Founders

Steve Fahrer co-founded Veris Wealth Partners in 2007 with a specific focus on community impact. After years in the nonprofit sector, he realized that government programs alone were unlikely to raise the global standard of living. He envisioned Veris as firm that could engage capital markets to fund projects that aim to generate deep social and environmental returns.

Before Veris, Steve co-founded the New York office of Progressive Asset Management, the first full-service broker/dealer dedicated to this space. Prior to that he spent 15 years leading a successful nonprofit housing and community development organization, and oversaw the development of a national network of community foundations. His background in nonprofit housing and community development gave him a distinct understanding of how community investing actually works, long before it became a popular asset class.

Steve’s superpower was his ability to integrate sophisticated portfolio management with community-level impact. He was the firm’s bridge between private philanthropy and public markets, helping clients navigate the complexities of “blended value” long before it was an industry standard.

Since retiring at the end of 2020, Steve has remained a voracious reader and an active advocate for justice. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Edward W. Hazen Foundation, Tzedec Educational Development Fund, and Tzedec Community Ventures, LLC. and as Co-Chair of Bend the Arc, a Jewish Partnership for Justice. Steve resides in Brooklyn and remains committed to the idea that capital should serve humanity.

In 2007, Patricia co-founded Veris Wealth Partners with a vision to demonstrate that values-aligned investing could be a force for positive change in the world. Patricia’s superpower as the firm’s Founding CEO was her ability to scale the firm’s impact while maintaining its values-driven heart. She drove the firm’s early commitment to equity, belonging, and inclusion, and her leadership established Veris as a dedicated collaborator with field-building organizations such as Confluence Philanthropy and the Just Economy Institute, working to shift the flow of capital toward sustainability and justice.

Patricia’s support contributed to the growth of the Mission-related Investing industry. She previously co-led the Mission-related Investing introductory day for Confluence Philanthropy and served on the review committee for the 2022 Transformative 25. She serves as an advisor for the Just Economy Institute. Her work has focused on bridging the gap between philanthropic intent and capital market execution.

After retiring from Veris in 2022, Patricia was elected to the City Council in Sonoma, California. She continues to serve as a Council Member, having earlier served as Vice Mayor in 2023 and as Mayor in 2025. Patricia has a long history of environmental- and community-focused board service, including the boards of the Sonoma Clean Power Authority, the Sonoma Ecology Center, and the North Bay Watershed Association. Previously, she served on the boards of 18 Reasons, As You Sow, LightHawk, and Academy of Friends. Patricia was a member of the SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) Standards Council and served on the board of US SIF.

She remains a Partner in the firm.

In 2007, Anders co-founded Veris Wealth Partners with a conviction that wealth management should be a tool for social and environmental transformation. He saw a gap between the passion of individual investors and the systemic rigor of mainstream finance, and he set out to build a firm that bridged that divide across all asset classes.

A seasoned entrepreneur and financier since 1978, Anders has spent over four decades building sustainable companies and nonprofits. Long before “Impact Investing” was a household term, he was architecting private equity strategies at Uplift Equity Partners and advising the National Cooperative Business Association. His work has been instrumental in moving impact from the fringes of “social responsibility” into the core of business strategy.

As the lead for the firm’s strategic marketing and business development, Anders was the “architect of the message.” He specialized in sustainable alternative assets and capital formation, ensuring that Veris wasn’t just managing wealth, but actively fueling the next generation of sustainable innovators.

Though he retired from Veris at the end of 2020, Anders’ pursuit of “business as a spiritual practice” continues. He remains a principal consultant to the Envestnet Sustainability Platform and a co-founder of the Dalai Lama Fellows. Whether advising the Evergreen Cooperatives in Cleveland or exploring the intersection of mindfulness and business performance, he continues to challenge leaders to lead with purpose.

In 2007, David Hills brought decades of experience and a loyal client base from A.G. Edwards to help launch Veris Wealth Partners. He envisioned a firm where ethical investing wasn’t just a marketing term, but a rigorous financial discipline that could provide clients with the joy of seeing their wealth create tangible, positive change in the world.

David’s career in the field dates back to 1983, long before the term impact Investing was coined. His professional journey has always been mirrored by his personal convictions; an activist at heart, he began his career protesting the Vietnam War and the Seabrook nuclear plant. This “boots on the ground” perspective allowed him to see the power of capital to either hinder or help social movements.

In the Portsmouth, NH, office, David’s superpower was his unique blend of humor, curiosity, and empathy. He had a rare ability to demystify complex markets for his clients, turning the investment process into a collaborative journey of discovery. His leadership helped establish Veris as a firm that prioritizes the human element of wealth management.

Since retiring in 2017, David has focused on stewardship of a different kind. He oversees Emery Farm, North America’s oldest family farm, ensuring it remains a vibrant part of the local ecosystem. David is a Board Member of NH Civics, and is passionate about the work of MCE Social Capital.

In 2007, Michael Lent, CIMA® (Emeritus) co-founded Veris Wealth Partners with an aim to prove that rigorous financial analysis and deep social and environmental impact are not mutually exclusive. As the firm’s Chief Investment Officer and a Senior Client Advisor, he was the primary architect of the investment philosophies that enabled clients to align their portfolios with their values across asset classes.

Michael’s influence on the field began long before the “impact” label existed. In 1994 he co-founded the New York office of Progressive Asset Management, the first national full-service broker/dealer dedicated to socially responsible investing. He first received his Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation in 2002. In 2011 – 2013, Michael served as Chair of the Board for US SIF, helping to professionalize and expand the sustainable investment industry during a critical period of growth.

As CIO, Michael’s superpower was his ability to translate complex global economic and market trends into actionable impact strategies. He was a vocal advocate for “blended-value” community investing, a contribution for which he was recognized by the Calvert Foundation in 2005. His leadership as a Senior Advisor ensured that Veris remained at the cutting edge of investment and financial management for families, foundations and endowments while pushing the boundaries of what “fiduciary duty” means in a changing world.

Following his retirement at the end of 2025, Michael continues to focus on the intersection of capital and community resilience. His journey has come full circle from his early days working on economic development in Central America to his current role as a mentor and advocate for the next generation of impact leaders. He remains a Partner and Consultant at the firm.