The expert team guiding your family’s future success

Redefining your family office with expertise and strategic vision

Scott Deke

SCOTT DEKE

Founder · Co-CEO

Preston Stahl

W. PRESTON STAHL, JR

Founder · Co-CEO

Christian Thornburg

CHRISTIAN S. THORNBURG

Founder · CCO · Head of Family Office Advisory

Philip J. Hayes

Chief Fiduciary Counsel

Jeff Deke

JEFF DEKE

Director, Public Investments

William (Will) C. Keiser

Director, Alternative Investments

Mary Martha Hardin

Director, Client Operations & Governance

Benjamin (Ben) G. Brogdon

Family Office Analyst

Christina G. Tolentino

Operations Manager

Are you looking to start your next chapter?

At Storgate, we’re building a team of sharp, driven professionals who are eager to grow, learn, and lead. We are fostering a community of high-performing, high-energy professionals where excellence is expected and mentorship is real. If you’re a self-starter ready to bring your relentless drive and innovative mindset to a team that’s committed to doing things differently, Storgate is the place for you.
Scott Deke

SCOTT DEKE

Founder · Co-CEO
Operations · Technology · Growth
As Co-CEO of Storgate, Scott leads operations, technology, and growth, expanding the platform to serve select, like-minded families. He oversees the Storgate 360 experience — integrating reporting, estate and tax planning, investments, and family office services — while leveraging and partnering with a national network of advisors to guide families through pivotal transitions. Equally passionate about education and philanthropy, he champions initiatives that prepare the rising generation and entrepreneurial families to grow, give, and positively impact their communities.
 
For Scott, founding Storgate represents the realization of a lifelong dream, built on nearly two decades of experience in the multi-family office industry. He spent 16 years at Bessemer Trust, a tenure culminating as Managing Director and serving on the firm’s Leadership Council as a Region Head. While completing his graduate degree, Scott began his career as a client associate at Investure, supporting investments and operations for several prominent institutions.
 
A double Hoo of the University of Virginia, Scott earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees while receiving a full scholarship as a quarterback on the football team. Scott serves as Trustee for the Catholic Charities Dallas Endowment, on the Board of Directors for Genesis Women’s Shelter HeROs, and the Advisory Council of the Communities Foundation of Texas.
 
Scott was awarded the Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designation by the NAEPC Association and has held the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation since 2017. He resides in Dallas with his wife and three children.
Preston Stahl

W. Preston Stahl, Jr.

Founder · Co-CEO
Investments · Finance & Accounting

Preston Stahl is a founder of Storgate, a family office designed to manage the financial affairs of families. As Co-CEO, he is involved in all aspects of the firm and leads Storgate’s Investments and Finance functions.


Spanning a nearly 30-year career, Preston held leadership roles at a multi-family office. His responsibilities ranged from leading teams that managed multi-generational family relationships to working within investment management. His experience overseeing varied business lines of a family office positions the firm—with a client base facing an increasingly complicated set of financial conditions—as a solution for families with more considerable needs and capabilities. Through trust and the integration of leading-edge technology, Storgate’s vision is to establish the highest standards for financial efficiency, transparent decision-making, and administrative coordination.


Preston earned a Master of Science (MSc) in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics, an MBA from Tulane University, and a BS from Vanderbilt University.

Christian Thornburg

CHRISTIAN S. THORNBURG

Founder · CCO · Head of Family Office Advisory
Family Office Advisory · Compliance & LegalWealth Planning
Christian Thornburg is a Co-Founder of Storgate, a firm dedicated to helping families navigate their financial futures with clarity and confidence. He is involved in the overall management of the company and is responsible for compliance as well as the design of the client experience. In addition, Christian works directly with client families, providing personalized guidance and fostering long-term relationships rooted in trust, transparency, and integrity. 
 
Prior to establishing Storgate with Scott Deke and Preston Stahl, Christian spent 20 years at Bessemer Trust. He served on the Management Committee and as National Director of Client Advisory, overseeing client advisory activities nationwide. He also co-chaired the Client Experience Council, contributed to numerous firmwide councils and committees, and served as Senior Client Advisor to sophisticated, multi-generational families.

He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School and is a member of the bar in both Florida and North Carolina. Christian holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Vermont, where he played Division I tennis and captained the team. He is an Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP) and a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA). 
 
Christian lives in Dallas with his wife and their three children.

Philip J. Hayes

Chief Fiduciary Counsel
Trusts & Estates · Fiduciary Structures · Wealth Transfer

Phil joins Storgate as Chief Fiduciary Counsel, serving as the firm’s lead legal and governance advisor for trusts, estates, and fiduciary structures. In this role, he guides families through complex wealth transfer strategies, ensures thoughtful and precise trust administration, and manages fiduciary risk with integrity. He also helps shape Storgate’s fiduciary framework and long-term stewardship model, collaborating with teams and partners across multiple trust jurisdictions.

 

Phil brings more than 30 years of experience advising ultra-high-net-worth families. Most recently, he served at Northern Trust, where he guided multigenerational families requiring sophisticated planning and administration. Prior to that, he spent two decades at Bessemer Trust, where he advanced to Managing Director and Senior Fiduciary Counsel for the West Region.

 

A nationally recognized leader in the field, Phil is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and has been a frequent lecturer to professional audiences for over 20 years. His contributions to the profession include published articles in leading legal journals and long service in national and state bar leadership. He has served as President of the San Francisco Estate Planning Council, Co-Chair of the ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section’s Individual and Fiduciary Income Tax Committee, as a member of the Executive Committee of the State Bar of California’s Trusts and Estates Section, and as Editor of the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly.

 

Phil earned his B.A. in Economics from UCLA and a J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly University of California, Hastings College of the Law).

Jeff Deke

Jeff Deke

Director, Public Investments
Client & Advisor Relationships · Portfolio Strategy

As Director of Public Investments at Storgate, Jeff helps guide the firm’s investment direction as a principal member of the Investment Committee. He oversees strategic asset allocation, manager due diligence, and portfolio management across public and private markets. Jeff also integrates tax management, liquidity planning, and risk assessment to deliver customized strategies. With a focus on proactive communication and disciplined research, he ensures clients benefit from thoughtful investment solutions aligned with their primary objectives.


Jeff has over a decade of experience in wealth & asset management, investment banking, and military leadership. Prior to joining Storgate, he was a Regional Director at Dimensional Fund Advisors, where he guided firms and financial professionals in applying market research, enhancing investment strategies, and strengthening business practices. Before Dimensional, Jeff worked as an investment banking associate at Wells Fargo, advising large corporations on mergers, acquisitions, and capital raising strategies.


Jeff began his career in the U.S. Navy, serving as a forward deployed Aviation Machinist Mate aboard the USS George H.W. Bush and later as a Naval Officer. He earned an MBA in Finance from Emory University and a BA in Marketing from the University of Georgia.


Jeff is a CFA® Charterholder. He resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife and son.

William (Will) C. Keiser

Director, Investments
Investments · Alternatives · Due Diligence

As Director of Alternative Investments at Storgate, Will works alongside the firm’s founders and Investment Committee to support private and public markets sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio construction. He contributes to strategies intended to help multi-generational families navigate increasingly complex investment opportunities and risk environments.


Will has spent his career supporting investors across institutional and family office platforms. Prior to joining Storgate, he was at HN Capital Partners, an opportunistic investment manager affiliated with Hunt Consolidated, where he helped acquire and manage complex alternative and real estate investments. He began his career on the endowment investment team at Cook Children’s Health Care System, supporting stewardship of the system’s diversified portfolio across public and private markets.


Will earned an MBA in Finance from Texas Christian University’s M.J. Neeley School of Business and a B.S. in Engineering Science from Trinity University. He holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.


Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Ben brings a thoughtful, service-oriented approach to his work and values building meaningful relationships with both colleagues and clients. He has been involved in fundraising efforts for Acts4Rwanda and volunteered at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit, reflecting a commitment to community engagement and service.

MARY MARTHA HARDIN

Director, Client Operations & Governance
Client Operations · Governance · Next Gen

As Director of Client Operations & Governance at Storgate, Mary Martha leads the development and ongoing evolution of the firm’s client experience, building the processes, infrastructure, and frameworks that allow Storgate to deliver a high-touch, integrated family office experience. She works across the firm to ensure families fully leverage Storgate’s technology, resources, and expertise throughout the relationship, while also leading family governance and next-generation initiatives that foster engagement, continuity, and stewardship across generations.


Mary Martha brings more than 15 years of experience across investment management, family office advisory, client strategy, and firm operations. Prior to joining Storgate, she served as Senior Client Director in Global Client Solutions at Cambridge Associates, where she was the primary relationship manager for ultra-high-net-worth families, family offices, endowments, and foundations ranging from $200 million to more than $20 billion in assets. She also helped establish best practices for integrating client strategy with investment teams and supported new business development and strategic family office partnerships.


Earlier in her career, Mary Martha spent eight years as a Partner at Hudson Way Capital Management, where she played a central role in building and institutionalizing the firm’s operations, reporting, investor relations, and capital-raising efforts. She previously held roles at Highland Capital Management and Kleinheinz Capital Partners spanning alternative investments, investor relations, business development, and investment operations.

 

Mary Martha earned her Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude, from Texas Christian University. She serves on the boards of Capital for Kids and Be An Angel and resides in Dallas with her husband and two sons.

Benjamin G. Brogdon

Family Office Analyst
Reporting & Analysis · Client Support

Ben serves as a Family Office Analyst at Storgate, supporting client relationships, operational initiatives, and the day-to-day coordination required to deliver a seamless family office experience. Working closely with senior leadership and advisory teams, he assists with onboarding new families, account and asset administration, and a variety of internal processes that support the firm’s integrated approach to serving multi-generational families.

 

Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Ben brings a thoughtful, service-oriented approach to his work and values building meaningful relationships with both colleagues and clients. He has been involved in fundraising efforts for Acts4Rwanda and volunteered at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit, reflecting a commitment to community engagement and service.

 

Ben graduated from Baylor University in December 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship, where he developed a strong foundation in financial analysis, strategic thinking, and client service.

Christina G. Tolentino

Operations Manager
Operations · Firm Administration

Christina serves as Operations Manager at Storgate, playing a central role in the day-to-day operations and infrastructure of the firm. She works across teams to support the processes, systems, and workflows that underpin Storgate’s investment and family office capabilities. Her focus on operational excellence and coordination helps ensure a consistently high standard of service for the families we serve.


Christina brings more than 20 years of professional experience, including nearly 15 years at Bessemer Trust in New York. During her tenure, she advanced through several leadership roles, including Vice President, Portfolio Strategies Group Manager and Vice President, Investment Strategies & Communications Manager. Her responsibilities spanned investment operations, team management, strategic initiatives, regulatory coordination, and process improvement across a 90-person division.


Her broader professional experience spans luxury retail, public relations, communications, and management consulting, including work with global consulting firm Kearney. Across these roles, Christina developed experience in client service, brand and communications strategy, digital initiatives, events, and organizational coordination.


Christina pursued psychology coursework at Marist University while building her career and raising her family. She is now based in Dallas.