RIA moves: Mercer Advisors adds nearly $1B with New York, Wyoming partnerships

The RIA deal engine is officially turning over in 2026, with mega-RIA Mercer making two simultaneous announcements of deals as Integrated and Cerity Partners announce expansions of their own.

Mercer Advisors adds nearly $1 billion in acquisition twofer

Mercer Advisors is starting 2026 with two acquisitions that extend both its geographic footprint and its virtual advice capabilities.

In upstate New York, Mercer acquired Long Run Wealth Advisors, a seven-person firm in Lake Placid with about $640 million in assets under management. The deal adds to Mercer’s existing Rochester-area presence in Fairport and gives the $92 billion RIA broader coverage across the Capital Region, Northern New York, and Vermont.

Long Run, led by principals Kevin Brady and Lynn Magnus, focuses on comprehensive planning for families, retirees, business owners and nonprofit clients, with an emphasis on multigenerational relationships. Brady said the team was looking for a partner that shared its ethos and could support its evolution. He said Mercer offers “the scale, resources, technology and depth of expertise that will enable us to elevate the client experience, while preserving the bespoke, relationship-driven service our clients trust.”

Mercer executives said the cultural alignment was central to the deal. Executive managing partner Ben Kautz said Long Run brings “deep planning expertise and client-first philosophy that builds on our existing presence in the region.” Executive managing partner for M&A partner development Ted Motheral called the group a “talented, growth-minded team” with a clear focus on long-term client continuity.

Mercer also bought Poterack Capital Advisory, a digital-first wealth management firm with roughly $265 million in client assets and a fully virtual operating model. Based in Jackson, Wyoming, and founded in 2001, PCA serves clients in more than 30 states through a discovery-led process and customized planning.

CEO Ryan Poterack said joining Mercer was a way to lean into growth without getting pulled further into back-office tasks. “Mercer Advisors’ technology, scale and operational infrastructure will allow us to enhance the experience we deliver to clients today and bring on new clients more efficiently,” he said, adding that the deal lets him maintain a “laser focus on clients.”

The Denver-based mega-RIA has recently tightened its acquisition strategy around firms with deeper planning capabilities, including partnerships with tax-oriented firms Thompson Advisory Services, Beach Freeman Lim & Cleland, and Glass Jacobson Wealth Advisors inked late last year.

Integrated Partners brings on Fair Street Advisors

Elsewhere on the East Coast, Integrated Partners is expanding its high-net-worth lineup by adding Fair Street Advisors, a Guilford, Connecticut–based firm with more than $233 million in assets under management.

Led by founder and managing partner Vincent Esposito, Fair Street serves wealthy individuals and families that need more sophisticated planning and investment guidance. Esposito, partner Connor Dolan and client service administrator Rebecca Stakelum are joining Integrated to access more infrastructure and advanced planning depth while keeping their practice’s identity and client relationships intact.

Integrated is leaning on its CPA Alliance and planning resources to help Fair Street move further into complex tax, estate, and business-owner planning. President Andree Mohr said the firm remains focused on attracting established, entrepreneurial teams.

“Integrated has built a culture that is both rare and intentional,” Mohr said, framing the relationship as a long-term partnership rather than a short-term scale play.

Esposito said the move is meant to accelerate growth without changing the firm’s core. “Joining Integrated allows us to build the business we envision without sacrificing who we are,” he said.

Cerity Partners merges with Austin Private Wealth

Cerity Partners is bolstering its Texas presence through a merger with Austin Private Wealth, an independent firm that will now operate under the Cerity Partners name.

The combination expands Cerity’s reach in the Austin market and adds a team focused on retirement planning, tax-aware strategies, wealth transfer and investment due diligence for high-net-worth clients. Austin Private Wealth’s consultative, goal-based approach is being folded into Cerity’s broader wealth management platform.

“This partnership brings together two firms with a shared culture of client-first advice and long-term thinking,” said Claire O’Keefe, partner and head of partner development at Cerity Partners. She said welcoming Austin Private Wealth helps the firm “[expand its] presence in a key growth market.”

Co-managing partner Raoul Célèrier of Austin Private Wealth said Cerity “shares our commitment to high-quality planning and long-term client relationships” and that the merger gives clients access to broader resources and deeper expertise as the combined team enters its “next chapter of growth.”