Wells Fargo Advisors has picked up three advisor practices over the past several weeks, deepening a recruiting push that spans both its traditional employee channel and its independent Financial Network, known as FiNet.
The additions arrive as Wells Fargo works to reverse several years of net advisor losses. According to the Diamond Consultants Financial Advisor Transition Report for 2025, the Private Client Group, its W-2 advisor channel, posted a net gain of 85 experienced advisors last year, a sharp reversal after losing a net 248 in 2024.
Ted Hamstra joined Wells Fargo Advisors' Greenwood Village, Colorado, branch from William Blair, bringing Senior Registered Client Associate Katie Hoge with him.
Hamstra, whose practice now operates within PCG as Framework Wealth Advisors of Wells Fargo Advisors, works primarily with entrepreneurs, family offices and family foundations. He manages more than $100 million in client assets and generated over $1.1 million in trailing 12-month production at his prior firm.
Hamstra's arrival follows two previously announced additions to the same branch this year: Elijah Brown, who joined from J.P. Morgan on July 2 managing more than $115 million, and Nathan Matthews, who joined from UBS on July 22 managing over $133 million.
Nathan Vandas, Branch Complex Director for Greenwood Village, framed the additions as part of a broader growth strategy for the office, which sits within the Rocky Mountain market overseen by Matt Gnau. "I'm excited to welcome another high-quality advisor to the Greenwood Village branch," Vandas said, adding that the firm's platform is built to support advisors as they expand their practices and serve increasingly complex client needs.
Over at Wells Fargo's independent channel, Gabriel Armancas, formerly of Ameriprise, affiliated with FiNet as Turquoise Private Wealth, a practice he established in Woodland Hills, California. He oversees approximately $140 million in client assets.
On the East Coast, Frederick Spagnola and Jon Vallaro left UBS to join an existing FiNet practice, Sullivan & Associates Wealth Management, operating under the name Murray Street Wealth Advisors in New York City. The pair collectively manage more than $320 million in client assets.
In early July, FiNet claimed another recruiting win in South Florida, where a seven-person advisory group overseeing more than $1 billion from Truist joined Merritt Point, an existing FiNet practice, in South Florida.
Wells Fargo's activity mirrors a wider trend documented across the wealth management industry. Diamond Consultants tracked 11,172 experienced advisors – those with more than three years of industry tenure – who switched firms in 2025, a 16.2% increase from the prior year. Wirehouses lost a net 302 advisors overall last year, but Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley were the only two of the four major wirehouses to post net gains, while UBS and Merrill continued to suffer net losses of advisors.
Read more: Along with Commonwealth, add Osaic and UBS to firms that lost a lot of advisors last year
The report also found that FiNet added 90 advisors in 2025 against 89 departures, essentially breaking even, a contrast to Wells Fargo's traditional employee channel, which added 365 advisors versus 280 losses for a net gain of 85.
Last month, FiNet announced the arrival of ex-LPL leader Andrew Harpp as head of Advisor Engagement & Growth. He spent several years in business development roles at LPL, and had been serving as senior vice president and national sales manager before his move to Wells Fargo.
“Andrew brings extensive experience helping advisors grow their businesses and successfully leading recruiting efforts," FiNet President John Tyers, told InvestmentNews at the time.
"Elevating the advisor experience across FiNet is at the center of everything we do, and we look forward to the leadership and perspective he'll bring as we continue investing in the long-term success of our independent advisors and their teams."
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