Wells Fargo Team Joins UBS, Another Goes Indie With Fidelity: Recruiting Roundup

“Having been with our previous firm for so long, we didn’t take a move lightly, and we took more than a year to evaluate how a potential move might benefit us, but more importantly, our clients,” said Adams, in a statement.

“Raymond James has the technology and the investment expertise that we need for providing best-in-class service to our clients, and the firm allows us the freedom to truly run all aspects of our business,” he added.

Adams began his career at Edward Jones in 2003, before moving to Merrill Lynch in 2005.

Norris cut her teeth in the business starting in 1987 at Merrill, where she remained for more than 30 years.

“Having attended a Raymond James conference as a visitor, I learned more about the firm’s unique culture and the support they provide advisors. I was also pleased to know that the firm has a network dedicated solely to supporting its women financial advisors,” she explained in a statement.

Other Developments

Securities America, an independent broker-dealer owned by Ladenburg Thalmann, has recruited two independent firms and added one super OSJ to its platform — with a total of $700-plus million in client assets.

OPOC.us has nearly $320 million in assets, focuses on retirement-plan clients, is led by Aron Sommer and includes nine employee advisors; Vizionary Wealth Management is headed by Wayne Wagner and works with over $175 million of assets owned by clients in science professions; and Gandet Group, a super OSJ, has roughly $220 million of client assets. The groups formerly were affiliated with Invest Financial, LPL Financial and National Planning Corp., respectively.

“Each business is distinct, with its own unique area of focus and business model,” said Gregg Johnson, Securities America’s head of branch office development and acquisitions, in a statement. “But they share a passionate dedication to delivering exceptional service to their clients.”

“We researched over 80 firms’ offerings,” explained Wagner in a statement. “Securities America’s focus on service, getting the right answer the first time, their support of diversity in business models and willingness to facilitate strategic partnerships all weighed heavily in our decision.”

Dynasty Financial Partners says that CJM Wealth Management has joined its network in Deer Park, New York. The independent RIA has more than $400 million in client assets.

CEO Charles Massimo founded CJM 15 years ago. Earlier, Massimo was with Merrill Lynch, Citigroup Global Markets and Royal Alliance. He began his career in 1987 at Shearson Lehman Brothers.

In 2005, he was joined by Peter Anastasian, who came on board from Smith Barney.

“While our client base is diverse, our focus and expertise is around doctors in transition seeking to sell their medical practice and, because of my own personal experience, working with families impacted by autism,” said Massimo, in a statement.

“As an independent firm for 15 years, we provide a level of expertise and a suite of services that truly caters to our clients’ unique needs,” he explained. “Now, working in partnership with Dynasty Financial Partners, we want to provide a greater depth of expertise and solutions to our clients.”

Kestra Financial announced that a team with some $270 million in assets is now using its platform.

Headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia, with two other offices in the state, The Main Street Group was founded in 1984 by CEO Steve Crawford and it has 22 advisors and employees.

“Kestra Financial is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art technology, personalized consultation and practice management support to experienced wealth management firms like The Main Street Group,” said Kestra CEO James Poer, in a statement. “To support Steve’s goal to ramp up growth in 2018 and beyond, Kestra Financial is already equipping his team with the many resources we have at our disposal.”

— Check out How to Prepare Your Succession Plan: Tips From Cerulli on ThinkAdvisor.