Kay Lynn Mayhue, president of Merit Financial Advisors, has led one of the most impressive and strategic acquisition efforts in the wealth management industry over the past 18 months. Under her leadership, Merit has completed 16 acquisitions totaling over $6.6 billion in assets, adding 4,270 client households, 19,230 accounts and 83 employees across 14 offices — making it one of the most active and fastest-growing firms in the country. What sets Mayhue apart is her people-first, process-driven approach to M&A. She’s built a repeatable model focused on cultural alignment, advisor retention and operational integration. Her hub-and-spoke strategy allows acquired firms to maintain their identity while benefiting from Merit's scale, infrastructure and growth resources.