Carson Wealth has expanded its presence in the eastern United States with new footholds across three states.
The national RIA has announced that it has acquired three new locations in Hagerstown, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; and Johnson City, Tennessee.
The locations are all under one firm led by Scott Ford, managing director, partner, and wealth advisor at Carson Wealth. The financial planning firm, with an emphasis on entrepreneurs as clients, manages $840 million in assets.
Carson Wealth previously held a minority stake in Ford's firm before transitioning to full ownership.
“This move helps solidify our commitment to the clients and families we serve, even long after I may no longer be leading the firm,” Ford said in a statement. “Transitioning these locations to be wholly-owned allows us to enhance the way we serve our clients.”
A 25-year veteran of the industry, Ford's relationship with Carson Wealth began nearly a decade ago as a member of Carson Coaching.
He got in on the ground floor as the first to join Carson's partner network in 2012. From there, he was able to grow his business to three locations across three states with a team of more than 30 advisors and operations staff.
Burt White, CEO of Carson Group, emphasized the benefits of Carson’s business model, highlighting its ability to support financial advisors’ growth and operational needs.
White was elevated to the CEO role in early April as Ron Carson, the firm’s founder, stepped away from the chief executive role while still staying on as board chairman.
“This partnership between Carson and Scott Ford’s team has tremendous potential. It creates a true win-win scenario that benefits everyone involved – the advisors, the staff, and most importantly, the clients they serve,” said White.
He also highlighted Carson’s focus on advisor succession planning, a crucial concern across the industry as only an estimated 37 percent of advisors have a succession plan in place.
“This partnership between Carson and Scott Ford’s team … creates a true win-win scenario that benefits everyone involved – the advisors, the staff, and most importantly, the clients they serve,” White said.
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