Cetera, Apella, Perigon announce advisor additions

Cetera, Apella, Perigon announce advisor additions
The firms are extending their footprints with new recruitment moves in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Florida.
DEC 13, 2024

It's been a week of significant changes at Cetera, Apella Wealth, and Perigon, as the three firms have welcomed new advisory teams to their respective networks.

Cetera Financial Group announced it has expanded its Summit Financial Networks community with the addition of allwealth Planning, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based team that previously operated under MML Investors Services.

Led by co-founders Eric Bottolfsen, Howard Gershkowitz, and Robert Gershkowitz, the three-member team manages $231 million in assets under administration for individuals, business owners, retirees, and other clients navigating life transitions.

"We believe that independence is crucial to ensuring our clients' best interests are always at the forefront of everything we do," the team stated jointly on Wedneday. "This important affiliation with Summit and Cetera positions us to better serve our clients with leading industry economic research, advanced planning support, and relationships with expert retirement plan specialists."

Meanwhile, Apella Wealth enhanced its presence on the East Coast with the acquisition of Barker Financial Group, a Topsfield, Massachusetts-based RIA with $218 million in assets under management. Founded in 1997 and led by James “Jim” Barker, the firm specializes in financial planning and wealth management for individuals and families.

“We are excited to welcome Jim and his team to the Apella family,” said Patrick Sweeny, CEO of Apella Wealth. “Their extensive experience and commitment to helping clients achieve their financial goals aligns with Apella’s mission and values.”

The acquisition is Apella’s nineteenth overall and eighth since its partnership with Wealth Partners Capital Group began in 2021. The Connecticut-based RIA, which snapped up another East Coast firm in April, now manages $4.72 billion in client assets.

Finally, Perigon Wealth Management, which received an investment from Constellation Wealth Capital earlier this year, grew its presence in Florida by adding the Harrigan Group to its Boca Raton office. Led by Robert Harrigan and his son, Evan Harrigan, the team brings approximately $170 million in client assets from UBS.

Harrigan, a veteran of wealth management with more than four decades of experience, reflected on his decision to join Perigon: “Every day, I work with my clients to help them build a legacy. When I started thinking about mine, I knew I needed a different kind of partner.”

The San Francisco-based firm managed approximately $8.2 billion in client assets as of mid-2024. More recently in October, it shook up its leadership team with key appointments, including a new CFO and a veteran from Focus Financial partner firm The Colony Group, in a bid to ramp up its M&A strategy.

Latest News

JPMorgan tells fintech firms to start paying for customer data
JPMorgan tells fintech firms to start paying for customer data

The move to charge data aggregators fees totaling hundreds of millions of dollars threatens to upend business models across the industry.

FINRA snapshot shows concentration in largest firms, coastal states
FINRA snapshot shows concentration in largest firms, coastal states

The latest snapshot report reveals large firms overwhelmingly account for branches and registrants as trend of net exits from FINRA continues.

Why advisors to divorcing couples shouldn't bet on who'll stay
Why advisors to divorcing couples shouldn't bet on who'll stay

Siding with the primary contact in a marriage might make sense at first, but having both parties' interests at heart could open a better way forward.

SEC spanks closed Osaic RIA for conflicts, over-charging clients on alternatives
SEC spanks closed Osaic RIA for conflicts, over-charging clients on alternatives

With more than $13 billion in assets, American Portfolios Advisors closed last October.

William Blair taps former Raymond James executive to lead investment management business
William Blair taps former Raymond James executive to lead investment management business

Robert D. Kendall brings decades of experience, including roles at DWS Americas and a former investment unit within Morgan Stanley, as he steps into a global leadership position.

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.