By Wendy Leung, WealthManagement.com – It’s hard to ignore the recruiting success regional firms have experienced over the last few years. For example, in 2019 Stifel Nicolaus and Raymond James recruited some $20B and $11B in AUM respectively—both firms ranking in the top five of all firms in the entire industry when it comes to recruiting. What’s changed?
By Jacqueline Sergeant, FA Magazine – Five former Merrill Lynch advisors who collectively managed $515 million have joined Raymond James & Associates’ employee advisor channel in Burlington and Boston, Mass., according to a company release. The advisors – Eric Hobin, Jiles Robinson, Antonio Sordillo, Jason Whittier and Kristen Ragusin – continue RJA’s expansion in the Northeast and will become part of RJA’s Southern New England Complex led by Bill Drew, the release said.
By Barbara Herman – A firm’s name once meant everything to most advisors—both in terms of defining which firms they would consider joining and how they marketed themselves. Then the financial crisis hit and dramatically altered the perceptions of advisors as well as their clients—and the brand cachet of brokerage firms no longer carried the guarantee of credibility, strength and trust it once did.
By Deborah Aronson – While some may argue that the importance of culture is overrated, it’s hard to deny its significance when it comes to attracting, developing and retaining talent. Culture embodies the ideology of a firm—it’s the organizational glue that binds together leadership and employees. It can also make some companies fantastic places to work at while others, unfortunately, toxic.
By Barbara Herman – Firms like RBC and Raymond James are experiencing such recruiting success nationally that they are redefining what it means to be a “regional” firm. In the past, these firms were characterized most notably by a small geographic footprint. But now the term has come to represent a specific culture that is appealing to scores of advisors across the country who are looking for options outside of the wirehouse world.
By Wendy Leung – Regional firms may be the answer for advisors seeking to minimize bureaucracy and gain greater control over their business.
