Raymond James continues expansion in the Northeast, welcomes financial advisors collectively managing $686 million in assets
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Continuing Raymond James’ expansion in the Northeast, the firm welcomed two advisory teams and two financial advisors to Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS) – the firm’s independent advisor channel – according to Shannon Reid, Northeast division director for RJFS.
The financial advisors, who collectively manage approximately $686 million in assets, join Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors (BHWA), an existing RJFS-aligned practice with offices throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York and Ohio. With the addition of these financial advisors in the first quarter of 2021, the team at BHWA now manage approximately $2.7 billion in assets.
“We’re proud to welcome these financial advisors to Raymond James as the firm continues to expand in the Northeast and we look forward to our continued alignment with Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors and their growing network of financial advisors,” said Reid.
Fairfield, Connecticut-based advisory team Bill Sherlach, Jim Mead, and Sal Trombetta operate as IST Group and join from Morgan Stanley, where they managed approximately $336 million in assets. Sherlach joins Raymond James after 12 years at Morgan Stanley, and prior to that, 28 years at Merrill Lynch. He graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland, where he earned a degree in economics. Mead joins Raymond James after spending the past five years at Morgan Stanley. Previously, he had 21 years of experience as an options professional and business owner. He graduated with distinction, earning his bachelor’s degree in economics from Purdue University, and later earning his MBA from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. Trombetta joins Raymond James after 12 years at Morgan Stanley and prior to that, 26 years at Merrill Lynch.
“Raymond James and Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors really offer us the right combination we were looking for in a next move,” said Sherlach. “Looking to the future of our practice, we wanted to align with a well-established firm and practice that offer us the flexibility to build and run our own independent team, while providing the framework and support that we need to grow. From the culture and technology, to the practice management and wealth planning resources, we’re very excited to leverage these capabilities and extend our offerings to our clients.”
Cleveland, Ohio-based financial advisors Brian M. Marino, ChSNC®, CLU®, Gene Craciun, AIF®, CKP®, operate as and serve as partners at OnPoint Wealth Partners. They join from MML Investors Services, LLC, where they managed $250 million in assets. Marino has been in the financial planning business for more than 23 years, joining Raymond James after 15 years at MML Investors Services. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Kent State University. Craciun brings 26 years of financial services experience, most recently at MML Investors Services for the past 13 years and prior to that, Transamerica Financial Advisors. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton.
Joining Marino and Craciun at Raymond James are Matthew Marasch and Timothy Martin, associates of OnPoint Wealth Partners and RJFS financial advisors; Charis Eckelmeyer, director of office services for OnPoint Wealth Partners and RJFS client relationship manager; Hannah Baldwin, director of practice management at OnPoint Wealth Partners and RJFS client relationship manager; and Dana Camino, director of client service at OnPoint Wealth Partners and RJFS client relationship manager.
Also recently joining Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors are Jeffrey Fitz from Merrill Lynch in Briarcliff Manor, New York office, and John Meakin from LPL in Beverly, Massachusetts office. Each managed over $50 million in assets at their prior firms.
Fitz is a financial advisor and brings 28 years of experience at various firms, including Prudential Securities, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and most recently Merrill Lynch. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Meakin has been a financial advisor since 2006. Prior to joining Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors, he served as a financial advisor at Salem Five Investment Services and Bank of America Investment Services (merged with Merrill Lynch in 2009). Before his investment career, he worked in banking and finance at Citizens Bank, Paychex, and American International Group. He graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and concentrations in management sciences, Spanish, and archaeology. After graduating, Meakin studied securities analysis at the New York Institute of Finance.
“It’s been a pleasure to welcome these financial advisors and teams as our newest additions to Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors within the first quarter of 2021,” said Matt Davis, CEO of Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors. “The supported independence platform that our team provides continues to resonate with advisors, and we’re proud that our unique offering continues to attract experienced advisors throughout the Northeast.”
About Raymond James Financial Services
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, has provided a wide range of investment and wealth planning related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both broker/dealers are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF) a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 8,200 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are $1.06 trillion.
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors, OnPoint Wealth Partners and IST Group are not registered broker/dealers and are independent of Raymond James Financial Services.