It's been a non-stop week for recruiting so far at LPL Financial, which has just extended its streak with a Seattle-based practice previously affiliated with Northwestern Mutual.
On Thursday, LPL announced that Emerald Wealth Management has joined its broker-dealer and registered investment advisor platform, bringing approximately $815 million in advisory, brokerage, insurance and retirement plan assets.
The advisor team led by Darren Trautmann, founder and private wealth advisor, and Brendan Foor, private wealth advisor also includes Carson Hill, Ben Pawlak and Ben Chen. The practice serves a client base that includes technology-sector professionals as well as individuals and families at or near retirement.
The Pacific Northwest addition comes on the heels of LPL drawing a veteran from Steward Partners and luring a billion-dollar team from Ameriprise.
Emerald Wealth describes its service model as acting as a "household CFO" for clients, coordinating with estate planning attorneys and CPAs across areas including executive compensation, equity management and long-term wealth strategy.
"Our goal has always been to serve as a trusted partner across all areas of our clients' financial lives," Trautmann said in a statement. "By taking a holistic approach and coordinating every piece of the puzzle, we can help clients make more informed decisions and stay focused on what matters most – achieving their long-term goals."
Trautmann pointed to LPL's infrastructure as a draw, noting how the firm's "technology and back-office capabilities stood out as best-in-class."
The team is supported at LPL by Blake Edwards, Evan Anderson, Sienna Landry, Daniel Hickenbottom and Clarice Lamb. Emerald Wealth has also partnered with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and raised more than $250,000 for cancer research, a philanthropic mission the firm traces to the legacy of co-founder Eric Shutt.
Raymond James & Associates said it has welcomed Daniel Berger to its employee advisor channel.
Berger, who holds the title of senior vice president of wealth management, was previously at UBS Financial Services, where he managed approximately $480 million in client assets. He is based in St. Louis and focuses on business owners, corporate executives, families and retirees.
Berger brings more than 40 years of financial services experience to the role and is joined by his son, Chase Berger, who takes on the position of investment portfolio associate.
"My transition to Raymond James is rooted in the desire to serve my clients with greater flexibility and expanded resources," Berger said. "I'm especially proud to welcome my son Chase into the business. Together, with the firm's technology and succession planning support, we believe our practice is well positioned to serve clients and their families for decades to come."
Raymond James has also been busy with recruitment this week. The firm recently welcomed a Kansas-based advisor to its financial institutions division, as well as two defectors from Edward Jones in Missouri and Arizona.
TritonPoint Partners, an independent wealth management firm powered by Dynasty Financial Partners, announced that Richard and Robert Sichel have joined the practice and will be located in the Philadelphia area.
Richard previously managed approximately $350 million in assets at The Philadelphia Trust Company, where he served as executive vice president and senior investment strategist, working with multi-generational families, business owners, retirees and institutions.
Robert, who joins as a wealth advisor, was previously a partner and head of the fiduciary practice at law firm K&L Gates, bringing a background in the tax and legal dimensions of wealth management.
"I wanted a platform that enables me to focus on what matters most – serving my long-term clients," Richard said. Robert added that the move allows him to work alongside his father serving clients directly. "After many years focused on the tax and legal side of wealth management, I'm excited to step into a role where I can work more directly with families," he said.
Greg Blake, managing partner at TritonPoint Partners, said the firm's investment solutions, tax optimization tools and trust company resources were central to attracting the team.
TritonPointPartners, which launched in February last year, recently welcomed New York-based Advocate Wealth, a $300 million practice led by Jonathan Amoia.
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