Little Rock, Arkansas-based RIA Sowell Management named Daryl Seaton as CEO in a transition the firm said has been planned for years. Seaton joined the firm in 2020, first as Chief Operating Officer, then becoming President in 2023.
Firm Founder Bill Sowell becomes Chief Strategy Officer, with a focus on long-term strategic and inorganic growth, including mergers and acquisitions, according to a news release.
“Daryl is a natural leader and an enthusiastic champion of the culture we established at Sowell since founding the company,” said Bill Sowell. “This is a thoughtful evolution in our leadership, one that Daryl and I have been intentionally working toward over the past several years.”
Bill Sowell began his career in financial services in 1990. In 1995 he founded a firm that later became Sowell Management, which, according to the news release, was one of the industry’s first fee-based practices.
He told WSR that the firm’s growth has been and always will be driven by the needs of the end clients. “We are looking for advisors at different stages in life and in their business who truly care about their clients and provide the best service possible based on the structure of the practice.”
He continued, “Our strategy will be to meet these advisors where they are, partner with them, and help them grow and scale their business more than what they could have done on their own, and in the process, create more value for them and a clear pathway to an eventual exit on their terms and timeline. We can be as competitive as anyone in the industry; having said that, at the end of the day, if it's not about the end clients, we're not interested.”
With over 25 years of experience in financial services, Seaton began his career at New York Life, where he rose to the rank of Senior Partner. He later founded Solera Asset Managers and had an eight-year advisor relationship with Sowell Management.
“Stepping into the CEO role at this moment is truly energizing,” Seaton told WSR. “The RIA industry is at a major inflection point — advisors are demanding more independence, better technology, and deeper partnership. My focus is on helping Sowell meet that moment. In the near term, our priorities are clear: deepen our advisor relationships, drive platform innovation, and scale strategically so we grow stronger without losing what makes us different.”
Under the leadership of both Sowell and Seaton, the firm expanded its platform with its technology solution, FLEX Connect; Sowell Insurance Services; and Trek Wealth Solutions, its retail wealth management brand. It had over $6 billion in assets under management and advisement as of September.
Wealth Solutions Report can be reached at info@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
