ACCOUNTABILITY

Our Investment Philosophy

Our principles are grounded in the belief that financial markets function inefficiently from time to
time, resulting in mispriced investment opportunities. We attempt to take advantage of these opportunities through discipline and patience, buying undervalued investments that we believe will offer superior returns and limited risk over the long term.

You don’t have to swing at every pitch.

Warren Buffett

Our Story

Carmel Capital Partners was founded in 2002 by Russell Silberstein with the goal of delivering
stable long-term returns to individuals, families, and entrepreneurs through opportunistic, value-
oriented investments. The firm started with $2 million in assets under management; today, we
advise 45 families across California managing approximately $371 million in AUM as of March 2023.

With two decades of experience serving individuals, founders, and philanthropic families across
the country, we have developed a deep understanding of the unique financial challenges and opportunities that come with significant wealth.

Our Team

At Carmel, we believe that no two clients are the same. We take the time to get to know each family personally, to thoroughly understand their needs, life ambitions, goals, and risk tolerance, so we can provide them with the most personalized investment strategy possible.

We believe that the cornerstone of successful wealth management lies in a collaborative partnership, where our clients are not just informed but are active participants in the decision-making process.

We invest with a long-term perspective, guided by rigorous research and a disciplined investing philosophy. And because we believe so strongly in the work we do, we invest our own assets alongside theirs. The result is a truly transparent portfolio that is uniquely aligned with our clients’ goals.


We are committed to our clients’ financial life success, and we do so with an unwavering dedication to transparency, thoughtful deliberation, and analytical approach to everything we do.

Read bio →

Russell is the Founder and Principal of Carmel Capital Partners and serves as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO). In his role, he oversees investment decisions across public equity and fixed-income portfolios, as well as all real estate and private equity investments. Russell also works directly with families to guide and advise them on matters such as closely held business sales, complex tax and estate matters, and diversification of concentrated stock portfolios.

Russell founded Carmel on three core principles: advice, relationships, and results. His primary goal was to make Carmel the voice of accountability in its clients’ financial lives — a mission that remains the focus of the firm to this day.

Outside of the office, Russell is also active in his local community, having served as Vice President on the Board of Trustees for the San Diego Jewish Academy. He has also previously served on the Board of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego and its Investment Committee.

Russell and his wife Heidi have two daughters, Maya and Bella, and a son, Jack.

Director of Equities

Read bio →

Joined Messner & Smith in 2002 as an equity analyst and portfolio manager, becoming the firm’s Director of Research in 2006. He began his career in Chicago with Harris Associates L.P., which managed the Acorn and Oakmark Funds, before joining investment banking and brokerage firm Kemper/EVEREN Securities as an equity analyst in 1991. Thereafter he was an equity analyst and portfolio manager with RNC Capital Management in Los Angeles. Kevin has a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from DePaul University and completed graduate work at DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. Kevin was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1993 and has been a member of the national CFA Institute and various local CFA chapters since that time.
Equity Analyst / Advisor

Read bio →

David has spent the last 30 years as an active investor and advisor to family offices, high net worth individuals, CEOs and founders.

He started his career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers, and then spent 10 years as an equity analyst and portfolio manager at Citigroup, First Manhattan and J Goldman & Co. In 2006, with the backing of a large family office David left the hedge fund industry to pursue investment opportunities in private equity and credit.

At Carmel Capital David continues to source investment opportunities and provide guidance to founders, family offices and high net worth individuals.

Wealth Advisor

Read bio →

Chelsey is a Wealth Advisor at Carmel Capital Partners. Before joining Carmel, Chelsey worked as a Financial Advisor at Torrey Pines Wealth Management, part of UBS Financial Services. During her tenure at UBS, she specialized as a Wealth Planning Associate, providing tailored advice and solutions to affluent clients in San Diego.

Prior to joining UBS, Chelsey served as an Analyst in the Capital Markets Group at Citizens Bank in Boston. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in originating, structuring, and executing debt capital market transactions that supported a wide array of strategic initiatives for middle-market businesses. These initiatives included acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, dividend recapitalizations, restructurings, and refinancing across diverse industries across middle-market businesses.

Chelsey obtained an A.B. in Economics from Harvard College, where she also earned a citation in French. During her time at Harvard, she demonstrated her leadership as a co-captain of the varsity lacrosse team during her senior year. Furthermore, Chelsey holds several licenses including the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, the California life and health insurance license, and the esteemed designation of an Accredited Wealth Management Advisor®.

Wealth Advisor

Read bio →

With over 30 years of experience focused on advising owners and family-controlled businesses, John brings a unique depth of knowledge and care to the clients he serves. A focus on building the family continuity supported by the business, real estate, investments and long-term planning are key aspects to his most successful engagements. The team of experienced experts he brings to his high-net-worth clients along with the advanced financial services help to further enhance both the family and business values. His resume includes being a licensed Investment Advisor and Insurance professional with banking, finance and management experience.
Wealth Advisor

Read bio →

Ryan has over two decades of experience in wealth management, real estate, business building, and philanthropy. He has designed strategic solutions for some of the nation’s wealthiest families, created business systems for growing companies, and founded and expanded the non-profit organization, Main Street Philanthropy, nationwide. Ryan is recognized as a thought leader, disrupter, and innovator in designing purpose-driven financial solutions. He is also a co-founder of Gateway for Good, a public benefit corporation with a mission to unite the world through innovative giving experiences.

Ryan graduated from the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business with an MBA in Leading Organizations. He holds a degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in Industrial-Organizational Psychology along with extensive work in Biology and Chemistry. Ryan holds securities and insurance licenses, is a Real Estate Broker, and has multiple other industry certifications. He has spoken at conferences and events across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Outside of the office, Ryan serves on several nonprofit boards, sings in a quartet, plays guitar with a band, and coaches youth sports teams. Having grown up in Sonoma County, he also has an affinity for decent wines. Ryan and his wife, Jennifer, live in north San Diego with their three children.

Portfolio Manager

Read bio →

With 35 years of institutional investing experience, Kevin E. Silverman, CFA®, serves as a Portfolio Manager at Carmel. His primary objective is to leverage his extensive expertise in delivering institutional-quality investment to individual and family portfolios.

Kevin’s career commenced with a specialization in industrial, tech, and retail equities at Harris Associates and Stifel Nicolaus. Prior to joining Carmel Capital, he directed institutional equities and private wealth at an affiliate of private equity firm Sterling Partners.

Kevin holds a Master of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, alongside the CFA® charter.

Portfolio Manager

Read bio →

Led the retirement fund of a large California construction company as Portfolio Manager and Administrator prior to founding his own investment firm in 1974, Ellis C. Smith Investment Counsel, Inc. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Business Administration, University of California Los Angeles, in 1965, and pursued graduate studies at San Diego State University. Ellis is a former Chairman of the Board of the San Diego Downtown YMCA and President of the Executive’s Association of San Diego. Currently a Trustee for the San Diego History Center and a Board Member of the San Diego Employers Association. He also served as a commissioned officer in the United States Naval Reserve.

 Accredited Asset Management Specialist

Read bio →

Stephanie has close to a decade of experience in the financial services industry covering a variety of different operational positions. She has been responsible for supervising back-office operations, client service, and compliance functions. She holds Series 65 and CA insurance license as well as being a commissioned CA Notary Public.

Stephanie has close to a decade of experience in the financial services industry covering a variety of different operational positions. She has been responsible for supervising back-office operations, client service, and compliance functions. She holds Series 65 and CA insurance license as well as being a commissioned CA Notary Public.

Operations Manager

Read bio →

Ryan joined Messner & Smith in August 2011, bringing with him over 10 years of administrative and operations management experience from the online and mobile gaming industries. Previously Ryan served 6 years with Beeline Interactive (formerly known as Capcom Interactive), the mobile arm of the parent company Capcom where he helped establish the business from the ground up through facilities and space planning, travel and event logistics, and procurement. Prior to that he worked with Sony Pictures Entertainment as a Marketing Coordinator and with America Online as an Associate Quality Assurance Engineer. He graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in Art.

Associate Investment Analyst

Read bio →

Doug joined Carmel Capital Partners in January 2025 as an Associate Investment Analyst, supporting investment analysis, due diligence, and investment operations across the firm’s real estate, private equity, public equity, and fixed income portfolios.

Prior to joining Carmel, Doug spent six years working in his family’s building materials business, where he served in a broad operational capacity — overseeing finance and accounting functions, implementing business systems and technology infrastructure, and managing day-to-day operations.

Doug holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Rutgers University and has successfully completed all three levels of the CFA examination.

  • Step-by-Step Guide to Business Succession Planning

    Planning a successful business transition takes strategy and execution. Now…

    Access Articles

  • Why Business Succession Planning Matters

    After years of hard work building your business, the last…

    Access Articles

  • The Impending Tax Sunset

    In Part 1 of this series, we reviewed the key…

    Access Articles

Advice. Relationships. Results.

We are committed to fostering relationships built on trust, transparency, and accountability.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.