About
Trust the firm that earns it year after year.
Argent Institutional Trust Company’s story is one of steady evolution, expansion, and strategic transformation over several decades — moving from a specialized, regional trust service provider to a national institutional trust and custody platform. Below is a timeline-style narrative capturing key milestones and developments.
Origins and Early Years (1954–2013)
- The story begins in 1954, when a trust company known as Trust Management Incorporated (TMI) was founded under a Texas charter. Its initial function was quite focused: providing trust services for individuals and organizations.
- Over time, TMI built experience in corporate trust, especially performing corporate trust and loan agency services for bond issues and loan pools on behalf of individual bondholders and lenders.
Expansion & Diversification (2014–2022)
- In 2014, TMI was acquired by Reliance Financial Corporation. As part of this, its services joined with those of Reliance Trust Company’s church/nonprofit bond-issuer work. Though the combined entity shared branding under TMI, shortly thereafter, Reliance Financial Corporation was itself acquired by FIS Global, and TMI was spun off again — regaining independent status as a trust company.
- Over the next several years, TMI expanded not just in size but in the scope of its services, moving beyond traditional bond trustee work to offer broader corporate trust, agency services, escrow, custody, IRA administration, family office and investment partnership services.
- Notable acquisitions in this period included:
- 2017: TMI acquired the trustee and custody services portfolio for the Family Office business from BMO Trust and Custody Services. This added offices in Milwaukee, WI and Naples, FL, and enhanced fiduciary, accounting, and trust tax services for family offices and investment partnerships.
- 2019: TMI Holdings acquired Salem Trust Company, a Tampa-based trust company specializing in custody services for government retirement plans and institutional clients. Following that acquisition, TMI Trust Company merged with Salem Trust, and kept Salem as a division under TMI (i.e. Salem Trust Company as a division, preserving its legacy), now offering its custody line of business under that banner.
- 2020: TMI assumed the successor role as Custodian for an SBA REPO portfolio. TMI began performing as the custodian for SBA loans and loan pools. In this role, TMI processes principal and income payments, provides vault safekeeping of SBA physical certificates, prepares certificate transfer requests, and utilizes its specialized platform for traders to assemble loan pools while a third party provides depository services.
- 2022: TMI assumed the substantial amount of the escrow business from the Global Custody and Agency Services unit of Bank of America N.A. Following the announcement by Bank of America N.A. in May that it would exit its Global Custody and Agency Services business, discussions began with TMI to take on the responsibilities as escrow agent for the entire escrow portfolio. TMI assumed all of the approximately 600 accounts along with the balances and investments being held in the various accounts.
Merger & Rebranding: Argent Institutional Trust Company (2023)
- In August 2023, a significant structural shift took place: TMI Trust Company merged with Argent Financial Group. As a result of that merger, TMI was rebranded as Argent Institutional Trust Company (AITC). Headquarters was established in Tampa, FL, and AITC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Argent Financial Group.
- The merger fortified its resources, expanded the platform’s depth in trust, custody, and agency services, and aligned culture, expertise, and markets under the Argent umbrella.
Recent Growth & Strategic Acquisitions (2024–2025)
- Following the rebranding, AITC continued to scale. By mid‑2025 it announced its intention to acquire the corporate trust and institutional custody business from The Huntington National Bank (a subsidiary of Huntington Bancshares). This was a move to significantly broaden its institutional footprint, acquiring not only the business but key client relationships, personnel, and operational infrastructure.
- With this acquisition, AITC expanded its scope to handle more than $180 billion in client assets.
- Alongside acquisitions, AITC has invested in building out its administrative offices in key geographic locations (Tampa, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, New York City), broadening their service offerings (trustee, escrow, loan agency; custody; IRA; family office; investment partnerships), and strengthening its leadership and specialized teams (for example, adding experienced professionals in Credit Tenant Lease solutions etc.).
Cultural & Philosophical Threads
- Throughout its evolution, a few themes recur:
- Client‑centered service: Emphasis on continuity, high touch, preserving relationships and personnel in acquisitions so that clients experience minimal disruption.
- Strategic growth by acquisition: TMI/AITC often grew by both acquiring portfolios, companies, or divisions that added capabilities (e.g. Salem Trust, BMO trust business, Huntington’s trust business) and organic expansion.
- Expanding service complexity: From simple trust services (e.g. bond trusteeships) to more complex institutional custody, escrow, family office, etc. Also entering niches like Credit Tenant Lease solutions.
- Geographic expansion: Starting regionally, then across multiple states; adding offices in major financial centers.
Current Status & Looking Ahead
- Today, Argent Institutional Trust Company is a national trust and custody institution with broad capability. It is one of the major players in institutional trust, custody, escrow, loan agency, trustee services, etc. It oversees more than $165 billion in client assets, post its acquisition of Huntington Bank’s business.
- The institution leverages multiple administration centers, a leadership team with deep experience, and a growing roster of specialized services to meet demands in public finance, institutional custody, family office, and agency services.
- Going forward, with integration of recent acquisitions and continuing demand from institutions for sophisticated trust, custody, and agency services (amid regulatory, reporting, and technological complexity), AITC is positioned to further scale, possibly through further acquisitions, product innovation, and deepening its service‐infrastructure.
Careers
Come be a part of our success.
Latest news
Get the latest from AITC—don’t miss a thing!
Connect with AITC
Partner with AITC for expert administration of retirement plans, custody accounts, and corporate trust and agency services.