Raymond James is strengthening its West Coast presence yet again as it adds three UBS advisors to its employee advisor channel.
The firm announced that Raymond James & Associates is welcoming a distinguished trio of advisors from California that manage assets of more than $300 million. The new team, operating as THG Retirement Solutions of Raymond James, consists of financial advisors Steven Hocking, Jennifer Hocking, and Ryan Mueller, who are transitioning from UBS.
Based in Irvine, California, they draw on more than five decades of collective industry experience to offer financial planning and wealth management, particularly for corporate retirement plans, business owners, and retirees.
The team is accompanied by Jennifer Uy, a senior client service associate, and Karla Castro, a service and marketing specialist, further strengthening the firm's client service capabilities.
"Raymond James stands out in the financial services industry for its client-first approach – a philosophy that resonates deeply with us,” said Steven Hocking, a veteran with a 25-year tenure in the financial services industry.
Prior to Hocking UBS, Hocking worked at Merrill Lynch and Farmers Financial Solutions, according to his BrokerCheck record.
Beyond the firm’s pledge to prioritize client interests, he cited the firm’s “record of stability” as his team seeks to “[support] clients through various market conditions without taking outsized risks.”
"We had to make a strategic decision … to deliver a quality experience for our clients and their employees and to uphold our fiduciary responsibilities with integrity,” said Jennifer Hocking, whose financial services career began at Toyota Financial Services in 2002.
"Access to a comprehensive suite of technology, tools and resources for our clients was of the utmost importance," added Mueller, who brings nearly a decade of financial services experience to the table.
“We're thrilled to extend a warm welcome to this talented team as we intensify our efforts to expand our footprint in the California market,” said John Simmons, California regional director at Raymond James Associates.
Early this month, the firm welcomed another former UBS advisor, James “Buck” Williams, to its independent advisor channel, Raymond James Financial Services.
On the heels of that, it signed another UBS alum in Florida, an advisor who managed $350 million in assets at UBS, also to Raymond James Financial Services.
As Goldman Sachs tightens rules on event contract trading, RIAs and hedge funds are weighing their own policies
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo lures defectors from UBS and JPMorgan to expand in the East Coast, while another bank aligns itself with RayJay's financial institutions division.
New research suggests AI-exposed workers over 55 are leaving jobs more often than before ChatGPT’s rise.
Agentic AI is landing in trading, treasury and wealth management roles across major banks, with advisory functions as the next frontier.
Wells Fargo affiliate and women-focused wealth firm both promote leadership as they scale advisor support.
Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains
Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income
