Merrill advisors managing $390M jump to LPL Financial

A pair of advisors who had managed $390 million of client assets at Merrill Lynch moved to LPL Financial and its employee advisor channel, Linsco, the firm announced Thursday.

Jared West and Sandy Brown are launching West Wealth Advisory Powered by LPL Financial in Fresno, California, where they will be the first tenants in a new Linsco office. The team is the 50^th to join LPL’s Linsco channel since it launched in 2021.

West and Brown work with high-net-worth individuals and business owners.

The big sell-offs in both the stock and bond markets last year brought home to them the need for more flexibility on the financial solutions they offer clients, and their research led them to LPL.

“Moving to LPL opens the door for our clients to have access to the products and strategies that make the most sense for them, without restrictions on investments or influence from bank mandates,” West said in a statement. “This move is really about freedom for clients and doing the right thing for them. I’m excited to only work for my clients’ best interests.”

The advisors also cited the Linsco model, which helps advisors moving from a wirehouse to the independent model by providing them with a wealth management platform and business resources.

West has 24 years of experience, starting at American Express Financial Advisors in 1998, and had been affiliated with Merrill since 2009, according to his BrokerCheck report. Brown has 21 years of experience, beginning at Citigroup in 2001, and joined Merrill in 2017, where he teamed up with West.

Staffers Samantha Medeiros and Rachel Schwendiman join them in the move.