Two LPL executives jump to competitors as 2026 comes to a close

The end of the year typically sees a conga line of roster moves by senior personnel at large financial advice and wealth management firms, and 2026 appears to be no different as two executives at LPL Financial, James T. McHale and Kate Winters, said this week they are moving on.

LPL Financial Holdings Inc., the publicly traded holding company of LPL Financial, works with the largest number of financial advisors, more than 30,000, in the industry. It’s also a proving ground of sorts for senior executives, who may leave the firm after several years and then fill top positions at competitors.

McHale joined LPL Financial from Wells Fargo Advisors in 2023 and was executive vice president, chief compliance officer.

This week, &Partners, a 2023 wealth management startup backed in large part by former Wells Fargo Advisors executives, said it named McHale as its chief risk and governance officer. 

David Kowach is CEO and founding partner of &Partners. Kowach headed Wells Fargo Advisors until 2019 and then went on to be “head of affluent” at Wells Fargo before leaving the bank and launch the fast-growing wealth management firm.

“Our ability to attract someone of Jim’s caliber speaks both to the strength of our business and the opportunity we see ahead,” Kowach said in a statement Wednesday. “Jim has spent his career helping some of the industry’s largest and most complex organizations manage risk, strengthen controls, and operate responsibly at scale.”

Winters most recently was senior vice president, Investment Products & Strategic Partners at LPL Financial. She joined LPL in 2017 from MassMutual.

AssetMark, Inc. Thursday morning said it hired Winters as senior vice president, Head of Investment Platforms and Solutions. She will focus on expanding AssetMark’s reach across RIA, high-net-worth, private markets, and other growth areas, according to a statement by the company.

Mike Conley will serve in an interim chief compliance officer role, as LPL searches for a new chief compliance officer, according to a company spokesperson. The firm is looking for a replacement for Winters.

Meanwhile, LPL Financial just last month said it tapped a firm veteran, Ken Hullings, to take over as head of recruiting, one of the most coveted and prestigious jobs in the independent broker-dealer industry, as advisors from the purchase of Commonwealth Financial Network continue to settle into working with LPL.

The senior recruiter position at LPL Financial, can lead to future success and industry leadership.

Prior heads of advisor recruiting at LPL Financial, a powerhouse in recruiting advisors and buying firms, include Rich Steinmeier, the CEO of LPL Financial Holdings Inc., and Bill Dwyer, executive chairman at Praxis Solutions Inc., a technology offering for wealth management firms.

Hullings' new title is executive vice president, business development. He replaces Scott Posner, who left LPL earlier this year.