Captrust, Kestra Financial and Fiduciary Trust International each disclosed new hires this week, bringing decades of combined experience in dealmaking, operations and private-client advisory work to their respective firms.
Arriving as senior director of mergers and acquisitions at Captrust, Emily Vennerstrom brings a varied résumé that spans health care, philanthropy and RIA operations. Based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, she'll be responsible for identifying acquisition targets, cultivating relationships with referral sources, and steering deals from first contact through closing – work that also includes championing the firm's culture and value proposition to prospective sellers.
Her path to Captrust ran through NorthRock Partners, where she spent time both as chief operating officer overseeing firmwide operations and, earlier, as chief impact officer. In that latter role, she built out the firm's philanthropic-advice capabilities and launched Foundation X, a standalone philanthropic advisory business that went on to serve wealthy families, corporate clients and nonprofits through donor-advised funds and private foundations. Before entering wealth management, Vennerstrom held leadership positions at UnitedHealth Group and Medtronic, where her work centered on health systems and community development.
Captrust's head of M&A, Mike Wunderli, framed the hire around fit as much as skill, highlighting her "ability to help organizations grow, build trusted relationships, and lead with purpose.
"She embodies our belief that the strongest partnerships are built on more than financial results. They are built on shared values, mutual respect, and a commitment to helping each other succeed," he said. "Emily's experience, leadership, and partnership mentality will be invaluable as we continue to grow and help exceptional firms find a long-term home at Captrust."
Austin-based Kestra Financial announced two new hires to support Client Experience Officer Angela Xavier, with Kristan Garner coming in as head of client service, while John Milligan arrives as head of operations.
Garner's mandate covers advisor service, technology and account services – the machinery advisors interact with day to day. She spent nearly a decade in investment operations at USAA before a stretch at Fidelity National Information Services, where she directed global operations and contact-center teams, giving her more than 15 years in financial-services operations by the time she joined Kestra.
Milligan's remit covers more of the back-office side, including trading, cashiering, producer compensation and fee billing. A former U.S. Navy officer and CFP professional, he has spent more than 20 years in brokerage and capital-markets operations roles. Most recently, he was executive vice president and head of capital markets operations at Truist Bank, where he helped fold SunTrust's and BB&T's brokerage operations into Truist Investment Services following their merger. Earlier in his career, he held field and operations posts at Ameriprise Financial.
Xavier said the two hires tie directly to her firm's "clear commitment to the advisor and client experience.
"We're focused on building the leadership, infrastructure, and service model needed to deliver an exceptional experience for advisors and their clients," she said. "Kristan and John bring deep expertise in client service and operations, and their leadership will help us continue raising the bar for efficiency and operational excellence across the advisor experience."
Fiduciary Trust International, the Franklin Templeton subsidiary with more than $119 billion in assets under management and administration as of June 30, has added Suhaib Bingaradi as a relationship manager in its New York office.
Reporting to interim regional managing director and chief operating officer Craig Richards, Bingaradi's specialty sits at the intersection of credit and legacy planning: 14 years at Bank of America Private Bank, most recently as senior vice president and private client manager, where he worked on multigenerational wealth transfer, estate planning, philanthropy and cash-flow structuring for clients aiming to preserve assets across generations. He holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses, is fluent in English and Arabic, and studied sociology at the University of Florida.
Richards pointed to depth of experience as the driving factor behind the hire: "Suhaib has more than 15 years of experience focused on client-first service across investment management, credit, trusts and estates, philanthropy, and banking. He shares our dedication to helping clients achieve financial peace of mind through comprehensive, holistic advice and solutions, and we look forward to working with him to improve long-term outcomes across generations for our clients in the Greater New York region."
Bingaradi, for his part, cast the move as a vote of confidence in the firm's stability.
"Fiduciary Trust International has an outstanding reputation of 95 years in the wealth management industry fostering a culture of excellence and going the extra mile for clients," he said. "Now more than ever, clients want stability and confidence, and this is what Fiduciary Trust International is structured to deliver."
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