New Hire Roundup: Morningstar Adds to Fund Research Team

René Nourse (left) announced her new company, Urban Wealth Management LLC. She has selected CONCERT Advisor Services for her back office support. Advisory services will be provided by CONCERT Wealth Management, an SEC RIA.

Nourse was formerly a vice president and certified financial planner at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and has more than 30 years in the financial services industry. She will be based in El Segundo, Calif. Ron Carson’s Peak Advisor Alliance Hires New Managing Director

Peak Advisor Alliance announced Monday the addition of Paul West as managing director, effective immediately. Steve Sanduski will remain in partnership with both Peak Advisor Alliance and Carson Wealth as a strategic resource on new business development initiatives and act as a strategic resource and consultant to the firm. In addition, Sanduski will be actively involved in the rollout of the forthcoming book, Tested in the Trenches: A 9-Step Plan for Success as a New-Era Advisor, co-authored with firm founder Ron Carson.

West joins with more than 14 years of experience in the financial services industry, formerly as a senior executive including president/COO for a niche-focused RIA and prior to that with Securities America, responsible for business development at both firms. He also spent more than nine years in leadership positions at Securities America. In the CPA industry, West previously worked with Capital Professional Advisors and served on its board of directors.

NewStar Adds Mark Denomme to Its Leveraged Finance Team

NewStar Financial announced Tuesday that it has hired veteran banker Mark Denomme as a managing director in its leveraged finance group. He will join the Boston office.

Denomme has more than 20 years of business development and transaction experience working with private equity groups and other private business. Prior to joining the firm, he was a managing director at Hercules Technology Growth Capital. Previously, he co-founded Consilium Partners, a boutique investment banking firm specializing in sell-side M&A for smaller middle-market companies. He also worked for FleetBoston Robertson Stephens and its predecessors in a variety of roles, including as a director in its leveraged finance group.

Bernie Hughes Joins Mercer’s Annuity Settlement Group

Bernie Hughes has joined Mercer Investments as a senior consultant in the annuity settlement group, Rich Nuzum, head of Mercer’s investment business in the United States, announced Tuesday.

Formerly with Towers Perrin, and later Towers Watson, for nearly 20 years, Hughes worked prior to that as a director of marketing within the asset management and pension services group at Travelers Life Insurance Co., where he spent 10 years.

Chip Roame Joins Board of Trustees of SA Funds

Loring Ward announced that Charles “Chip” Roame (left), managing partner of Tiburon Strategic Advisors, has been appointed as a trustee of the SA Funds by the board of trustees of the SA Funds—Investment Trust. He joins longtime trustees Bryan Brown, a management consultant for financial and technological systems, and Hersh Shefrin, a distinguished professor of finance at Santa Clara University.

At Tiburon, Roame is responsible for all of the firm’s consulting, research and marketing activities. He is a leading strategic consultant to CEOs, other senior executives, and boards of directors in the brokerage, investments, banking and insurance markets. Prior to forming Tiburon in 1998, he served in similar capacities, first as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., and later as a business strategist at The Charles Schwab Corp. RIIA Names Karen H. Wimbish of Wells Fargo Retirement to Board of Directors

Francois Gadenne, executive director and chairman of the board of directors of the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA), announced recently that Karen H. Wimbish, director, retail retirement for Wells Fargo Retirement, has joined the board.

Wimbish has more than 30 years in the financial services industry, including roles in banking, brokerage and asset management, as well in credit administration, project management and training.

Thermon Elects Kevin McGinty and John Nesser to Board of Directors

Thermon Group Holdings and Thermon Holding Corp. announced Tuesday that Kevin McGinty and John Nesser have been appointed to their respective boards of directors, effective June 15.

McGinty is currently a managing director of Peppertree Capital Management, a private equity fund management firm. Prior to founding Peppertree in January 2000, he served as a managing director of Primus Venture Partners during the period from 1990 to December 1999. From 1970 to 1990, he was employed by Society National Bank, now KeyBank, where in his final position he was an executive vice president. He has more than 40 years of experience in the banking and private equity industries.

Nesser recently retired as executive vice president and chief operating officer of McDermott International, a global engineering, procurement, construction and installation company with a focus on the energy industry. He joined McDermott as associate general counsel in 1998 and spent more than 10 years in various senior management roles, including as general counsel, chief administrative officer and chief legal officer. Previously, he served as a managing partner of Nesser, King & LeBlanc, a New Orleans law firm, which he cofounded in 1985. He has significant prior experience in legal and operational roles.

Read the June 13 New Hire Roundup at AdvisorOne.