NewEdge Wealth deepens Atlanta expansion with two new senior hires

NewEdge Wealth deepens Atlanta expansion with two new senior hires
Latest hires reunite former Morgan Stanley and Edge Capital colleagues as part of NewEdge Wealth’s Southeastern expansion strategy
APR 21, 2025

NewEdge Wealth has expanded its leadership team in Atlanta with the appointment of two financial professionals, marking another step in the firm’s ongoing growth across the Southeast.

Paul Izlar joins as managing director, while Brendan Keelan takes the role of principal, investment solutions, fixed income.

The two join a group of former colleagues from Edge Capital Partners, including William deButts and Jimmy Patrick, who became managing directors at NewEdge in January.

The hires are part of the firm’s strategy to build out its capabilities for ultra high net worth families, family offices and institutional clients in a region experiencing demographic and economic shifts.

NewEdge Wealth operates as part of NewEdge Capital Group, a broader platform serving independent advisors and wealth management teams across the country.

“As the home for more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, Atlanta has always been a significant wealth hub,” Rob Sechan, co-founder and chief executive of NewEdge Wealth, said in a statement. “In addition, the metro area is experiencing a transformative wealth migration, furthering our commitment to support the evolving needs of ultra high net worth clients.”

Izlar brings more than 30 years of experience in private client and institutional advisory work. He began his wealth management career at Morgan Stanley, where he worked alongside NewEdge Wealth co-founders Rob Sechan and Jeffrey Kobernick, as well as president John Straus. He later became a founding partner at Edge Capital Partners and held senior leadership positions at Credit Suisse, including southeast regional manager and national head of client acquisition.

Meanwhile, Keelan has nearly 20 years of experience in the wealth management sector. Prior to joining NewEdge, he held investment positions at Edge Capital Partners and StableRiver Capital Management. He also founded Keelan Capital, an RIA, in 2022.

The expansion reflects NewEdge Wealth’s continued focus on attracting professionals with deep market knowledge and established client relationships. The firm’s approach combines personalized advice with access to institutional resources, aiming to position itself competitively within the high-net-worth advisory segment.

The latest move in Atlanta extend the firm's momentum in strengthening its leadership, including the June appointment of Brian Nick as managing director and head of portfolio strategy. This year in February, Kobernick was also given an expanded role as he got elevated to vice chairman of NewEdge Capital Group.

Latest News

SEC to lose Hester Peirce, deepening a commissioner crisis
SEC to lose Hester Peirce, deepening a commissioner crisis

The "Crypto Mom" departure would leave the SEC commission with just two members and no Democratic commissioners on the panel.

Florida B-D, RIA owner pitches bold long-term plan to sell to advisors
Florida B-D, RIA owner pitches bold long-term plan to sell to advisors

IFP Securities’ owner, Bill Hamm, has a long-term plan for the firm and its 279 financial advisors.

Fintech bytes: Vanilla, Wealth.com forge new estate planning partnerships
Fintech bytes: Vanilla, Wealth.com forge new estate planning partnerships

Meanwhile, a Osaic and Envestnet ink a new adaptive wealthtech partnership to better support the firm's 10,000-plus advisors, and RIA-focused VastAdvisor unveils native integrations with leading CRMs.

Fiduciary failure: Ex-advisor who sold practice fined after clients lost millions
Fiduciary failure: Ex-advisor who sold practice fined after clients lost millions

A former Alabama investment advisor and ex-Kestra rep has been permanently barred and penalized after clients he promised to protect got caught in a $2.6 million fraud.

Why the evolution of ETFs is changing the due diligence equation
Why the evolution of ETFs is changing the due diligence equation

As more active strategies get packaged into the ETF wrapper, advisors and investors have to look beyond expense ratios as the benchmark for value.

SPONSORED Are hedge funds the missing ingredient?

Wellington explores how multi strategy hedge funds may enhance diversification

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management