Our History and Background of Our Name

Founded in 1983 as Scheetz, Smith & Co., the firm started with a single goal in mind: to put the client’s interest first. Our founding partners adopted this philosophy, which became the foundation of everything that we do. Initially, Scheetz, Smith & Co. had two businesses. One was investment banking, specializing in the underwriting of municipal securities in Pennsylvania. The second was asset management for institutions and high net-worth individuals.

In 1994, Mellon Bank purchased the investment banking portion of the business. With just the asset management business remaining, a new name was needed. As lifetime residents of Pittsburgh, the partners wanted a name that reflected their local roots. In the spring of 1994, Scheetz, Smith & Co. took on the name Guyasuta Investment Advisors, Inc.

Our name comes from Chief Guyasuta, born in 1725, and a member of a branch of the Seneca tribe, one of the six tribes that made up the Iroquis Nation. He is best known as a leader and a guide for his expedition which led George Washington on his 1753 diplomatic expedition to convince the French to abandon the string of forts they had constructed between present day Erie and Pittsburgh. Later in life, his guidance and direction shifted focus to create peaceful relations throughout the United States.