A $420 million Merrill Lynch team joins LPL

Choice Group Wealth Management, located in Melville, N.Y., will operate as a hybrid.
MAY 09, 2017

A four-person team that managed $420 million in assets at Merrill Lynch in Melville, N.Y., has gone independent and affiliated with LPL Financial. The Choice Group Wealth Management, led by advisers Ira Katz, John Scala, Bryce Wilinski and Daniel McNicholas, will operate as a hybrid. Its offices will be in Melville, a Long Island suburb. Mr. Katz began his securities career at Citigroup Global Markets in 2001 and joined Banc of America Investment Services in 2006. He had been with Merrill Lynch since 2009. Mr. Scala, who also joined Merrill Lynch in 2009 from Banc of America, began his career in 1996. Mr. Wilinski joined Merrill Lynch from Banc of America in 2009 as well. He started his career in 2005 at Morgan Stanley. Mr. McNicholas' first position in the securities business was with Merrill Lynch, which he joined in 2011.

Latest News

Northern Trust names new West Region president for wealth
Northern Trust names new West Region president for wealth

The new regional leader brings nearly 25 years of experience as the firm seeks to tap a complex and evolving market.

Capital Group extends retirement plan services further with a focus on advisors
Capital Group extends retirement plan services further with a focus on advisors

The latest updates to its recordkeeping platform, including a solution originally developed for one large 20,000-advisor client, take aim at the small to medium-sized business space.

Why RIAs are the next growth frontier for annuities
Why RIAs are the next growth frontier for annuities

David Lau, founder and CEO of DPL Financial Partners, explains how the RIA boom and product innovation has fueled a slow-burn growth story in annuities.

Supreme Court slaps down challenge to IRS summons for Coinbase user data
Supreme Court slaps down challenge to IRS summons for Coinbase user data

Crypto investor argues the federal agency's probe, upheld by a federal appeals court, would "strip millions of Americans of meaningful privacy protections."

Houston-based RIA Americana Partners adds $1B+ with former Morgan Stanley director
Houston-based RIA Americana Partners adds $1B+ with former Morgan Stanley director

Meanwhile in Chicago, the wirehouse also lost another $454 million team as a group of defectors moved to Wells Fargo.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.