LPL lands $160M Edward Jones advisor; Bahnsen expands footprint with former JPMorgan recruit

LPL lands $160M Edward Jones advisor; Bahnsen expands footprint with former JPMorgan recruit
Firms continue to attract advisor talent to expand market presence and reach.
APR 06, 2026

LPL Financial has announced that Trey Pope has joined its broker-dealer and RIA platform.

Pope, transitions from Edward Jones where he managed approximately $160 million in client assets and operates out of Huntsville, Alabama. He’s spent more than a decade serving clients including engineers, healthcare professionals, public sector workers and retirees.

The move follows an extensive review process, with Pope citing the firm’s capabilities as a decisive factor.

“I spent more than a year conducting due diligence,” he said, adding that “the technology and tools at LPL meaningfully expand how I can serve my clients, and the firm’s economies of scale allow me to run my business more efficiently while sharing those benefits with the families I work with.”

LPL executive Scott Posner added that Pope’s planning-led philosophy and emphasis on client relationships align with the firm’s advisor-first model.

Expansion for The Bahnsen Group

Meanwhile, The Bahnsen Group is advancing its national expansion strategy with the launch of a new office in Pittsburgh—its twelfth location overall.

The firm has appointed financial advisor Grady Wirth, formerly with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, to operate from the new site in Cranberry Township.

Leadership pointed to strong regional demand as a driver behind the move.

“The western and central Pennsylvania market has long been an area of strong client interest for us,” said managing partner David Bahnsen. “Not only is there a tremendous client base there already, but we are confident it will build into a significant market over time and so having a physical presence and putting resources and talent on the ground there was the logical next step.”

Wirth framed the opportunity as a pivotal career step, noting the appeal of launching a new office in a familiar market.

“When I was offered the opportunity to establish and lead a new office for a nationally recognized wealth management practice in a city I love, I knew it was the most meaningful opportunity of my career,” he said.

The Pittsburgh opening marks the firm’s second new location in 2026 and continues a multi-year expansion that has seen it scale to more than $9.5 billion in assets under management across a growing national footprint.

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