Articles published 7/2014
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Dan Sontag surfaces as new cog in Focus Financial machine for taking down wirehouse advisors
After laying low for five years, the passed-over Merrill heir apparent will help advise Chis Dupuy in budding 'Connections' program
July 31, 2014 at 6:17 PM
Derek Bruton joins forces with Ray Lucia Jr. in San Diego to execute national RIA hybrid plan
The ex-LPL exec saw no issue at all joining the eponymous son of the radio host barred by the SEC
July 31, 2014 at 2:08 PM
The perplexing case of Wells Fargo's non-wirehouse advisors: A blueprint for Merrill, UBS and Morgan or a cheap lesson in what not to do
The good news is that FiNet is the fastest growing channel at Wells Fargo; the bad news is that its brand and compliance can be hindrances
July 29, 2014 at 9:14 PM
How TD Ameritrade's patient, patient bet on RIAs is finally paying off
CEO Fred Tomczyk is talking advisor software like he might have previously discussed trade volume as RIA assets, and prospects, soar
July 28, 2014 at 9:22 PM
Bernie Clark promises Schwab is getting there on its PortfolioCenter rewrite but competitors say the clock is ticking
Rivals cite lingering challenges for the ubiquitous software but its custody platform tie-in is a difference-maker, Joel Bruckenstein says
July 25, 2014 at 11:36 PM
What's up with Schwab getting into the robo-style online advice business and is Windhaven the linchpin?
Walt Bettinger's options for building using existing ETF portfolio capabilities or buying one of the many robos in existence point to a no-lose move
July 25, 2014 at 11:15 PM
How the CFP Board is getting its $40 million's worth from its advertising campaign and how it isn't
Unaided recognition of CFP certification jumps about 90% in three years ...assets stemming from that, not so much
July 24, 2014 at 9:55 PM
How a classic $16.2 billion RIA pulled off an IPO after a few speedbumps and why the decision is looking good
Shares of Silvercrest Asset Management are up about 40% and Wall Street analysts are proferring praise
July 24, 2014 at 4:44 PM
Why AMG's poach of Rich Gill could be the missing ingredient for its V-8 roll-up engine
Loaded with cash, experience and $11.5 billion of market cap, the North Shore asset manager just downloaded the RIA roll-up app in hiring the Focus Financial veteran
July 22, 2014 at 6:48 PM
Addepar has two new 'grown-up' leaders but the same mantra: double down, triple down then quadruple down on engineering
The almost unfathomable Silicon Valley investment being poured into creating wealth management software a catch-up move after decades of falling behind
July 21, 2014 at 7:59 PM
Spencer Bachus's amazing turnabout from RIA villain to white knight and the miserable state of Dodd Frank's advancement of fiduciary care
Once presumed to be in FINRA's back pocket, the Alabama congressman co-sponsors H.R. 1627 -- a huge boon to SEC oversight of RIAs
July 21, 2014 at 3:40 AM
8 takeaways from Schwab's earnings report and commentary including: We are 'full-service', dammit
The San Francisco-based company is upping its rhetoric relating to its bid to bring higher-level investment counsel to high net worth investors
July 18, 2014 at 7:49 PM
How a band of advisor-execs scaled 5,000 sunless feet to the summit of the Half Dome -- and the lessons the exploit yields for growing RIAs
Advisors donned headlamps, assuming considerable risk effecting the nighttime ascent in Yosemite -- including an encounter with a mama bear
July 18, 2014 at 3:05 PM
The hornet's nest that a $25.9-billion AUM RIA owner stepped on and how much it cost
Ex-Merrill Lynch-owned First Republic and buyer of Luminous Capital underestimated the burdens of Dodd-Frank -- and the tolerance of Wall Street analysts
July 17, 2014 at 6:21 PM
As Boston Private and Banyan Partners merge, the Big Three roll-ups become the Big Four
Banyan's Peter Raimondi will lead the combined entity that could morph into a fearsome acquirer
July 17, 2014 at 4:23 AM
In two-part deal, Fidelity sacrifices a top talent to its top RIA client then fills the gap with an impressive hire from Schwab
Mariner's Marty Bicknell nabs Kevin Corbett and Fidelity's Bob Oros in turn snaps up Catherine Davies
July 16, 2014 at 6:22 PM
BloombergBlack rematerializes as CircleBlack minus Bloomberg
John Michel salvaged the lessons learned and momentum of a venture that was on a roll when its plug got pulled
July 15, 2014 at 5:19 PM
How exactly Vanguard Group -- with a dash of robo and lots of mojo -- went from a virtual unknown in wealth management to posing a threat to Merrill Lynch
The fund giant has 250 CFPs on staff for VPAS in Malvern, Charlotte and Scottsdale and virtually no minimum or maximum client size
July 14, 2014 at 12:00 AM
The 13 most telling quotes from UBS's Bob McCann in his Washington Post interview
The ex-Merrill brokerage chief's comments walk the RIA-wirehouse line
July 11, 2014 at 3:09 AM
Shirl Penney will grill three of his big vendors on stage in Vegas: Mike Durbin, Mark Tibergien and Bernie Clark
At the MarketCounsel event, the Dynasty Financial chief promises not to toss softballs at the RIA custody heads, saying he knows their strengths and weaknesses
July 10, 2014 at 11:42 PM
An ex-Lehman exec with a 2008 crash sideline seat becomes Mr. Inside for the TAMP, roll-up and RIA where Michael Kitces is Mr. Outside
Pinnacle has hit $1.3 billion of AUM and is pushing forward aggressively with hires, strategic plans and offering 'office hours' with the planning research head dubbed 'stump the Kitces'
July 10, 2014 at 5:22 AM
Bill Chetney is back to compete with LPL (among others) and Mark Casady is very much on board
His new $40-billion OSJ start-up will use the LPL hybrid platform and get a hand from the broker-dealer in procuring a right-to-recruit agreement and software
July 9, 2014 at 3:21 AM
Helena Jonassen bids farewell to US Trust after 18 years to rejoin breakaway colleagues at Evercore
The senior trust and fiduciary officer at the BoA subsidary is starting a new life at Evercore
July 8, 2014 at 6:27 PM
How Ron Cordes is putting RIA, UBS, billions of dollars and the Congo into the same impact-investing conversation
The AssetMark co-founder has a charity and for-profit and competes and engages in co-opetition with UBS, Schwab, Fidelity and Vanguards
July 8, 2014 at 3:50 PM
Schwab Private Client edges its fee closer to the classic RIA standard
Schwab Private Client jacked its price 20% and its minimum fee jumps 60%
July 4, 2014 at 12:56 AM
After years of working to stand on its own two feet, Placemark staggers into the arms of Envestnet
The future looked nova-bright in 2006 when Smith Barney labelled the Dallas-based advisor, but since then the UMA specialist has fallen short of expectations
July 3, 2014 at 3:24 PM
With plan sponsors 'running blind' on 401k plans, an RIA jumps from $12 billion to $32 billion of AUA and adds a former J.P. Morgan chief
Lockton Retirement Services locks in on 'small' businesses that have no DOL-assuaging fiduciary overseeing DC assets before they walk through the door
July 2, 2014 at 5:50 PM
What's up with J.D. Power naming Commonwealth top IBD for the fourth straight year
One trick, Wayne Bloom says, is that he relentlessly squeezes feedback out of his 1,600 advisors
July 2, 2014 at 12:32 AM
Ric Edelman takes on an advisor-evangelist clone in David Bach -- but says mitigating key-man risk is a very secondary purpose of the hire
The two media maestros will modify their approach to being fishers of advisors rather than fishers of assets
