Merit adds $569M with latest niche advisory acquisitions

Merit Financial Advisors has expanded its national footprint with the acquisition of two firms that specialize in serving distinct client segments, adding a combined $569 million in assets and new offices in Washington and Wisconsin.

The Georgia-based RIA announced partnerships with Olympic Wealth Management in Bothell, Washington, and AMP Wealth Management in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.

These moves mark Merit’s thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth acquisitions, respectively, since taking a minority investment in 2020 from Wealth Partners Capital Group and a group of investors led by HGGC’s Aspire Holdings.

Following these acquisitions, Merit now operates five offices in Washington and seven in Wisconsin, signaling a continued push into the Pacific Northwest and Midwest advisory markets.

Olympic Wealth, which manages $204 million in assets, focuses on retirement planning for Boeing employees and retirees in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Founder Eric Cumley will join Merit as a wealth manager along with colleague Sarah Lominick.

“Joining Merit is an exciting next chapter for Olympic Wealth and our clients,” Cumley said. “We were drawn to Merit’s commitment to personalized service, long-term planning, and values that mirror our own.”

Tait Lane, managing principal and partner at Merit, highlighted how the Olympic Wealth team's “experience working with aerospace professionals adds a valuable niche to our team and enhances our ability to serve clients in the greater Seattle area."

AMP Wealth, which brings $365 million in assets to Merit, was founded by Dr. Jerome Mahalick and originally served dental professionals before expanding to affluent individuals and small business owners. The firm’s investment platform includes a dividend stock strategy with a GIPS-compliant track record spanning more than two decades. That strategy will now be incorporated into Merit’s offerings.

Mahalick will also join Merit as a wealth manager, along with team members Greg Mahalick, Jamie Breen and Stacey Horn.

“Joining forces with Merit allows us to align with a larger firm that shares our values while gaining access to the resources and support we need to better serve our clients,” Mahalick said in the Thursday announcement of the acquisition. “We're also eager to bring our investment strategies to a broader platform.”

Merit’s latest deals follow its May acquisition of RCM Investments, a Salt Lake City firm that added $281 million in assets and marked Merit’s entry into Utah. The firm has been steadily building out its presence across multiple US regions, with recent emphasis on strategic tuck-ins that bring unique client specializations.

The firm also distinguished itself in a fierce competition of RIAs this week, taking home the RIA Firm of the Year honor at the 2025 InvestmentNews Awards.