William “Bill” L. Exeter serves as Chief Executive Officer for The Exeter Group of Companies, including The Exeter Group, LLC and Exeter 1031 Exchange Services, LLC headquartered in San Diego, California, Exeter Trust Company and Exeter Asset Services Corporation headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and their affiliate companies. Mr. Exeter is the founder of The Exeter Group of Companies and has been with the company since its inception in 2004. He is based in The Exeter Group of Companies’ national corporate headquarters office in San Diego, California.
Senior Financial Services Executive
Mr. Exeter has been in the financial services industry since 1980, including commercial banking, insurance agency operations, 1031 exchange administration, trust administration and custody services. He began specializing in real estate tax strategies in 1985 with a specialty emphasis in 1031 exchanges, 1033 exchanges, self-directed IRAs and individual 401(k) plans, Title Holding Trusts (Land Trusts), specialty holding escrows and custody accounts, with an emphasis in non-traditional assets or alternative investments.
Expert Witness Testimony
He also serves as an industry consultant, advisor, trainer, instructor, and expert witness. His work as an expert witness focuses on matters related to 1031 exchanges, 1033 exchanges, self-directed IRAs and Title Holding Trusts or Land Trusts. His expert witness work has included testimony at depositions, arbitrations, and trials.
Professional Speaker, Author, and Continuing Education Instructor
Mr. Exeter has written, lectured, taught, and trained investors extensively on 1031 exchanges, 1033 exchanges, 721 contributions, 121 exclusions, tenant-in-common (TIC) and Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) investments as replacement property solutions for 1031 and 1033 exchanges, self-directed IRAs and individual 401(k) plans, and Title Holding Trusts or Land Trusts.
In addition, Mr. Exeter is the host for the Go Ahead, ASK! Podcast by The Exeter Group, a frequent guest expert on the "Financial Advisors — Money Talk Radio Show” on San Diego News Radio AM 600 KOGO, "Craig Sewing Radio Show" on San Diego AM 1170 KCBQ, "The American Dream TV” Shows on San Diego Cox/Time Warner Cable Channel 4, "House Calls" on Los Angeles Talk Radio AM 790 KABC, "BizTalk Radio" on Business Talk Radio AM 1000 KCEO San Diego along with numerous other radio and television appearances.
Professional Experience
Bill has been in the financial services industry for over 40 years. He has administered more than 125,000 1031 exchange transactions, is one of the founding members of the 1031 exchange industry’s trade association, the Federation of Exchange Accommodators. He has administered thousands of self-directed IRAs and individual 401(k) plans, specialty holding escrows, Title Holding Trusts (Land Trusts) and custody accounts during his extensive career.
Immediately prior to founding The Exeter Group of Companies Bill served as President and Chief Executive Officer of TransUnion Exchange Corporation (formerly Diversified Exchange Corporation) in San Diego, California for four years and prior to that as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Chicago Trust Company of California and its 1031 exchange subsidiary in San Diego, California for 13 years that were part of the Chicago Title & Trust Family of Companies. In addition, he served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer with two 1031 exchange companies in the 1980s during the 1031 exchange industry’s infancy.
Bill also served as Assistant Vice President and Controller of Provident Savings Bank in Riverside, California and Assistant Vice President and Controller of OneCentral Bank in Glendale, California during the 1980's.
His professional experience includes 1031 exchange, 1033 exchange, 721 exchanges, 121 exclusions, self-directed and advisor-directed retirement accounts, including self-directed IRAs and individual 401(k) plans with an emphasis on non-traditional assets or alternative investments, title insurance and escrow services, trust company management, trust operations; custody and investment accounts and investment services; commercial banking; and insurance agency administration.
Professional Associations
Bill Exeter is one of the founding members of the 1031 exchange industry trade group, the Federation of Exchange Accommodators. He is also involved with numerous professional organizations including the California Municipal Treasurers Association, Institute for Portfolio Alternatives (IPA), Retirement Industry Trust Association (RITA) for trust companies that specialize in non-traditional assets or alternative investments inside Self-Directed IRAs and Individual 401(k) Plans, California Escrow Association (CEA), San Diego County Escrow Association (CEA), NorCal Escrow, Escrow Association of Washington (EAW), Arizona State Escrow Association (“ASEA”), American Escrow Association (“AEA”) and Escrow Institute of California (EIC), as well as the Society of Exchange Counselors (SEC), National Counsel of Exchangors (NCE), Alternative and Direct Investment Securities Association (ADISA, formerly known as REISA), ICSC, various apartment owners association groups, Income Property Management Expo, AIR Commercial Real Estate, the San Diego Chapters of CCIM and CREW, NAIOP, SIOR, and the San Diego Creative Investors Association (“SDCIA”).
Education and Certifications
Mr. Exeter graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, and from the Cannon Financial Institute, attaining the Certified Securities Operations Professional (CSOP) designation.