LPL adds former baseball pro to Momentum Wealth bench

LPL is raising its profile in the East Coast as a group of advisors switches teams in Delaware.

LPL announced Thursday that the advisors of First Summit Capital Management have aligned themselves with Momentum Wealth Partners, an existing firm that supports LPL-affiliated advisors, to join its broker-dealer, RIA, and custodial platforms.

First Summit's advisors, previously with PNC Investments, reported managing approximately $380 million in advisory, brokerage, and retirement plan assets.

First Summit Capital Management, based in Wilmington, Delaware, is led by principal owner and managing partner Thomas J. Cooney. A 32-year industry veteran, Cooney previously owned a successful company in the forest products sector.

Joining him is managing partner Mark Freed, a former professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, who has over a decade of experience in wealth management. The team is further supported by director of operations Vicki Pearce.

The firm offers personalized investment strategies and comprehensive financial planning services, including retirement planning, wealth management, and estate planning.

“Our mission is to empower clients to navigate their financial journey with clarity and confidence. We believe in building meaningful relationships based on trust, integrity, and transparency, providing straightforward and honest guidance to help clients make informed decisions with a sense of assurance,” Cooney said in a statement.

“We are excited to join LPL Financial to gain access to their robust capabilities, open architecture platform, and streamlined business solutions that enable us to offer more personalized services and a broader range of investment options,” Freed added.

Doug Frank, managing partner and co-founder of Momentum Wealth Partners, commended the new advisors as a testament to Momentum’s ability to “cultivate a success-driven mindset, encouraging advisors to improve their practices and commit to outstanding client service.”

Earlier this week, LPL also welcomed financial advisor Danielle Qualls, who joined the woman-led firm Bergkamp Financial after serving roughly $160 million in assets at Stifel.

Prior to that was the news of former Ameriprise advisor W. Scott Hengerer launching his own independent practice, James River Private Wealth, in Virginia as he joined LPL broker-dealer, RIA and custodial platforms.