Dan Sontag has been at Merrill Lynch since 1978. He started as a broker, ran offices, divisions and then the entire sales force. I talk to dozens of Merrill Advisors a week. Though it's safe to say that no executive is universally admired, Mr. Sontag has the respect of 99% of his sales force and w
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For wealth managers and advisers, recruiting is a contact sport. But 'contact' is now a four-letter word
Firms pay retiring brokers for their clients' assets, but clients often take their business elsewhere.
Some define it as starting their own firm, while others insist it means having full control over investment products and client relationships
Firms like Schwab are raking in assets at a much faster clip than the big brokerages.
As big brokerages lose their competitive edge, regionals are offering a home to advisers who want to stay in the employee channel.
