Raymond James welcomes financial advisors managing $468 million in client assets
Business autonomy, technology attract four-advisor team
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Raymond James welcomed financial advisors Martin Ferrara, James “Bubba” Helton, Jr., Justin Preissler and James McGee to Raymond James & Associates (RJA) – the firm’s employee advisor channel – in Augusta, Georgia, according to Deborah Cicatelli, Mid-South regional director for RJA. The advisors join from Wells Fargo Advisors, where they previously managed more than $468 million in client assets. Together, they operate as Cypress Wealth Group of Raymond James.
“I’m pleased to welcome this accomplished team to Raymond James,” said Cicatelli. “Raymond James continues to be an optimal firm for financial advisors looking for that unique balance of independence by way of practice ownership, coupled with the offerings that make it easy for them to serve their clients’ needs. We’re proud to be that destination of choice for financial advisor teams like Cypress Wealth Group.”
“We liked the technology and managed platforms that Raymond James has to offer,” said Helton, first vice president, Investments. “It was also important to us to be able to work with any client we choose to work with. The independence and autonomy at Raymond James allows us to run our business in a way that works best for us and our clients.”
Ferrara, first vice president, Investments, has been in the financial services industry for more than 20 years, beginning in 1981 and at Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank. In 1985, he transitioned to senior business management positions, before returning to the financial services industry in 1999 with J.C. Bradford/UBS PaineWebber. He worked at Morgan Keegan and Wachovia Securities, which later became Wells Fargo Advisors, before joining Raymond James. Ferrara is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College.
Helton has been a financial advisors for more than 20 years, beginning his career with J.C. Bradford & Company. He served as a financial advisor with UBS PaineWeber, Morgan Keegan and Wachovia Securities (now Wells Fargo Advisors) before joining Raymond James. Helton is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
Prior to joining Raymond James, Preissler, first vice president, Investments, spent over two decades as a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors and its predecessor firms. He received his degree in finance from the University of South Carolina.
Prior to joining Raymond James, McGee, vice president, Investments, had been a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors. When he joined Wells Fargo Advisors, he brought with him over seven years of experience in the banking industry from working both with Wells Fargo Bank and Synovus Bank (formerly Athens First Bank & Trust). McGee attended the University of Georgia.
About Raymond James & Associates
Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC, which has built a national reputation for more than 58 years as a leader in financial planning for individuals, corporations and municipalities, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 8,300 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are $1.13 trillion. Additional information is available at raymondjames.com.