This edition of the Deals & Recruiting Roundup covers Mercer acquiring Singer Burke, Edelman buying Hasenburg, Beacon Pointe purchasing The Family Firm, Greenspring merges with Wealthstream, VestGen buying six wealth management practices, Creative Planning purchasing SageView, Cetera onboarding King, Vanilla partnering with Osaic on estate planning, Sander Ressler launching ArbitrationIQ, Trilogy appointing Amy Kane as Head of Wealth Planning, World Investment Advisors naming Ed Walters President and MAI Capital appointing Kathleen Alcorn Chief Marketing Officer.
Also, we have some exciting news: We are going to serve you better by switching to a new website platform that will improve our layout and function, as well as manage the demands of rapid growth. This change will be implemented in the coming weeks. When we convert to the new platform, we will simply ask you to enter your email address and confirm it through a link we will send you via email. Thanks for your help as WSR grows!
Larry's Take
While Creative Planning captured the industry’s attention this week with its SageView acquisition, the more unique transaction was the merger between Greenspring and Wealthstream, because it brought together two sizeable employee-owned firms with compensation entirely in equity.
Adding a $1.5 billion firm to an approximately $8.5 billion firm to bring together 70 employees and 23 partners may sound unwieldy, but the teams pulled it off, demonstrating that a merger of employee-owned firms is possible at that size. However, the firms have cooperated for ten years, which helped lay the cultural foundation for the merger.
For firms looking to increase their resources but maintain full control of ownership, a merger like this may be the right choice because it provides the benefits of increased scale – and the increased competitiveness that comes with scale – without diluting the owners’ equity.
If you would like to discuss this Larry’s Take further, including how these trends might impact your business, please contact me at larry.roth@ascentix.com.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Mercer Purchases Singer Burke, Boosts Ultra-High Net Worth Business
Mercer Advisors buys Singer Burke, a Los Angeles-based firm that includes SB Capital Management, an RIA that oversees $1.2 billion in assets, and Singer Burke Zimmer & Kogan, which offers clients accounting, tax, business management and financial consulting. Singer Burke joins Mercer’s Regis Group, a specialized team that focuses on families with at least $25 million of investable assets.
Founded by Sandy Singer in 1972, Singer Burke serves Hollywood professionals, including showrunners, producers, writers, actors and composers. Seward & Kissel served as legal counsel to Singer Burke.
“Mercer Advisors and Singer Burke are united by a commitment to excellence and discretion in serving families who expect the highest levels of coordination, insight, and execution,” said Daniel Gourvitch, President of Mercer Advisors. “We take great pride in building a hand-picked family office team for every client we serve, and by bringing Singer Burke into our partnership, we’re adding exceptional interdisciplinary expertise that enhances our ability to serve the unique needs of creative professionals and their families.”
Edelman Financial Engines Buys $300 Million Wisconsin RIA
Edelman Financial Engines (EFE) acquires Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based Hasenberg Financial Group, which manages over $300 million for more than 750 clients, founded and led by Chris Hasenberg. Hasenberg Financial will integrate with EFE and take its branding.
Hasenberg Financial provides financial advisory services with a focus on estate planning and financial education events, EFE said. EFE said the acquisition expands its Midwest footprint and strengthens its estate planning services.
“Foremost, we seek out partners who share our uncompromising client-first ethos,” according to Jay Shah, CEO of Edelman Financial Engines. “Chris has built his vibrant business with an admirable dedication to financial education and a focus on serving clients’ best interest.”
Beacon Pointe Purchases The Family Firm, Adds $857 Million In Assets
Beacon Pointe Advisors buys The Family Firm, a women-led RIA in Bethesda, Maryland, that oversees $857 million in assets. The deal, Beacon Pointe’s 10th transaction this year, closed Sept. 15.
Launched in 2002, Beacon Pointe is the nation’s largest woman-led RIA, according to its website. The company, based in Newport Beach, California, operates more than 70 offices, employs 600 people and oversees more than $47 billion in client assets under advisement.
“The Family Firm’s female-led and family-rooted approach mirrors what we truly value, which is a business model that is deeply personal, community-focused, and built to last,” said Shannon Eusey, CEO of Beacon Pointe. “We are excited to join forces and continue shaping the future of wealth management together.”
Greenspring Merges With Wealthstream, Creates $10 Billion Firm
Greenspring Advisors and Wealthstream Advisors merge in an all-stock deal that creates a company with $10 billion in assets from private and institutional clients. The combined entity, called Greenspring Advisors, remains employee-owned with 70 team members and 23 partners as of Oct. 1. According to its March Form ADV, Wealthstream had over $1.5 billion in assets under management (AUM).
Greenspring, based in Towson, Maryland, said the merger will help talent development, specifically allowing employees to specialize roles and develop expertise. Such a strategy will help advisors offer a broader array of personalized services to clients.
“This partnership is the natural next step in a relationship that has been growing for over ten years,” said Pat Collins, Co-Founder of Greenspring Advisors. ”We share a deep belief in creating a firm where team members can grow, lead, and thrive over the long term—while remaining independent and always putting clients first.”
VestGen Acquires Six Wealth Management Practices, Adds $1.5 Billion In Assets
Chicago-based VestGen Wealth Partners buys six wealth management practices, boosting the overall client assets it oversees to $7 billion. These additions represent 15 advisors, overseeing $1.5 billion in assets.
They include Ursula Daley’s all-female team in Oak Brook, Illinois ($410 million in client assets); Michael Moloney’s team in the St. Louis area ($400 million); Michael Martin’s team in Kansas City, Missouri ($280 million); Jeff Lesniewicz and Brian Ahern’s team in Chicago ($250 million) serving athletes; John Straley’s team in the Chicago area ($219 million) and Jon Lewis in Florida and Michigan ($60 million).
“In less than a year, we have launched an instantly competitive, firm of consequence working to solve the industry’s succession problem without disrupting clients’ lives,” said VestGen Founder and CEO Josh Gerry. “Bringing six more teams onto one fully integrated wealth management ecosystem is the next step—giving advisors more resources and families uninterrupted, multi-generational care.”
Creative Planning To Purchase SageView
Creative Planning will buy SageView Advisory Group, a deal that creates a business with over $640 billion in total client assets as of Sept. 30. Aquiline Capital Partners, a private equity firm and majority owner of SageView since 2021, will exit its investment.
Founded in 1989, SageView had $250 billion in AUM and assets under advisement as of June 30. The combined company will have more than 550 advisors, 11,800 retirement plans and more than 80,000 private wealth clients in every state and in over 90 countries.
“SageView has an outstanding reputation as a leader in the retirement plan consulting industry, which will complement our growing retirement services business as well as expand our wealth management practice,” said Peter Mallouk, President and CEO of Creative Planning, “This deal provides incredible scale and brings together exceptional talent from both firms to serve our clients and advance our retirement and wealth management capabilities.”
Advisor Transactions
Cetera Recruits $1.1 Billion New Jersey Advisor Team From Commonwealth
Cetera Financial Group lands King Financial Network (KFN) from Commonwealth Financial Network. The 14-person, Manalapan, New Jersey-based multifamily office oversaw over $1.1 billion in assets under administration as of July 2.
KFN, led by Founder Jim King and Partners Tony Kelly and A.J. Vignola, joined Summit Financial Networks, one of the advisor communities within the Cetera Advisor channel. Cetera now has about 12,000 advisors and institutions in its network and, as of June 30, Cetera firms managed over $590 billion in assets under administration and $263 billion in AUM.
“Jim is passionate about caring for clients and his team,” said Todd Mackay, President of Cetera Wealth Management. “It shows in every conversation we have. … I strongly believe the KFN team will thrive within Cetera and the boutique atmosphere of Summit.”
Strategic Partnerships
Vanilla Partners With Osaic On Estate Planning
Vanilla Technologies’ estate planning tools are now available to Osaic’s network of more than 11,000 advisors. Osaic advisors can access Vanilla’s platform to create trust and wills, summarize documents, predict outcomes and help generations of family members plan estate transfers.
The services include assessments of client estate plans, access to Vanilla’s attorney network and preparation of client deliverables. Osaic is a portfolio company of Reverence Capital Partners.
“This partnership represents a significant step forward in delivering comprehensive planning solutions,” said Gene Farrell, CEO of Vanilla. “Osaic advisors can now leverage estate planning as a powerful tool to enhance client retention, build deeper trust, and most importantly, help clients achieve greater confidence and clarity in their long-term wealth strategies.”
New Businesses
Sander Ressler Launches ArbitrationIQ Consulting Firm
Sander Ressler, Co-Owner and Managing Director of Essential Edge Compliance Outsourcing Services, debuts ArbitrationIQ, which provides expert testimony to attorneys and regulators involved in legal disputes in areas like risk management, cybersecurity, elder abuse, suitability, advertising and due diligence.
Ressler served as Chief Compliance Officer for several firms, including EMG Capital, Summit Brokerage Services and AIG American General. He co-founded Essential Edge in 2019.
“I have been engaged in more than 600 arbitrations and have testified in over 150 hearings,” Ressler said. “As demand for my expert testimony and consultancy advice continues to grow, I realized claimants, respondents and regulators in need of my services would be better served via a separate and independent entity dedicated solely to these areas.”
Promotions & People Moves
Trilogy Hires Amy Kane As Head Of Wealth Planning
Trilogy Financial Services names Amy Kane Head of Wealth Planning. She will report to Mike Broker, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. In her newly created role, Kane will develop high net worth client solutions and design scalable systems to support planning and streamline advisor workflows.
Prior to Trilogy, Kane served as Senior Director and Head of Wealth Planning at Ashton Thomas Private Wealth. Before that, she was a Director at Baird in its Wealth Strategies Group, a Senior Wealth Planning Strategist at Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank and an Executive Director at JPMorgan Private Bank.
“We are thrilled that Amy decided to bring her considerable talents to Trilogy,” Broker said. “Her expertise aligns perfectly with where we are taking the firm as we invest in enhancing our wealth management and financial planning support to give our advisors the latest tools, resources and solutions to serve the unique and increasingly sophisticated needs of their clients.”
World Names Ed Walters President, Announces Exit Of CEO Troy Hammond
World Investment Advisors appoints Edward (Ed) Walters President, with responsibility for the firm’s operations, growth initiatives, and advisor and client experience platforms. The firm also announced that CEO Troy Hammond will step down but remain through the end of the year to assist with the leadership transition.
Walters previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Wealth Management at Lincoln Financial Network, where he led operations and business support functions for a network of about 1,500 financial professionals. Osaic bought Lincoln Wealth from Lincoln National Corporation in a deal that was finalized in May 2024.
“Ed is a visionary leader with a proven track record of executing successful strategies that transform financial services businesses,” said Rich Eknoian, CEO of World Insurance Associates, which owns World Investment Advisors. “We are confident Ed’s leadership will accelerate our ability to deliver innovative solutions, empower advisors, and create long-term value for our clients and stakeholders.”
MAI Names Former Focus Financial Exec As Its CMO
MAI Capital Management appoints Kathleen Alcorn its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) in what the Cleveland-based RIA said is the latest step in its organic growth strategy. In her new role, she is expected to heighten MAI’s visibility, drive revenue and align business and marketing strategies.
Most recently, Alcorn served as Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Focus Financial Partners, from March 2022 until April 2025, according to her LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, Alcorn was CMO for Nasdaq Corporate Solutions, whose name was changed to Intrado and then Notified.
“Great brands are built on strong foundations, and MAI’s 50-plus-year legacy of putting clients first and empowering advisors provides exactly that,” Alcorn said. “I look forward to leveraging MAI’s strong history to reinforce our value with existing clients, introduce our firm to new audiences and give advisors the tools they need to deliver exceptional outcomes for the individuals, families and institutions they serve.”
Thomas Lee, Senior Editor and Staff Writer at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at thomas.lee@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
