In this week’s roundup, Cerity Partners announced two planned mergers; Verdence acquired Harvest; CAPTRUST bought Compass and Long Island Wealth; Corient acquired FortCay; F2 Strategy bought Callaway; LPL recruited three teams; RBC recruited two advisors from Bank of America; Hightower named new executives; EP Wealth appointed a CFO and promoted a Chief Client Solutions Officer; Mercer appointed a Chief Platform Officer; Merit announced an executive succession plan; and Composition Wealth hired two executives.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Cerity Plans Iowa And New York Mergers
Cerity Partners announced plans for two mergers that would add wealth practices in Iowa and New York City. West Des Moines, Iowa‑based Gilbert & Cook is expected to merge with Cerity at the end of September and operate under the Cerity name, bringing approximately $2 billion in assets under management (AUM). Cerity also intends to merge with the Contant-Leit and Wacht Groups of Shufro Rose, which manage approximately $1.4 billion in assets.
Gilbert & Cook, founded in 1993, serves individuals, families and business owners, while the Shufro Rose groups serve individuals and families and are led by principals with decades at the firm. Houlihan Lokey represented Gilbert & Cook and the Contant-Leit and Wacht groups in the respective combinations. Sissel Law advised Gilbert & Cook, Katz Teller advised the Shufro Rose groups and Lowenstein Sandler advised Cerity in both transactions.
“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for both firms,” Claire O’Keefe, Partner & Head of Partner Development at Cerity Partners, said. “Gilbert & Cook has built an outstanding reputation based on trust, expertise, and an unwavering dedication to their clients. By bringing our firms together, we are strengthening our ability to deliver deeply personalized, integrated wealth advice while expanding our reach into the Des Moines community.”
Verdence Acquires Harvest With $564 Million In AUM
RIA Verdence Capital Advisors acquired Hunt Valley, Maryland‑based RIA Harvest Investment Consultants, which had $564 million in AUM as of June 30. Harvest, founded in 1987, provides portfolio management and financial planning to individuals and families. Managing Member Michael Meily joined Verdence as Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor, along with the rest of the Harvest team after the transaction closed Sept. 18.
The deal was Verdence’s second acquisition since Wealth Partners Capital Group and HGGC’s Aspire Holdings platform invested in the firm in April. Verdence had approximately $5 billion in AUM as of Aug. 31 and offices in Hunt Valley, Maryland; Alexandria, Virginia; Boston; Naples, Florida; and New York City. Harvest clients gain access to Verdence’s multi‑family office services, private investment opportunities and investment and planning teams.
“Mike and I have known each other for years, and it was clear from the beginning that Harvest looked much like Verdence with deep client relationships and a collaborative culture,” Leo Kelly, Founding Partner and CEO of Verdence Capital Advisors, said. “We’re headquartered in the same community, but more importantly, we share a common approach to serving clients. Harvest clients will continue to receive the personalized guidance they value, now supported by the broader team at Verdence.”
CAPTRUST Adds Two New York Firms With $1.2 Billion In Assets
RIA CAPTRUST added Melville, New York‑based Compass Advisors and Long Island Wealth Management, two firms that had collaborated since 2018. The seven professionals joining CAPTRUST represented a combined $1.2 billion in assets. Compass, founded in 2013 by Managing Partners Michael Cuneo and Lauren King, serves institutional and wealth management clients, while Long Island Wealth Management was founded in 2006 by Jeff Myers.
Both firms will adopt the CAPTRUST brand and join its New York presence, which already included a Lake Success office with 25 employees, including 14 financial advisors. The additions expand CAPTRUST’s Long Island operations while preserving the teams’ existing client relationships. Hue Partners served as the advisor to Compass Advisors and Long Island Wealth Management in the transaction.
“We have built an incredible firm and culture over the past decade at Compass,” Cuneo said. “As the needs of our clients grow and become more complex, we decided to align with CAPTRUST who shares our commitment to fiduciary advice and has developed the expansive tools and resources needed to provide exceptional guidance in an ever-changing world.”
Corient Acquires FortCay With $2.6 Billion In Client Assets
Corient acquired FortCay Family Advisory, a Cayman Islands wealth manager and multi‑family office serving 14 ultra-high net worth families representing approximately $2.6 billion in client assets as of July 31. FortCay, founded by Billy Harty and Matt Houghton, provides wealth management, estate planning and family office services. The transaction establishes a Corient presence in the Cayman Islands.
Harty, FortCay’s Founder and Managing Director, and Houghton join Corient with their team. Corient had approximately $572 billion in client assets as of Aug. 31 and more than 300 partners and 2,700 employees globally, with the employee count measured as of June 30. The acquisition adds FortCay’s cross‑border family office capabilities to Corient’s existing wealth management platform.
“A meaningful share of the world’s most complex family wealth is structured and administered in the Cayman Islands,” Kurt MacAlpine, Founding Partner and CEO of Corient, said. “Many of our clients live, work, and invest across borders – establishing a presence in Cayman deepens our ability to serve them. The FortCay team has built an outstanding business, and we look forward to bringing their expertise to Corient clients around the world.”
F2 Strategy Acquires Callaway Cloud Consulting
F2 Strategy acquired Callaway Cloud Consulting, a technology consulting firm specializing in platform engineering, data engineering, Salesforce and custom AI solutions. The deal expands F2’s technology implementation and engineering capabilities for wealth management firms, adding expertise across cloud infrastructure, architecture, development, integration, platform stabilization and ongoing support. Callaway has completed more than 1,500 projects during more than 12 years in business.
Callaway will transition to the F2 Strategy brand in early 2027. Brandon Gage, CEO of Callaway, will join F2 as Managing Director. Before Callaway, Gage was a founding member of United Capital, where his technical leadership supported the firm’s acquisition strategy and growth before Goldman Sachs acquired United Capital in 2019. The combination extends F2’s work from technology strategy and platform selection through implementation and optimization.
“Callaway is a natural extension of the capabilities we have been building at F2,” Ryan Beach, CEO of F2 Strategy, said. “Our clients increasingly need a partner that can not only help them determine where their technology needs to go, but also provide the technical expertise to build, integrate and optimize it. Callaway brings a highly experienced engineering team and a people-first approach that aligns closely with how we serve our clients.”
Advisor Transactions
LPL Adds Gateway Group And Two Northwestern Mutual Teams
LPL Financial retained 28 advisors and team members from Sierra Ridge Advisor Group through Gateway Financial Partners, a hybrid RIA and LPL OSJ. The advisors collectively oversee approximately $825 million in assets under advisement. The move followed Sierra Ridge’s transition to another broker-dealer, while the advisors chose to remain on LPL’s platform through Gateway rather than move client accounts and technology systems.
LPL also added Cornerstone Advisors and Clear Pointe Wealth Management to its broker‑dealer, RIA and custodial platforms. The Salt Lake City, Utah‑area teams joined from Northwestern Mutual and reported serving approximately $1 billion in assets as of year-end 2025. Cornerstone is led by Wealth Manager and Financial Advisor Gardner Brown and Financial Advisor Brian Lifferth, while Clear Pointe is led by Financial Advisors Ron Hunt and Jonathan Groberg. The practices will share an office while retaining distinct identities.
“Financial planning has always been at the center of our practice,” Brown said. “For more than 30 years, we’ve helped clients navigate the decisions that come with retirement and major life transitions. We don’t just manage investments. We help clients address all the moving pieces of their financial lives and serve as a resource for them every step of the way.”
RBC Recruits Two Advisors With More Than $2 Billion In Client Assets
RBC Wealth Management recruited Lisa Behun and Dirk Harris to its La Jolla, California, branch from Bank of America Private Bank, where they oversaw more than $2 billion in client assets. Behun joined as Financial Advisor and Managing Director, while Harris joined as Financial Advisor and Senior Vice President. Senior Financial Associate Kevin Wilson and Senior Client Associate Erin Marshall also moved with the team.
Behun works with high net worth families and business owners on wealth management and behavioral finance, while Harris has more than 25 years of experience advising wealthy families and business owners. The La Jolla branch also recently added Financial Advisor Damon Couch from Bank of America Private Bank. RBC Wealth Management operates 195 offices across 43 states and is a division of RBC Capital Markets.
“I am thrilled that Lisa and Dirk decided to join RBC Wealth Management,” Marcel TenBerge, Senior Managing Director and Southern California Complex Director at RBC Wealth Management, said. “Clients come to them during pivotal moments in their life – whether it’s liquidity events or preparing for retirement. This team takes a comprehensive approach to wealth planning, and is excited to leverage the RBC Wealth Management platforms to take their client service to the next level.”
Promotions & People Moves
Hightower Names New President, Signature Wealth Leaders
Hightower Advisors named Marco De Freitas President, with responsibility for operations, technology, the firm’s enterprise AI strategy and its investment platform. De Freitas, who reports to CEO Larry Restieri, is expected to officially join in the middle of the fourth quarter. He comes from Vanguard, where he held senior roles in client experience, digital transformation and technology, following earlier tenures at TD Ameritrade and McKinsey.
The RIA also appointed Jennifer Frazier President of Hightower Signature Wealth and Mike Hirsbrunner its Chief Operating Officer, while Penny Phillips will serve as Head of Advisor Growth. Frazier will lead strategy and expansion, Hirsbrunner will oversee operations and integration and Phillips will focus on organic growth and advisor and client experience. Hightower Signature Wealth had more than $40 billion in AUM as of June 30.
“Technology and AI present significant opportunities to streamline how we operate and elevate the experience we deliver to advisors and clients,” De Freitas said. “Hightower has tremendous momentum and a differentiated set of resources. I look forward to working with Larry and the broader leadership team to build on that foundation and support the firm’s continued evolution.”
EP Wealth Names CFO, Promotes Chief Client Solutions Officer
RIA EP Wealth Advisors appointed John McConnell Chief Financial Officer and promoted Erin Voisin to Chief Client Solutions Officer. McConnell, who has more than 20 years of finance and investment experience and most recently served as CFO of Crisp, will oversee finance, financial planning, resource allocation and acquisition integration. Voisin, who joined EP Wealth about a decade ago, will coordinate planning, tax, estate planning, family office, retirement plan, client service and investment functions.
EP Wealth also added or promoted leaders across client growth, operations, geographic divisions, technology and data, including Chrissy Quinn as Managing Director of Client Growth & Partnerships and Uma Meyyappan as Managing Director of AI & Data. The firm also added Troy Stevenson and Doug Ketterer as independent directors. EP Wealth had more than $50.4 billion in AUM as of Aug. 31 and more than 650 employees, including 230 advisors.
“Growth changes what a firm requires, but it should not change what the firm stands for,” Ryan Parker, Chairman and CEO of EP Wealth Advisors, said. “By combining exceptional talent, thoughtfully applied technology and a consistent set of values, we can continue to evolve without losing our identity. That is how we intend to serve our next 25,000 clients, create opportunities for our people and help M&A partner firms build an enduring next chapter.”
Mercer Advisors Names Cynthia Loh As Chief Platform Officer
RIA Mercer Advisors appointed Cynthia Loh as Chief Platform Officer, a new executive role responsible for the operating platform supporting client and advisor experiences. Loh joins the executive leadership team and will lead technology, digital product, design and operations. She most recently served as Senior Vice President and Head of Beyond the Card at Capital One after earlier leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab, Betterment, PIMCO and Merrill Lynch.
The appointment comes as Mercer continues developing Aspen, its AI‑enabled operating system, which the firm said has brought AI into advisor and client workflows. Loh’s background includes overseeing Schwab Intelligent Portfolios and helping build and launch Betterment’s 401(k) business. Mercer reported approximately $111 billion in client assets as of July 31.
“I believe Mercer Advisors has the in-house expertise, the fiduciary-first model and the technology foundation to do it,” Loh said. “I’m excited to build on that foundation and identify ways that technology, including AI, can make the experience simpler and more effective for advisors and clients. The goal is to give advisors the tools and support they need to spend more of their time focused on clients.”
Merit Names Mayhue CEO, Mersberger President
Merit Financial Advisors announced leadership changes effective Jan. 1, 2027, with Founder and CEO Rick Kent moving to Executive Chairman, Kay Lynn Mayhue becoming CEO and Zach Mersberger becoming President. Kent and Mayhue have worked together in leadership since 2017. Mayhue brings experience as an advisor, business owner and participant in M&A transactions, while Mersberger is a second‑generation wealth advisor who joined Merit through a firm partnership about three years ago.
As President, Mersberger will focus on enterprise execution and alignment. Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew will add the Chief Strategy Officer role, Chief Operating Officer Chrissy Lee will add the title of Chief Enterprise Officer and Alex Hansen will take broader responsibilities as Chief Advisor Success Officer. Merit said the changes are part of a planned leadership evolution intended to preserve continuity while distributing operating and strategic responsibilities across the executive team.
“I have sat in the advisor’s chair, built a business, bought businesses and made the decision to sell a business,” Mayhue said. “Each of those experiences gives you a different perspective on what growth really requires. There are financial and strategic considerations, but there are also questions about people, clients, values, legacy and what the next chapter should look like. Those realities are always part of the conversation at Merit.”
Composition Wealth Hires General Counsel And CCO, Head Of Advisors
RIA Composition Wealth appointed Gabrielle Glemann as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer and Joe Salcido as Head of Advisors. Glemann, who has 20 years of experience with financial services firms, will oversee legal and compliance functions and advise leadership on governance, risk management and growth strategy. Salcido, with more than 20 years of financial services experience, will support advisors with coaching and practice management as they pursue organic growth.
Glemann most recently served as General Counsel and Partner at RIA Cercano Management after an earlier role as Director of Legal & Compliance at BlackRock. Salcido was Regional Director of Wealth Planning at Edelman Financial Engines after more than a decade at Vanguard in sales, trading and operations leadership. Los Angeles-based Composition, formerly Miracle Mile Advisors, has 125 employees and more than $12 billion in assets.
“Gabrielle’s and Joe’s experience and perspectives not only enhance our management team, but better position us to execute on the next phase of our strategic expansion plans,” Nate Angelo, CEO of Composition Wealth, said.
Wealth Solutions Report can be reached at info@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
