Raymond James welcomes $900M team from Wells Fargo

Raymond James has expanded its footprint in St. Petersburg, Florida, with a group of former Wells Fargo advisors.

The broker-dealer giant announced Thursday that it has welcomed a team comprising four financial advisors and three client service associates into its employee advisor division, Raymond James & Associates.

The new team at Lelekis, Ellis, Kilczewski Private Wealth Management Group of Raymond James brings together extensive financial industry experience, collectively surpassing a century.

The team, which reportedly managed $900 million at Wells Fargo, includes financial advisors Emmanuel Lelekis, Sharon Ellis-Champagne, Brian Kilczewski, and Chadd Eaton, alongside client service associates Maria Bollo, Tanya Schiller, and Katherine Robertson.

Florida regional director Tim Killgoar expressed his enthusiasm about the team’s integration into the firm’s Private Client Group.

"We are thrilled with the remarkable recruitment momentum within the firm's Private Client Group," he said in a statement. "It is a pleasure to welcome this exceptionally talented team."

The team will operate from the Raymond James corporate headquarters within the Carillon branch. Branch manager Paul Manfrey and complex manager Michelle Lynch will oversee the group’s activities.

Reflecting on their new partnership, Emmanuel Lelekis highlighted the cultural alignment and focus on client well-being as significant factors in their decision to join Raymond James.

"Our focus remains centered on positively impacting our clients and their financial well-being," said Lelekis.

Sharon Ellis-Champagne, a veteran with 32 years of experience, emphasized the advantages of joining Raymond James, particularly in terms of client service enhancements.

"Aligning with Raymond James has empowered us to take our client service focus to an even higher level," Ellis-Champagne noted, underscoring the access to superior resources and technology.

Brian Kilczewski, who has a roughly three-decade industry record, said Raymond James’ focus on wealth planning was also a consideration.

The new hires at RJA come on the heels of a former UBS advisor managing $450 million joining Raymond James’ employee-advisor arm in California.

Thursday’s move also closely follows news of a $585 million high-net-worth team leaving Wells Fargo to join DayMark Wealth Partners, a Dynasty Financial partner firm in Ohio.