Isaac Nuriani, who owns Augusta Precious Metals, is a man on a mission to educate retirement investors on the benefits of owning precious metals for a properly diversified retirement portfolio.
You will see how Isaac’s mission-driven focus attracted Devlyn Steele, a Harvard-trained economist, to become Director of Education for Augusta and how they attracted Hall-of-Fame NFL quarterback Joe Montana to become a brand ambassador.
You will see the rest of the executive team he assembled that brought Augusta Precious Metals to the top of the industry. This is a team that inspires investor confidence and trust - the same team that you’ll want beside you if you are looking to open a gold IRA.
Isaac Nuriani, Augusta Precious Metals CEO
Isaac earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UCLA in 2005. He built his experience in the investment and insurance industries and this experience drove him to establish Augusta Precious Metals.
On October 2007, the S&P500 started to fall from a high of 2,207.87 to 1,031.33 on February 2009 - a 53.28% drop. This is the period of the subprime mortgage crisis.
Many retirement portfolios saw their values crushed by up to 50% and left many wondering if they could ever retire. Portfolios that were built over decades were wiped out in a matter of days, a devastating loss for many retirement investors.
In the midst of this crisis, gold prices started to rise from $692.50 in 2008 to $1,854 in 2011 - a 167% increase. So while the stock market was suffering, gold was booming.
This highlighted the importance of diversifying retirement portfolios with investments in physical gold and precious metals. Having a diversified investment portfolio protects your retirement nest egg from getting wiped out by a crash in the stock market or the devaluation of the US dollar.
That life experience prompted Isaac Nuriani to develop his personal mission to empower the public with the proper knowledge and education to make smarter investment decisions. He was seeing economic policies favor big banks and corporations rather than individual retirement savers.
Fueled by this mission, he founded Augusta Precious Metals on January 1, 2012, in Culver City, California. He launched Augusta Precious Metal to help retirement investors with education and quality customer service to diversify their savings through physical precious metals. He has committed to serving customers with simple and streamlined processes, exemplary customer service, and total transparency.
In June 2021, they moved their corporate headquarters to Casper, Wyoming but still maintain an office in Beverly Hills, California.
He is a member of the National Ethics Association, the National Coin and Bullion Association, formerly the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA), and the Forbes Councils.
He now serves as a mentor and guide to industry professionals who share his deep dedication to American retirement stability.
What is the National Ethics Association?
The National Ethics Association (NEA) is an organization committed to helping businesses serve their customers with integrity. They provide education to their members on practicing and promoting ethics in business.
NEA also aids consumers in performing due diligence on business professionals. Consumers can check the NEA directory for the profile of their members. The profile page also contains the regulators that oversee the company’s industry.
What is the National Coin and Bullion Association?
The National Coin & Bullion Association (NCBA) is a 501(c)(6) trade organization for companies and professionals with an interest in coins, currencies, and precious metal bullions. It was founded on July 1983 originally as the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA).
It was formed when the community banded together in reaction to federal legislation passed in 1981 that removed physical assets from individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The organization started the work to restore precious metals and coins as qualified investment products.
Bullion products were finally restored in 1997 but rare coins are still not included as viable investment vehicles for an IRA.
What are the Forbes Councils?
Forbes Councils is an invitation-only, professional organization for top CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs to build professional skills, expand connections and gain visibility on Forbes.com.
To be accepted, you need to apply and meet the following minimum qualifications:
For Senior Level Executives
Coin Standards
Who are the Executives of Augusta Precious Metals
Isaac Nuriani is also surrounded by a very competent team of executives that helped him bring Augusta Precious Metals to the highest level.
Devlyn Steele, Director of Education
Devlyn Steele is Augusta’s director of education. He leads a professional education team delivering 5-star quality 1-on-1 education to American retirement investors. He accurately predicted the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent gold and silver prices surge.
He is passionate about educating investors on the benefits of diversifying a retirement portfolio with alternative assets such as precious metals. In addition to the 1:1 web conferences, Devlyn also delivers regular informative videos on the Augusta Precious Metals YouTube channel about what’s happening behind the scenes in the economy. He helps the viewers understand the nuances of economic events and how they can offset the potential negative effects.
Devlyn is a member of the prestigious business analytics program at Harvard Business School. He previously worked for Butler Aviation, UPS, and People's Express Airlines, and serves on several Silicon Valley technology boards. Mr. Steele's upcoming new book is called Pandemic Economics.
He met Isaac Nuriani at a boxing club in Santa Monica, California. He got to know Isaac’s mission to educate and empower Americans and help them learn about precious metals as an alternative asset to include in their portfolios. He approached Isaac to be part of that mission.
Devlyn focuses on Federal Reserve policies that potentially impact the dollar, gold, and silver prices. He is passionate about data and economics and shares information that is not frequently shared by big banks and Wall Street.
Howard Smith, CFO
Howard Smith is the CFO of Augusta. He has more than 20 years of experience in capital markets and banking and has firsthand experience with the massive ups and downs of the markets and their huge impact on retirement portfolios.
He joined Augusta in 2018, also enticed by the company’s mission to give high-quality education on the subject of wealth diversification. Howard has extensive experience in risk management while working with major banks and local/federal governments. He leads the risk management efforts at Augusta to help the company achieve its corporate financial goals. Mr. Smith is a certified CPA and an economics/finance graduate of the University of Toronto.
Mary Obidinski, Chief Compliance Administrator
Attorney Mary Obidinski leads Augusta Precious Metals’ compliance team. She’s the founding partner of Obidinski Law based in Carlsbad, California. Atty. Obidinski advises clients in the areas of real estate transactions, business transactions, contracts, corporate formation, and compliance. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Being an investment company, August Precious Metals has developed educational materials, manuals, and protocols to ensure that employees at all levels comply with state and federal regulations and avoid lawsuits. They are open and transparent with their compliance policies.
Joe Montana, Brand Ambassador
Joe Montana is a Hall-of-Fame NFL Quarterback. He won 4 Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and was awarded Super Bowl MVP 3 times.
Before Joe became the company’s brand ambassador, he personally attended the 1:1 web conference conducted by Devlyn Steele. He was impressed by the knowledge and education he gained from the conference and found the confidence and peace of mind to open an Augusta gold IRA.
Joe Montana is a Hall-of-Fame NFL Quarterback. He won 4 Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and was awarded Super Bowl MVP 3 times.
Before Joe became the company’s brand ambassador, he personally attended the 1:1 web conference conducted by Devlyn Steele. He was impressed by the knowledge and education he gained from the conference and found the confidence and peace of mind to open an Augusta gold IRA.
What Kind of Reputation Does Augusta Precious Metals have?
Augusta Precious Metals has an excellent reputation for providing high-quality investor education and superb customer service to its customers. This dedication resulted in Augusta Precious Metals garnering thousands of 5-star feedback and the highest ratings from the BBB, Business Consumer Alliance, TrustLink, and Consumer Affairs. They are the only company with zero complaints on all these websites.
Gold IRA Company
Complaints (BBB, BCA)
Gold IRA Company | Complaints (BBB, BCA) |
|---|---|
Augusta Precious Metals | 0 since beginning |
Advantage Gold | 1 in last 3 years |
American Hartford Gold | 24 in last 3 years |
Birch Gold Group | 11 in last 3 years |
Goldco | 12 in last 3 years |
Noble Gold | 1 in last 3 years |
That speaks highly of the level of competence, dedication, and commitment to excellence of the leadership team.
How are Senior Leaders Perceived at Augusta Precious Metals?
The CEO and Senior leaders are perceived positively at Augusta Precious Metals. Augusta Precious Metals has a 4.5-star rating at Glassdoor with a 98% approval rating for CEO Isaac Nuriani out of 35 reviews. 91% of the reviewers would also recommend the company to a friend as a place to work for.
A former employee gives it a 5-star rating citing its great culture, people, and training.
A current Customer Success Agent with more than 5 years of experience commends the competitive pay structure, great communication, and great CEO and Leadership team.
Another employee gives it a 5-star rating for helpful coworkers that help each other and the amazing CEO.
So there is a lot of admiration for the company internally and externally.
With a strong leadership team, this company has proven to be the best gold IRA provider in the country. They were voted the best company by Money Magazine and IRA Gold Advisor. What do they offer to the investing public?
Augusta Precious Metals Products and Services
Augusta Precious Metals helps you get started with your gold and silver IRA. They have a fully streamlined process from opening your IRA and then funding your IRA to buying IRS-approved physical gold and silver, and safekeeping your metals in a highly secure, insured depository.
You can buy Common and Premium gold and silver bullion from Augusta Precious Metals.
Header | Common | Premium |
|---|---|---|
Augusta Gold |
|
|
Augusta Silver |
|
|
You can buy both IRA-approved gold and non-IRA precious metals from Augusta Precious Metals so it's important to check with your customer success agent. They will guide you in the purchase and will alert you if you are trying to buy a non-IRA metal for your portfolio.
How to Get Started with Augusta Precious Metals?
It’s easy to get started and open a precious metal IRA.
Step 1 - Call Augusta Precious Metals at 800-700-1008 or request for the free gold IRA information kit.
Step 2 - Schedule your 1:1 web conference. This is your venue to ask questions and raise concerns. Customer success agents are very patient and they make every effort to get answers to all your questions.
Step 3 - Fill out the forms to open your Gold IRA account. The paperwork is not complicated and your Augusta Precious Metals representative is there to help you.
Step 4 - Once opened, you will need to fund your gold IRA. Funding is through checks, wire transfers, or rollover funds from one of your qualified retirement accounts.
Step 5 - Using the funds on your IRA, you now choose and buy your gold or silver. Augusta Precious Metals will handle secure delivery to your preferred depository.
These are the 5 easy steps to get started and open an Augusta Precious Metals gold IRA.
Can Leadership Handle Future Challenges In The Industry?
This company inspires confidence, respect, and admiration from all sides. This is needed during challenging times. When a crisis hits, the employees and the customers both need to have faith and believe in their leaders.
The leadership will have to navigate challenging times during a recession and more so during a booming market. In a rising market, gold prices will lag behind the stock market. How do you convince people to invest in gold when it’s not performing as well?
In fact, how do you convince people to invest in gold when there are other alternative investments that have higher returns like bitcoin?
Gold vs Bitcoin
There are arguments for investing in bitcoin. Bitcoin has been called “digital gold” and touted as a hedge against inflation although it doesn’t share the same characteristics as physical gold. And even though it has crashed massively from its all-time high, it still has better returns than gold.
While that may be true, getting a high return is not one reason to invest in gold. Bitcoin and gold are different investment vehicles. Bitcoin’s volatility makes it completely different and much riskier than gold.
This is crucial when you look at what recently happened to FTX.
FTX is a crypto exchange that went bankrupt because of fraudulent activity by its CEO Sam Bankman-Fried with the help of his management team. It’s been reported that around $8 billion of customer funds have been lost/stolen by FTX.
The investigation into the case shows how Bankman-Fried funneled customer funds into his crypto investment arm Alameda Research, used customer funds for high-risk investments in the crypto space, and hid all this illegal activity through dubious accounting.
These activities proliferate in crypto because of the lack of regulation and oversight in the industry. This invites the participation of shady characters masquerading as legitimate investment managers who are only out to make money off the backs of unsuspecting investors.
Contrast that with investing in a precious metals IRA.
Gold is a tangible asset with real-world value. Bitcoin doesn’t have real-world value.
Gold is safer than bitcoin because it has way less volatility.
Gold is not held by the IRA company but stored in a secure depository. Crypto companies like FTX have access to their customer's money and can do anything with it. This is why a lot of fraud is happening in the crypto space.
The precious metals industry puts a premium on good leadership. The background of the company and its leaders must inspire confidence and trust. Investors rarely need to ask, “Is Augusta Precious Metals legit?” because they are a legitimate company. Bitcoin and many crypto companies cannot claim that right now. Trust is at an all-time low with the fraud committed by FTX and its billionaire owner, Sam Bankman-Friend.
It is better to invest in gold instead of bitcoin for retirement investors looking to diversify their portfolios and add protection against inflation. Bitcoin simply has too much volatility and risk so the investor has no protection over this asset class.
Contrast that with the level of competence, trustworthiness, and professionalism that Augusta Precious Metals has shown through the years. Right now, it’s much safer to invest in Augusta Precious Metals than any crypto company.
Conclusion
After looking at the CEO and leadership team in Augusta Precious Metals, we arrive at the same conclusion that we have had in our full Augusta Precious Metals review - they are the best gold IRA company in the United States.
Isaac Nuriani is a mission-focused CEO dedicated to building a solid culture centered on providing world-class investor education and lifetime professional customer service. He is surrounded by a competent leadership team that has helped him solidify that culture and build up the reputation of the company in the industry.
Their pristine reputation makes Augusta Precious Metals stand out. Augusta Precious Metals and its customers can have complete trust and confidence in the well-loved, competent, and inspiring leaders of the company. Bar none, this is the best company to open a gold IRA account today.