Bleakley, RBC notch billion-dollar recruitment wins

Bleakley Financial Group and RBC Wealth Management have each added more than $1 billion in client assets through recent advisor moves, as competition to recruit top talent in the RIA and wirehouse channels continues to intensify.

On Wednesday, Bleakley annnounced it had brought on two advisory teams formerly affiliated with Northwestern Mutual. Together, the teams represent more than $1 billion in assets and expand Bleakley’s reach into Virginia, Florida and Idaho.

Bleakley, which is based in Parsippany, New Jersey, now has a presence in more than 15 states.

Among its new additions is Miller Financial Services, led by Jeff Miller with partners Chris Glasscock and Colin Smith. The team has a national client base across 40 states and operates from offices in Richmond and St. Petersburg, with a Sarasota location planned for 2026.

Also joining is a Boise-based team led by Max Wilson and Sean McCarthy, whose client base includes tech executives, public officials and business owners. Both teams emphasize planning-first, high-touch service models that Bleakley leadership says align with its long-term vision.

With both teams having a heavy financial planning focus, Bleakley's latest additions mark a setback for Northwestern Mutual, which has set an aggressive recruitment goal of adding 5,000 planning professionals to its advisor force this year.

“These two teams represent the very best of the profession – deeply committed to client success, culturally aligned with our community and ready to grow with us in this next chapter,” Andy Schwartz, chief executive at Bleakley, said in a statement Wednesday.

The expansion comes several months after Bleakley received a minority investment from Rise Growth Partners, which focuses on long-term growth opportunities in the wealth management space. The firm’s managing partner, industry trailblazer Joe Duran, called the move a signal of Bleakley’s ambitions and adaptability.

“Firms like Bleakley – with their agility, culture and long-term mindset – are defining the future of wealth management,” Duran said.

Separately, RBC Wealth Management said it added advisor Jim Kirk to its Minneapolis branch from US Bank.

Coming in as senior vice president, financial advisor, Kirk brings more than $1 billion in assets and two decades of experience serving high-net-worth clients.

Prior to US Bank, Kirk's 20-year career began at Thrivent, followed by stints at Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Ameriprise, according to his BrokerCheck profile.

“We continue to attract top advisors to RBC Wealth Management as we build on our longstanding history of serving clients in the Minneapolis market,” said Wally Chapman, RBC’s central divisional director.

Bill Boehm, the firm’s Minneapolis complex director, described Kirk as “a natural leader, problem solver and a great listener who understands his clients’ needs well.”