RIA wrap: Fidelis, Endeavor add BofA and Northern Trust alums as partners

Two boutique RIAs have welcomed veterans from Bank of America and Northern Trust as their newest partners this week, while a fast-growing firm in Florida is looking to expand further with a new wealth tech integration.

On Tuesday, Tampa-based Fidelis Capital announced has named Paul Trippe as partner. A veteran of US Trust and Bank of America Private Bank, Trippe brings more than four decades of experience working with ultra-wealthy families and institutions.

At Bank of America, he oversaw more than $2 billion in client assets as a managing director and market investment executive. He also held earlier roles at Merrill Lynch and A.G. Becker.

Trippe joins the firm’s investment committee, made up of fellow alumni from Bank of America and Wells Fargo Private Bank.

“It remains one of our core tenets to grow intentionally, only adding professionals who are exemplars of their craft and who demonstrate the work ethic, integrity and commitment to client and team that align with the high expectations of our team and our clients,” Rick Simonetti, founding partner and CEO of Fidelis, said in a statement Tuesday.

Last year, Fidelis announced another key addition to its bench as it welcomed industry veteran Douglas Rothermich from TIAA. 

In Texas, Endeavor, a Houston-based RIA, has hired Richard “Ricky” LaFont as partner and director of family office services. LaFont most recently worked at Northern Trust Wealth Management as a senior vice president and relationship advisor overseeing complex trust and estate strategies.

He is expected to expand Endeavor’s family office offering, which the firm sees as a key component of its holistic approach to wealth management.

“I’ve spent my career helping families administer trusts that support their unique legacy goals,” LaFont said. “I entered this business because I’m passionate about long-lasting client relationships and have seen firsthand the difference a successful estate plan can make across generations.”

Colter Lewis, Endeavor’s founder and CEO, said the firm is investing further in its high-touch service model. “Sophisticated family office services delivered alongside compelling investment solutions are central to this mission, and one of the most exciting growth areas for our firm,” Lewis said.

LaFont is moving to Endeavor just as his former firm recruited Abel Montañez, an experienced leader from City National Bank, to strengthen its leadership in the West Region. 

Elsewhere in Florida, Rossby Financial is leaning into its technology-first strategy with the rollout of a unified advisor dashboard through a partnership with tech platform Milemarker. The new system is designed to give Rossby’s advisors access to real-time business performance data, both at the individual and executive level.

CEO Andrew J. Evans said the goal is to simplify advisors’ access to metrics that matter most to their practices.

The firm says its advisor headcount has grown by 70 percent in the past year, alongside a reported 120 percent increase in assets under advisement.

In October, it enhanced its tech stack by integrating Seeds Investor, a portfolio management platform that uses investor personas to help advisors align clients' portfolios with their personal values.

“I’m honored by the reception we’ve had in the industry since our launch two years ago; the growth and interest we’ve seen is a testament to our open-architecture platform,” Evans said in a statement Friday.