Office address: 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Website: raymondjames.com
Year established: 1962
Company type: financial services
Employees: 19,000+
Expertise: wealth management, investment banking, asset management, equity research, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance solutions, banking and lending, institutional services, private wealth management
Parent company: Raymond James Financial
Key people: Paul Shoukry (CEO), Chris Aisenbrey (CHRO), Bella Allaire (chief administrative officer), James Bunn (president), Vin Campagnoli (EVP), Scott Curtis (COO), Butch Oorlog (CFO)
Financing status: corporation
Raymond James is a financial services firm based in St. Petersburg with about $1.73 trillion in client assets as of 2025. The company provides asset management, wealth management, and investment banking through about 8,900 financial advisors. It uses a client-first approach, long-term planning, and has achieved 151 quarters of consecutive profitability.
The company was founded in 1962 by Bob James, a financial professional who wanted to value careful planning and put clients first. The firm grew quickly, and by 1964, the name Raymond James & Associates was chosen to honor a business deal with Edward Raymond.
Tom James, Bob James’ son, joined the firm after graduating from Harvard. He helped guide the company through tough times and even sold his rare coin collection to keep the business afloat during the 1970s.
Raymond James kept growing in the 1970s and 1980s by:
The company survived economic downturns and celebrated its first year with over $1 million in net income in 1980. In 1983, Raymond James went public with a $14-million IPO, though the celebration was bittersweet due to Bob James’ death that same year.
The 1990s and early 2000s brought big changes. Raymond James Bank was founded in 1994, and the company expanded overseas with offices in Paris and Geneva. The firm made its largest acquisition in 1999 by adding Roney & Co. and merged its independent contractor subsidiaries. Raymond James also began offering online trading and partnered with Killik & Co. to launch a UK brokerage.
The company showed strength during the 2008 recession by relying on its own revenue and not seeking government help. In 2010, Paul Reilly became CEO, and Tom James stayed on as chairperson.
The firm marked its 50th anniversary in 2012. It also joined forces with Morgan Keegan and became one of the largest wealth management firms outside Wall Street.
In recent years, Raymond James has made several strategic acquisitions, including The Producers Choice in 2015 and Charles Stanley in 2022. The company also responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by donating $1.5 million to relief efforts.
By 2025, Raymond James had become a top destination for financial advisors seeking independence and stability. The firm’s hands-off approach to advisors’ clients helped drive strong recruiting from direct competitors.
To strengthen its private credit business, Raymond James Financial also took a majority stake in GreensLedge Holdings, a boutique investment bank. This move expanded its capabilities in structured credit and securitization.
Raymond James provides financial products and services that are tailored to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions:
Raymond James also provides timely market insights and research to help clients make informed decisions. Their advisors focus on personalized strategies and long-term planning.
According to Raymond James, the company supports advisors and believes they know their clients best. The firm states that it leads with an advisor-focused culture. Its core values include:
The company also aims to create a rewarding workplace and offers a range of benefits. These include:
The firm reports a focus on giving back through programs like the Ready for School Mission and LiFT Academy. Raymond James invests time and resources to help students, including those with neurodiversity, reach their goals.
Paul Shoukry is CEO and board member at Raymond James Financial and also serves on several nonprofit boards. He was previously president of the company and has held other leadership roles. He holds degrees from the University of Georgia and Columbia University.
Helping Shoukry lead Raymond James is the executive team, which include:
The leadership team values steady planning and careful decision-making. Their approach keeps the focus on clients and long-term results.
Raymond James posted record earnings for the quarter ending September 30, 2025 by expanding its advisor network. The firm added nearly $63 billion in recruited client assets, which support new business and client needs. These results show the firm’s focus on long-term growth and stability for its clients and future.
Raymond James also continued to grow its independent channel despite losing a $1.3 billion advisor team to Concurrent. The firm still attracted professionals from Wells Fargo, UBS, and Northwestern Mutual who managed hundreds of millions in client assets. These additions may help strengthen the company’s independent channel and bring more expertise to its clients.
“The wealth management industry needs these AI-driven solutions to help advisors better serve their clients,” said Raymond James Chief Executive Paul Shoukry.
Two wealth management teams overseeing more than $1B shift platforms to support growth and succession plans.
Firms expand AI-driven platforms, including a new enterprise partnership for RIA custodian Altruist, to boost advisor productivity and client service.
After an extremely competitive 2025, senior financial advice industry executives and headhunters think this year will also be a dogfight for the best advisors.
Firms compete for experienced advisors as billions in client assets shift platforms nationwide.
“The acceleration of generative AI is foundational to how firms operate, compete, and serve clients,” said Germán Soto Sanchez, chief product and strategy officer at Broadridge Financial Solutions.
Anthropic's new Claude integrations target RIAs, broker dealers, custodians, TAMPs, as new research from DeepVest finds mainstream AI models produce errors on 85 percent of investment management prompts.
Also, Raymond James expands its financial institutions arm in the Kansas City area while Baird has elevated two seasoned veterans into key director roles.
“If AI is to play a role in their business operations, advisors would do well to disclose where it is used," said John McKenna, senior analyst at Cerulli.
Firms keep up 2026’s strong flow of advisor moves so far.
The $15 billion RIA’s new AI Analyst scans client data to flag tax risks, cash imbalances, market exposure and life events, giving advisors a head start on client outreach. Farther's investors include CapitalG, a fund from Google's parent company Alphabet.
Against the backdrop of a successful recruiting effort last year, Kestra has been revamping its lineup of recruiters.
What’s the real reason clients switch advisors? Todd Bryant, CFP®, shares how 18 thoughtful touchpoints a year can quietly build trust, loyalty, and confidence.
Also, Raymond James onboards another Commonwealth team in Wisconsin, while an experienced duo from Ameriprise hops to LPL.
Altruist’s Hazel AI platform may have sent shockwaves through the industry this week, but fintechs say face-to-face interactions with advisors remain key.
