Advisor moves: LPL, Raymond James and NewEdge add breakaway teams

Three wealth management firms have announced the addition of breakaway advisor teams collectively overseeing more than $945 million in client assets.

Advisors Ryan Lewis, Dan Hocking and Steve Braatz have affiliated with Linsco by LPL Financial,  LPL Financial's employee-model channel, to launch ClearHaven Wealth Management. The Minnesota-based practice reported serving approximately $395 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets.

Lewis arrives from Morgan Stanley, while Hocking and Braatz come from RBC Wealth Management. The three are supported by LPL Registered Administrative Assistant Cade Nelson and administrative professional Nikki Hocking.

The practice focuses on high-net-worth individuals and families, with a particular emphasis on clients approaching or in retirement. Many of those relationships span multiple generations which is a thread that runs through the team's history as well.

Lewis and Braatz have known each other since childhood and have collaborated throughout much of their careers. The team also includes second-generation advisors who have stepped into family-built client relationships.

"Many of our clients are families we've worked with across multiple generations and we take seriously the responsibility of helping them pursue their financial goals," said Lewis. "Our approach is grounded in thoughtful investment management, open communication and a commitment to putting clients' interests first."

The team's decision to affiliate through the Linsco model reflects a preference for advisor autonomy without the full operational burden of running an independent practice. Hocking described the appeal as finding "the right balance" between flexibility and institutional support, while Braatz echoed that sentiment, pointing to LPL's backing as enabling the team to remain client-focused.

Marc Cohen, LPL's chief growth officer, said the firm was pleased to welcome a team whose story is "one of partnership, legacy, and enduring client relationships."

LPL Financial has attracted a series of breakaway teams this year, with advisors citing the firm's technology stack and range of affiliation models as key draws.

Le Sage Mattiza Maggard Wealth Management lands at Raymond James

Raymond James announced the addition of financial advisors Harold "Red" Le Sage Jr., Jeanette Mattiza, CFP, CRPC, and Madison Maggard, CFP, to Raymond James & Associates, the firm's employee advisor channel.

Operating as Le Sage Mattiza Maggard Wealth Management of Raymond James in The Woodlands, Texas, the team previously managed more than $550 million in client assets at UBS Financial Services.

The group is joined by Registered Client Service Associate Paul Garcia. Together they serve business owners, corporate executives, foundations, nonprofits and retirees, with services spanning financial planning, investment management and retirement guidance.

Le Sage, who began his financial services career in 1972, brings more than five decades of industry experience. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Houston and spent 35 years at his prior firm before making the transition.

Mattiza, whose career spans more than four decades, holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designations. Maggard, a CFP who joined the industry in 2015, earned a finance degree from Texas A&M University.

"Raymond James offers the right combination of culture, support and resources to help us continue providing the personal service our clients expect while positioning the practice well for the future," Le Sage said.

Edward Sudzina, Southwest regional director for Raymond James & Associates, called the team "an excellent addition to our presence in The Woodlands."

Raymond James has been building out its advisor headcount across multiple channels in 2026, drawing recruits from wirehouses and regional firms alike.

NewEdge Wealth opens Fort Lauderdale office

NewEdge Capital Group said its NewEdge Wealth division has welcomed a four-person team to a new Fort Lauderdale location, its fourth in Florida.

 Paul Yates; Alexandra Escobedo, CFA, CFP; Trace Shapiro; and Michael Wohlgemuth, CFP, bring more than 50 combined years of experience serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners and professional athletes.

All four come from Bank of America's Private Bank division. Escobedo has also held roles at TradeStation and Franklin Templeton Investments, while Wohlgemuth previously worked at Barry Financial Group and Thomson Financial Research. Shapiro has additional experience at Merrill Lynch.

Rob Sechan, founder and managing partner of NewEdge Capital Group, said the team "understands the complex wealth management needs of innovators, athletes and families" and will strengthen the firm's presence along Florida's southeast coast, between Miami, Coral Gables and Boca Raton.

Yates, who has lived in Fort Lauderdale full time since 2023, cited Florida's economic growth — driven in part by an influx of entrepreneurs and relocated high-net-worth individuals — as a factor in the office's timing.

"Our clients have complex needs and evolving expectations, and we found a partner in NewEdge that values elite client service as much as we do," Yates said.

NewEdge Wealth has been expanding aggressively across the US, recently opening offices in Houston and New Albany, Ohio, and growing its Nashville and Atlanta footprints. The firm now counts more than 70 ultra-high-net-worth advisors across 20 locations nationally.