With the first month of the 2026 calendar coming to a close, NewEdge's growth-oriented RIA division has made a splashy billion dollar-plus addition in Tennessee, while Cetera and Carson announce noteworthy acquisitions in Texas and Illinois.
NewEdge Advisors is expanding its presence around Nashville with the addition of ClearTrust Wealth Advisors, a 24-person team in Franklin, Tennessee, that managed about $1.4 billion in client assets at Ameriprise Financial.
ClearTrust serves small-business owners, corporate executives, and multigenerational families, and is led by managing partners and private wealth advisors Matt Robins, Nick Stamatis, and Joe Creecy.
The affiliation gives NewEdge a larger foothold in a competitive Southeast market where wirehouse and independent firms alike are chasing high-net-worth and business-owner clients. NewEdge Advisors is part of NewEdge Capital Group. Launched in 2020, NewEdge reported servicing more than $88 billion in client assets as of Dec. 31.
Alex Goss, chief executive of NewEdge Advisors, said the ClearTrust team fits the firm’s focus on advisor-led practices that want more control over their businesses.
Creecy said the move is about gaining flexibility without abandoning the firm’s existing client relationships. He said ClearTrust affiliated with NewEdge to secure “the flexibility and strategic support needed to advance our long-term vision,” while positioning the practice for continued growth.
Cetera is deepening its RIA platform with the acquisition of Plains Wealth Management, a Houston-area independent practice overseeing roughly $400 million in assets. The deal brings back a team that previously worked with Cetera through Avantax and now will be part of The Retirement Planning Group, Cetera’s employee-based RIA.
Plains Wealth, which specializes in wealth management and tax planning, is led by Ronn Kudlacek, Brad Wilson and Savara McDaniel and operates from Houston with an office in Cypress, Texas. Joining TRPG extends Cetera’s reach in the Houston market and provides the Plains Wealth advisors with a larger infrastructure, defined succession paths and access to broader resources inside the Cetera network.
Kudlacek described TRPG as “a powerful and collaborative financial planning-first organization that values the importance of wealth management and tax planning capabilities,” saying the team expects to serve clients for years alongside TRPG while benefiting from added succession options.
Jen Hanau, who's been leading Cetera’s RIA and branches channel since its June launch, said more advisory teams that want to spend less time on operations are gravitating toward Cetera’s model. She said the Plains Wealth team “embraces this approach” and will be supported by what she called “forever home” resources for independent professionals.
Carson Group is tightening its grip on a long-standing partner by fully acquiring Schlipman Wealth, a Quincy, Illinois-based firm managing just over $500 million in assets under management.
The practice, part of Carson’s independent advisor network since 2014, will rebrand as Carson Wealth in Quincy and serve as a wholly owned Carson office.
Led by managing partner and wealth advisor Mark Schlipman, the team works with individuals, families, and business owners on financial planning and investment management, and also has satellite offices in Overland Park, Kansas, and Lake Ozark, Missouri.
Burt White, chief executive of Carson Group, said the transition to a fully owned Carson Wealth office will give the team greater access to technology and support, along with room to pursue acquisitions and expand its regional presence.
Schlipman said the transaction reflects more than a decade of shared values with Carson. He also emphasized opportunities from brand recognition and resources to pursue “thoughtful acquisitions and growth” while leaning further into Carson’s tax, private client, and technology platforms, while reinforcing continuity for clients over the long term.
The $55 billion consolidator kickstarted its acquisition efforts earlier this month with the full acquisition of its Minneapolis-based Carson Wealth office led by Jeremy Willner.
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