Advisor moves: Ameriprise, Prospera, Raymond James land teams with $920M in assets

Among the independent broker-dealer platforms adding advisor teams this week, Ameriprise, Prospera Financial Services and Raymond James Financial Services each announced new recruits. 

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Steinmetz Jackson Wealth Management Group, led by private wealth advisor Kenneth Steinmetz and financial advisor James Jackson, moved with more than $370 million in client assets from Janney Montgomery Scott to the branch channle of Ameriprise Financial, citing the firm's financial planning infrastructure and integrated technology platform as the deciding factors.

The team, which also includes registered client service associate Daniel Tila-Cohen and client service coordinator Stephanie Elie, was supported in the transition by Ameriprise branch manager Dan Landrau, complex director Michael Rearden and regional vice president Jamie Frisone.

"Everything we do on behalf of our clients starts and ends with financial planning," Jackson said. "The combination of financial planning capabilities, leading technology and dedicated support gives us confidence" in the move to Ameriprise. Steinmetz added that access to sophisticated planning resources and AI-integrated tools were central to the decision.

Prospera adds dual-state firm

Prospera has added Abound Advisors, a dual-state wealth management practice based in Boerne, Texas, and Redlands, California, to its nationwide independent advisor network. The team, led by founder Chris Palmer, brings $300 million in client assets to the Dallas-based broker-dealer.

Palmer brings 27 years of wealth management experience to the move, including more than a decade as a senior vice president at Merrill Lynch. He is joined at Abound Advisors by Joan Hsu, chief administrative officer; Dana Palmer, chief operations officer; and Amy Ochs, director of client experience. The firm focuses on financial planning as a means of helping clients build purposeful, financially secure lives.

Palmer said that institutional size ultimately worked against the level of service he wanted to deliver. "After spending most of my career in large institutions, I knew I needed a more personal touch that wouldn't compromise the level of service I deliver to my clients or my access to rising technologies that enable my growth," he said. "It became clear that Prospera understands both the critical importance of personal relationships grounded in trust and values and the need for continuous improvement and innovation."

Prospera, founded in 1982 and overseeing $29 billion in assets under management, maintains a 2.5-to-1 advisor-to-home-office staff ratio — a threshold the firm says it will protect even as it integrates artificial intelligence tools into its platform. The firm is a member of FINRA and SIPC and operates as a registered investment advisor.

Tarah Williams, Prospera's president and COO, said the Abound team's philosophy aligns closely with the firm's culture. "Chris' advisory practice has earned the trust of clients for more than 25 years by remaining focused on thoughtful planning, personal relationships, and helping families navigate important financial decisions," Williams said. "We look forward to supporting Chris and the entire Abound team for years to come."

Seven Arrows Wealth moves to Raymond James

Meanwhile, Raymond James Financial Services welcomed Seven Arrows Wealth, a Parsippany, New Jersey-based team managing $250 million in client assets, to its independent advisor channel. The team arrived from Ameriprise Financial Services, where they had collectively spent decades before making the move.

Seven Arrows Wealth is led by managing partners Ben Burklow, Morgan Burklow and Rick Vanderpool, who are supported by client concierge Judith Nixon, practice business coordinator Frieda Stamoutsos-Stamidou and client service manager Ryan Del Grande. The practice serves business owners, corporate executives, family offices and healthcare professionals.

Ben Burklow, who began his financial services career in 2006 and spent 20 years at Ameriprise, holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, Chartered Kingdom Advisor and Accredited Investment Fiduciary professional designations. He is a graduate of Montclair State University in New Jersey. His brother Morgan Burklow brings 15 years of industry experience and holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Chartered Kingdom Advisor designations. Vanderpool, who began his career in 1999, is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Certified Annuity Specialist.

"Raymond James gives our team the independence, technology and home office support to keep serving clients the way we believe is best," Ben Burklow said. "That combination helps us continue delivering thoughtful guidance to business owners, corporate executives, family offices and healthcare professionals while growing our practice with the backing of a people-first culture."

Morgan Burklow added that the partnership opens a new phase for the team. "Raymond James is a partner that supports our freedom, innovation and long-term growth and marks an exciting new chapter for our team and the clients we serve," he said. "The firm empowers us with the technology platform and succession planning resources to build on the foundation we've created over the past 15 years."

Jillian Kolesa, Northeast regional director for Raymond James Financial Services, oversaw the recruitment.