In this week’s roundup, Envestnet agreed to acquire Vestmark; RFG Advisory supported the merger of WFA and Volare; Modern Wealth acquired Sanchez Wealth; OnePoint BFG acquired Bast Financial; Boston Hill Advisors joined Hightower Signature Wealth; Savvy Wealth raised $100 million; IAM Advisory joined Wealthcare; LPL added Northstar; NewEdge Wealth opened an Ohio office with Lance White’s team; Beacon Pointe added executives; BridgePort hired a head of M&A; and Hargrove MSO appointed a Vice President of Engagement.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Envestnet Agrees To Acquire Vestmark
Envestnet agreed to acquire Vestmark, a provider of portfolio management technology, trading and outsourced investment management services. Vestmark supports more than $2 trillion in assets and more than five million accounts. Envestnet said the combination would add Vestmark’s trading, tax-transition and engineering capabilities to its platform, which serves more than a third of advisors across all its platforms and has $8 trillion in platform assets.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to customary conditions. Ropes & Gray was Envestnet’s legal advisor, while UBS, Goldman Sachs, RBC Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan Securities and Morgan Stanley served as its financial advisors. WilmerHale advised Vestmark as legal advisor, while Raymond James & Associates and Berenson & Company served as its financial advisors.
“Wealth management offerings have been siloed for too long, with advisors, traders, and portfolio managers each locked into their own piece of the puzzle,” Chris Todd, CEO of Envestnet, said. “Bringing Vestmark into the Envestnet ecosystem changes that. Wherever a firm sits today, and wherever they’re headed next, they’ll have a platform that can grow with them.”
RFG Supports WFA-Volare Merger With $750 Million-Plus In Client Assets
RIA RFG Advisory supported the merger of WFA and Volare Wealth Advisors to form WFA Volare, a combined wealth management firm managing more than $750 million in client assets. The transaction joins two advisory businesses that had operated in the RFG community for years and creates a 16-person team across multiple markets, combining WFA’s nearly 30-year history in Louisiana with Volare’s female-founded practice.
WFA Volare serves retirees, high-earning professionals, women navigating financial transitions and elite athletes and their families. The combined firm includes Chase Crump, whom the release described as Louisiana’s only financial advisor registered with the NFL Players Association; Wealth Advisor Brandon Wilson, a former NFL athlete; and Chris Wedell, Partner and Wealth Advisor.
“This was never about getting bigger. It was about getting better for our clients,” Dany Martin, Partner and Wealth Advisor at WFA Volare, said. “Chris and her team share the same values we do, and bringing our firms together allows us to preserve the relationships clients value while creating more opportunities to collaborate and serve them together.”
Modern Wealth Acquires Sanchez Wealth, Overseeing Nearly $710 Million
RIA Modern Wealth Management acquired Jacksonville, Florida-based Sanchez Wealth Management Group, which oversees nearly $710 million in client assets. Founded more than 25 years ago by Founding Partner Chris Sanchez, Sanchez Wealth serves client households across investment management, retirement planning, estate-planning considerations and beneficiary designations.
Sanchez is joined by his sister, Wealth Advisor Dawn Nicoles, and Wealth Advisor Josh Mandelkorn. The team also includes Client Service Associates Alexandria Sanchez and Lindsey Hall and Director of Operations Jennifer Koeller. The deal was Modern Wealth’s third Florida acquisition in 2026, following its purchases of South Florida-based Legacy Wealth Management and Flaharty Asset Management in Clearwater, and established the firm’s presence in Jacksonville.
“We built this firm with a simple philosophy: take care of the client first, take care of the team second, and the firm will take care of itself,” Sanchez said. “As we thought about the next chapter, continuity was incredibly important. We wanted to know that the firm, our team and the relationships we have built would be here for our clients and their families long into the future.”
OnePoint BFG Acquires Bast Financial With Approximately $400 Million In AUM
RIA OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners acquired Tampa, Florida-based Bast Financial Group, whose seven-person team added approximately $400 million in assets under management (AUM) as of Sept. 4. Rebecca Bast, Founder and Private Wealth Advisor at Bast Financial Group, and six colleagues joined OnePoint BFG, expanding the firm’s Florida presence. Bast founded the practice and has worked in financial services since 1994, serving business owners, executives and families with complex planning needs.
The team includes Parveen Hall, Daniel George, Taylor McCullough, Elena Madrazo, Jonathan Clifford and Jamie Hayes. The practice will operate under the OnePoint BFG name with co-branding during a transition period. OnePoint BFG had more than $18 billion in AUM as of June 30.
“OnePoint BFG offers the best of both worlds: the freedom and flexibility of an independent firm, combined with the resources, technology and support we need to serve our clients at the highest level,” Bast said. “Its client-first culture immediately felt aligned with the vision we have built at Bast Financial Group. I am also excited to work with Andy, whom I have known and respected for more than 30 years. And with ‘BFG’ already in the name, it felt like it was meant to be.”
Boston Hill Joins Hightower Signature Wealth With $1.6 Billion In AUM
Boston Hill Advisors joined Hightower Signature Wealth, the fully integrated wealth management practice of RIA Hightower Advisors. Boston Hill had been part of the Hightower community since 2023 and had approximately $1.6 billion in AUM as of June 30. Founded in 2006, Boston Hill provides wealth management, investment solutions and financial planning to individuals, families and institutions from offices in North Andover and Natick, Massachusetts.
Boston Hill’s two Massachusetts offices remain in place following the transaction, and its 18-person staff includes 11 advisors. Following the late-August closing, Hightower said Hightower Signature Wealth had more than $40 billion in AUM as of June 30, more than 130 advisors and more than 30 locations. Hightower Advisors expects to announce additional Hightower Signature Wealth acquisitions during 2026.
“Boston Hill Advisors is a strong addition to HTSW, with a talented team, extensive investment experience and a longstanding commitment to clients,” Larry Restieri, CEO of Hightower, said. “As we continue to build HTSW as an integrated national practice, we are focused on bringing together teams that share our commitment to a highly personalized advisory approach. Boston Hill Advisors embodies that vision and will further strengthen the collective capabilities we bring to clients.”
Savvy Raises $100 Million Series C Led By Halo Fund
Savvy Wealth closed a $100 million Series C funding round led by Halo Fund, bringing its total funding to more than $200 million. Existing investors Thrive Capital, Industry Ventures from Goldman Sachs, Canvas Prime, Index Ventures, House Fund, Euclidean Capital, Alumni Ventures and Vestigo Ventures also participated. Savvy Wealth operates its advisory business through its RIA Savvy Advisors, while Savvy Wealth is the parent technology company.
Savvy said it now supports more than 150 advisors, oversees $9 billion in client AUM and has brought on more than $4 billion in recruited assets during 2026. The firm said proceeds from the financing will support further development of Savvy Intelligence, its AI-based advisor operating environment, expansion of its advisor-service ecosystem and hiring of technical staff. Halo Fund was founded by Ryan Smith and Ryan Sweeney and invests across technology, sports and entertainment.
“Advisors are being told they have to give up their independence to scale,” Ritik Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Savvy Wealth, said. “We think that’s a false tradeoff, and we’ve spent the last five years proving it.”
Advisor Transactions
Wealthcare Adds IAM Advisory With $550 Million In AUM
Wealthcare added IAM Advisory, bringing eight advisors, five operations staff members and $550 million in AUM to the technology-enabled RIA. Wealthcare said the affiliation uses a revenue buy-down arrangement that allows IAM Advisory to retain its brand and independence. IAM Advisory is led by father-and-daughter team Joseph Parsons, President and Managing Partner of IAM Advisory, and Holly Parsons Jinks.
IAM Advisory provides financial planning to individuals and families, with a planning-first approach focused on long-term relationships and retirement. Wealthcare said it has approximately $10 billion in assets and operates through three RIAs: Wealthcare Advisory Partners, Wealthcare Capital Management and Wealthcare Capital Partners.
“We chose Wealthcare because it gives us the best of both worlds,” Parsons said. “We can continue serving our clients and operating our business in the way we believe is best, while gaining access to the scale, technology and support of a larger organization. Wealthcare’s approach respects what we’ve built and gives us additional resources to build on it for the future.”
LPL Adds Northstar, Serving More Than $270 Million In Client Assets
LPL Financial added Northstar Financial Advisors founder and partner Jeneen Slack to its broker-dealer and RIA platform. Slack joined from Raymond James and reported serving more than $270 million in client assets. Based in Danville, California, Northstar serves professionals, families, retirees and people navigating major life transitions across the Bay Area. Slack has nearly 20 years of industry experience and focuses in part on helping clients understand financial decisions associated with divorce.
Slack’s business partner and fellow Financial Advisor Eric Slack joined with support team members Kari Jeha, Jon Lee and V. John Threlkeld. The practice also hosts educational workshops, retirement-planning programs and client events. LPL supports more than 32,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,100 financial institutions. The company reported approximately $2.6 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets for approximately 8 million Americans.
“What Jeneen has built at Northstar is personal by design. She and her team take the time to know their clients, helping women engage more confidently with their finances and guiding individuals and families through the decisions and transitions that shape their lives. We are honored that Jeneen chose LPL for Northstar’s next chapter and look forward to helping the team extend that experience to more clients,” said Marc Cohen, Chief Growth Officer at LPL Financial.
NewEdge Adds Team Led By Lance White To Open Ohio Office
RIA NewEdge Wealth added a three-person team led by Lance White and opened an office in New Albany, Ohio, bringing the firm to its 13th state. White joined from Morgan Stanley, where he co-founded New Albany Wealth Management Group and managed more than $500 million in client assets. He is joined by Shane Moran and Wendy Chance and brings more than three decades of experience in private wealth management, capital markets, technology investing and venture capital.
White also maintains a presence in Naples and Miami, Florida, and the team focuses on evaluating emerging technology businesses, including AI, robotics and aerospace, for founders, venture firms, family offices and other private-market participants. NewEdge Wealth is an RIA serving ultra-high net worth and high net worth families, family offices and institutional clients. The firm has more than 70 advisors across 20 locations.
“New Albany has experienced considerable technology growth with industry leaders establishing manufacturing and data centers in the area, making the city a strong fit for our national footprint,” Rob Sechan, Founder and Managing Partner of NewEdge Capital Group, said. “Lance has a longstanding perspective on innovation and the venture ecosystem. With our independent platform and his experience working with executives and entrepreneurs, Lance is a great fit for our team.”
Promotions & People Moves
Beacon Pointe Adds Cullen And Green To Executive Leadership
Beacon Pointe Advisors appointed Katie Cullen as Chief Growth and Integration Officer and Sarah Green as Chief Risk and Compliance Officer. Cullen will work across the RIA’s Practice Management, M&A and Strategic Integration teams, while Green joins its Compliance Department. Cullen previously led BlackRock Business Consulting and held strategy and innovation roles in the RIA industry and at Schwab Advisor Services. Green most recently served as Vanguard’s Global Head of Financial Crimes and Code of Conduct.
Cullen’s background also includes 11 years as a U.S. Army Reserve Logistics Officer. Green previously led FINRA’s anti-money-laundering examination unit and held several SEC roles involving broker-dealer examinations, enforcement matters and training. Earlier in her career, she practiced corporate and securities law.
“Beacon Pointe recognizes the value of growing its compliance and risk program alongside its expanding business,” Green said. “Rather than thinking of Compliance and Risk as loss leaders, Beacon Pointe sees them as integral to the strength and sustainable growth of its advisory business. I am thrilled to be joining a firm with a strong history of women in leadership and a culture where integrity and compliance are embedded in everything the firm does.”
BridgePort Hires Tina Decker To Lead M&A Strategy
BridgePort Financial Solutions appointed Tina Decker Senior Vice President of Business Development to lead the fee-only RIA’s M&A strategy and execution. Decker most recently served as Osaic’s Vice President of M&A and Succession Planning. At BridgePort, she will identify, evaluate and execute acquisition and partnership opportunities and oversee the M&A lifecycle from sourcing and financial modeling through due diligence and negotiation, while also working on strategy and advisor and client onboarding.
Decker spent more than two decades at Osaic, formerly Advisor Group, in leadership roles spanning operations, executive strategy, M&A and succession planning. Most recently, she worked with advisors on acquisitions, continuity plans and succession transactions and negotiated and executed more than 400 deals representing over $10 billion in acquired and retained assets. BridgePort is majority owned and controlled by Cambridge Investment Group.
“Tina’s combination of M&A expertise, deep industry relationships, and true understanding of what makes a transition successful for advisors, firms, and clients is second-to-none,” BridgePort Managing Director Clara Sierra said. “Having spent her career helping advisors navigate some of the most important decisions in the life of their business, Tina’s perspective will be invaluable as we expand BridgePort’s presence in the fee-only RIA space. We’re thrilled to have her at BridgePort and look forward to the relationships, opportunities, and growth she will help us create.”
Hargrove MSO Appoints David Haughton Vice President Of Engagement
Hargrove MSO appointed David Haughton Vice President of Engagement. Haughton most recently served as Vice President of Estate Planning at Carson Group and will work with financial advisors and wealth management firms to increase adoption of Hargrove Firm’s attorney-led estate-planning services. He will be based in Boston and work with existing wealth management partners while also helping introduce Hargrove’s model to additional RIAs and financial advisors.
Haughton’s experience also includes serving as Team Lead of advanced planning at Commonwealth Financial Network, private-practice law, advanced planning, wealth management and estate-planning technology. He will also serve as an advisor-facing voice on estate-planning trends, education and practice management. Hargrove said it supports wealth management firms collectively overseeing more than $400 billion in client assets.
“David understands this market from the advisor’s perspective because he has spent years confronting the same challenge our partners face every day: clients need estate planning, but advisors have historically lacked a consistent and scalable way to help them get it done,” Alex Hargrove, CEO of Hargrove MSO, said. “He believed in what we were building before he ever considered joining us. Now, he will help us bring that model to more advisors and wealth management firms across the industry.”
Wealth Solutions Report can be reached at info@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
