Carter Ruml, J.D., Cfp®, Cap® Email & Phone Number

Cincinnati Metropolitan Area

Lead the Wealth Strategy function for a Cincinnati-headquartered publicly traded bank (FFBC) with $18 billion in assets, $2.8 billion in market cap, and 110 branches in four states, focusing on the bank’s wealthiest clients and largest commercial lending relationships.Specialist wealth strategy work on unique situations for ultra high net worth clients of Yellow Cardinal and FFBC, including wealth transfer tax planning, inherited wealth, blended families, and philanthropy.Fiduciary counsel work in support of First Financial Bank's administration of its trust book of business.Tasked with concept development, strategy, coordination, and implementation relating to how the bank goes to market with its charitable/philanthropic offerings.Ongoing thought leadership, and contributions as media representative for Yellow Cardinal/FFBC.

Cincinnati Metropolitan Area

Thought leadership and estate and financial planning advisory work with Yellow Cardinal's ultra high net worth clients.Media representative for First Financial Bank, including print and television appearances.Panelist, Business Succession Planning.

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Co-Instructor with Mark Noel for Estate Planning (PROP-7008), starting with Spring semester, 2025.This course explores the fundamental principles of estate planning, trust, and probate law, including the disposition of probate vs. non-probate property, estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax fundamentals, and planning for the transfer and protection of wealth. The tax planning focus will include the study of various estate planning techniques, charitable planning, and other tax savings strategies. The non-tax planning covered will include the lawyer’s role and ethical duties, drafting wills and trusts for non-tax reasons, powers of attorney, and estate planning documents relating to health care matters and end of life decisions.

Cincinnati / Louisville

Merged Rumls PLC into Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP (Cincinnati’s oldest general practice law firm, started as a trusts and estates practice) in October 2021, while continuing a robust Louisville presence for a portable book. Appointed as leader of Graydon’s eight-lawyer T&E practice.In April 2023, Graydon was acquired in a combination with Columbus-headquartered Bricker & Eckler LLP, then a firm without a significant trusts and estates practice. After recruitment by Yellow Cardinal / First Financial, I arranged the shift of the Kentucky-focused client relationships and a key colleague to Stites, where the practice continues strongly.

Louisville Metropolitan Area

Founded, led, and grew Rumls PLC, a Louisville-based trusts and estates boutique firm that represented clients with aggregate wealth exceeding $3.4 billion. The firm expanded to 5 FTEs and over $1.2 million in annual revenue, while maintaining strong connectivity and cross-referral relationships with Stites.

Louisville Metropolitan Area

Recruited to lead Stites’ Louisville trusts and estates practice. Grew the practice substantially and spun it out to create a thriving boutique firm, Rumls PLC.

Louisville Metropolitan Area

After associate training in Wyatt’s trusts and estates practice, did an in-house rotation at PNC, then Louisville’s leading trust company by market share and significance of legacy fiduciary business.Advised clients on tax, financial, and estate planning matters.Member of PNC's National Planning Group for Business Owners. Media representative for PNC, including commentary for New York Times and television.Recognized as “Market All-Star” for 2012. Helped with PNC’s growth efforts in Nashville and Charlotte.

Louisville Metropolitan Area

Integral part of Louisville’s largest trusts and estates practice group led by six ACTEC Fellows. These attorneys remain friends and respected colleagues, and later provided strong support for my nomination as an ACTEC Fellow.

Louisville Metropolitan Area

Two years’ experience in general corporate representation, securities offerings, venture financings, health care regulation and transactions, and private company mergers and acquisitions.Then, increasing specialization in estate planning / private client work for closely held business owners, wealthy families and individuals, and fiduciaries.

Louisville Metropolitan Area

J.D.

Law degree awarded “with distinction”.

M.A., Philanthropic Studies (Degree Candidate)

Graduate studies on philanthropic history, theory and practice, donor aspirations and motivation, and gift planning. The Lilly School.

A.B., Public Affairs; Geosciences

Summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. Awarded Woodrow Wilson School Senior Thesis Prize and Edward Sampson - Class of 1914 Prize in Economic.

Education record

Education record