About FinGarde
A People-First Technology Partner Built for Independent RIAs
We were founded on a simple belief: technology should quietly support your firm, protect your clients, and scale with your ambitions. It should never be the riskiest part of your business.
Our Story
From the beginning, our focus was not just on fixing technology, but on delivering a thoughtful customer experience. That commitment to service allowed the business to grow steadily from 2014 through 2018. But along the way, we learned an important lesson.
Trying to be all things to all people makes it difficult to be truly excellent at any one thing.
At the time, FinGarde was still a side project for our president, Mark Linton. The business was growing, but it had not yet found its true direction. In the winter and spring of 2018, Mark cast a new vision for the firm, informed by his background in enterprise IT and his understanding of how technology should function inside a well-run organization.
The goal was no longer to simply repair problems after they happened. The goal became prevention through proper management. We would operate like an internal IT department, while leveraging the efficiency and economics of an outsourced model. This marked our transition from hourly break-fix work to managed IT services with fixed agreements and a commitment to long-term stewardship.
That pivot clarified our direction. It also forced an important question: who were we truly built to serve?
As we introduced our managed services model, many existing clients chose to move on. While disappointing in the moment, it was invaluable insight. The firms that remained and embraced the new approach shared something in common. They were financial firms.
The more we listened, the clearer it became. Independent advisory firms needed a technology partner who understood fiduciary responsibility, regulatory oversight, and the operational realities of running a modern RIA. Mark’s background in business, technology, and finance proved to be a natural fit for this work.
In 2019, FinGarde sharpened its focus exclusively on RIAs. In 2020, M-Linton TechService LLC was formally rebranded as FinGarde to reflect both who we serve and how we serve them.
Our Founder
Mark Linton is the founder and president of FinGarde.
Mark’s career spans enterprise IT, business operations, and financial services technology. That combination shapes FinGarde’s approach today. We do not simply manage systems. We design, govern, and protect technology environments that support fiduciary businesses.
A Clear Path Forward
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Why FinGarde
People-First Culture
Our Approach
That belief shapes everything we do:
We align your environment with frameworks such as NIST CSF and SEC and FINRA cybersecurity guidance. We maintain the documentation examiners expect to see. We monitor continuously. We plan strategically. And we operate with the same care we require of ourselves.
Serving RIAs in 12 States
Why FinGarde
Advisory firms trust FinGarde because we understand what is at stake.
You carry fiduciary responsibility. You safeguard generational wealth. You operate in a highly regulated environment. Your clients place their confidence in your stewardship.
Our role is to protect the systems that protect your clients.
We bring mastery, discipline, and continuity to your technology foundation so your firm can grow with clarity and confidence.
