firms by the Houston Business Journal. Forbes includes Segment on their list of America’s Top RIA Firms.
National Recognition
In 2022, the Houston Business Journal named Gil one of Houston’s Most Admired CEOs. His leadership, integrity, and results record have included him on Barron’s list of the Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in America, where he also ranks in the Top 20 Financial Advisors in Texas and among the Top 100 Independent Advisors in the nation.
Forbes named him on their Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list in Houston’s Private Wealth category, and Barron’s and The Wall Street Journal recognized Gil as one of the Top 20 Exchange-Traded Fund Thought Leaders in America in 2019.
Gil was one of six beta-testers in UBS’s national program for all-ETF portfolios and remains one of the few money managers in the country with a 20+ year estimated track record in managing all-ETF portfolios. This solidifies his reputation as a pioneer in tax-efficient, low-cost investing.
*See Ranking Methodology & Limitations *Please see Important Disclosure Information
Gil’s Services
Gil Baumgarten offers highly personalized guidance for individuals and families navigating significant wealth. His services are designed to simplify complexity, minimize tax exposure, and maximize long-term value — all through a hands-on, client-first approach honed over four decades.
As the founder of Segment Wealth Management, Gil specializes in direct portfolio oversight, integrated tax strategy, and customized asset management built in-house, not outsourced. He works closely with clients and their legal and tax professionals to align investment decisions with broader estate and philanthropic goals.
In addition to his advisory work, Gil is a sought-after speaker at financial conferences and private events. He shares insights on behavioral investing, tax-efficient strategy, and the pitfalls of traditional brokerage models.
Author of FOOLISH
In 2021, Gil published FOOLISH: How Investors Get Worked Up and Worked Over by the System, a best-selling book that draws from his decades of experience to expose the structural issues in traditional brokerage firms. The book also unpacks the behavioral traps investors fall into, offering clear, actionable advice to help readers make smarter decisions and avoid common pitfalls.
Media Contributor & Thought Leader
Beyond that, Gil has been published in various media outlets, including Barron’s, Forbes Finance Council, and Financial Advisor Magazine, and featured in publications such as the Houston Chronicle, Think Advisor, and Business Insider. He is regularly called upon for his expertise in ETFs, wealth strategy, investor psychology, and the fiduciary difference.
A Philosophy Rooted in Precision
Gil is known for his meticulous approach to finance and life. An avid outdoorsman, he has traveled the world hunting and fishing and enjoys pursuits that require technical skill and accuracy, including golf, archery, darts, skeet, billiards, and marksmanship.
His artistic expression is just as precise. Gil is an award-winning woodworker specializing in segmentation, a form of woodworking that involves assembling various species of wood into intricate, patterned designs. This art form inspired the name Segment Wealth Management and mirrors the precision and intentionality that define Gil’s investment philosophy.
Philanthropy & Family
Beyond his professional life, Gil and his wife, Sue, are dedicated philanthropists and board members for several impactful organizations. Their causes include LifeHouse Houston, National Christian Foundation, and Turning Point USA, focusing on education, life-affirming resources, and faith-based outreach.
Gil and Sue are active members of The Story Church in Houston and are proud parents of three adult children, who graduated from TCU, Ole Miss, and Pepperdine, respectively.
Connect with Gil
Visit GilBaumgarten.com to explore more of Gil’s writing and services.
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*Please Note: Limitations. The achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, recognition by publications, media, or other organizations, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results or satisfaction if Segment Wealth Management, LLC is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services.
*Please Note: Limitations. Neither rankings nor recognitions by unaffiliated rating services, publications, media, or other organizations, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that the client will experience a certain level of results if the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A fee was not paid by either the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm to receive the ranking. The ranking is based upon specific criteria and methodology (see ranking criteria/methodology). No ranking or recognition should be construed as an endorsement by any past or current client of the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm. ANY QUESTIONS: Segment Wealth Management, LLC’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions regarding rankings and/or recognitions, including the criteria used for any reflected ranking.
Ranking Methodology & Information: Forbes, Best-In-State 2025 (All data as of 6/30/2024) See Methodology, Barron’s, America’s Top 1200 Advisors 2025, Top 20 Advisors in Texas 2025 (All data as of 9/30/2024) See Methodology, Houston Business Journal, Houston-Area Private Wealth Management Firms 2024 (All data as of 12/31/2023) See Methodology, Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisers 2025 (All data as of 6/30/25) See Methodology, Forbes, America’s Top RIA Firms 2025 (All data as of 3/21/25) See Methodology.
*No compensation was provided in connection to obtaining or using the third-party rankings