Arax firm Ashton Thomas adds $500M team, opens New York office

Arax firm Ashton Thomas adds $500M team, opens New York office
Team of three was previously with Raymond James division Alex. Brown.
MAR 12, 2024

Arax Investment Partners firm Ashton Thomas Private Wealth has added a $500 million team from Alex. Brown.

The McDonagh Bauers Private Wealth Team comprises managing director and partner Ted McDonagh and director and partner Daniel Bauers, joined by senior registered associate Justine Kinaj. McDonagh and Bauers joined Alex. Brown, a unit of Raymond James, in 2008 and 2016 respectively and have wide experience in the New York metropolitan area. Ashton Thomas has opened a new Manhattan office.

“We are delighted to join Ashton Thomas Private Wealth and introduce our clients to resources and capabilities they offer,” states Ted McDonagh, Managing Director and Partner. “Ashton Thomas and Arax have partnered to offer a platform that we believe rivals the top firm offerings in the wealth management space. We couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead.”

McDonagh Bauers team will affiliate with the hybrid broker-dealer that Arax Investment Partners acquired last year, then known as Excel Securities & Associates Inc., and now operating as Ashton Thomas Securities.

“Ted and Dan make a great addition to our growing team of established wealth advisors,” said Ashton Thomas founder and CEO, Aaron Brodt. “We now have an anchor in the financial capital of the U.S., and we could not be more delighted to have such fine professionals represent us as our first team in New York City.”

Latest News

Private equity’s courtship of retail investors irks pensions, endowments
Private equity’s courtship of retail investors irks pensions, endowments

Large institutions are airing concerns that everyday investors will cut into their fee-bargaining power and stakeholder status, among other worries.

J.P. Morgan Securities on the hook for $1.1M to advisor in back-pay dispute
J.P. Morgan Securities on the hook for $1.1M to advisor in back-pay dispute

Fights over compensation are a common area of hostility between wealth management firms and their employees, including financial advisors.

After Muni bond fund blow up, broker-dealers Osaic and Stifel Nicolaus face questions
After Muni bond fund blow up, broker-dealers Osaic and Stifel Nicolaus face questions

Plaintiff's lawyers are eying both broker-dealers for potential client complaints.

RIA moves: Merit lands deal for Second Half in Florida
RIA moves: Merit lands deal for Second Half in Florida

Also, Maridea welcomes former founders of Motley Fool Wealth Management, while Lido locks in a strategic investment from private credit firm HPS.

Income Lab, RISR ink additional integration partnerships
Income Lab, RISR ink additional integration partnerships

Meanwhile, FINNY launches new multi-channel marketing campaign features, while RightCapital introduces a planning capability to help with client prospecting.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.