RFG Advisory names Ed Swenson president to fuel next chapter of growth

Veteran financial services executive Ed Swenson is taking on a new role, almost two and a half years after leaving the firm he co-founded to lead the RIA Solutions team at Osaic as it rebranded from Advisor Group.

Swenson joins RFG Advisory as president, strengthening the firm’s leadership bench as it aims to accelerate growth and deepen its commitment to independent financial advisors.

He will work alongside CEO Shannon Spotswood, CIO Rick Wedell, and chief growth officer Abby Salameh to steer the next stage of expansion for the Birmingham-based RIA platform. Together, Spotswood, Swenson, and Wedell will serve as managing partners.

He is no stranger to the business, having served on RFG’s board for the past two years and is widely recognized for helping scale advisory firms, having co-founded Dynasty Financial Partners where he spent more than 13 years, and at Osaic he developed strategies tailored to the independent channel.

Before starting his own firm, Swenson was a portfolio manager with Legg Mason and started his career in the industry at Citigroup Capital Markets, but it’s the independent advisory channel that he feels strongly about.

“After more than two decades in this industry, it’s clear to me that the RIA model is where advisors are able to do their best work for clients, and RFG is delivering the most compelling platform in the market today,” said Swenson. “What drew me to RFG is not only its cutting-edge technology and fully integrated growth services, but also its advisor-centric culture. RFG embodies the ethos of where Advisor vision meets proven execution. This is a team of A-players, and I am excited to help scale this winning model.”

RFG says that its concierge-level platform is gaining a strong reputation for helping independent advisors achieve sustainable growth and enhance enterprise value. Its data shows that advisors utilizing its integrated services are realizing an average of 19.5% annualized organic growth, with the broader network posting 12.3%.

For Spotswood – an Excellence Awardee in InvestmentNews’ Women to Watch Awards 2024 - Swenson’s appointment represents a key step in scaling the firm.

“Ed joining the team marks an exciting milestone in our mission to build the RIA of the future and redefine the independent advisor experience,” she says. “His proven leadership and operational expertise round out our C-suite and underscores our commitment to 10x our business. This is about building for longevity, honoring our promise to advisors and doubling down on independence.”

The addition of Swenson also allows Wedell to focus more intently on advancing RFG’s growing investment platform and expanding its capital strategies, particularly as demand rises among advisors for succession planning and tuck-in opportunities.