This news article originally appeared on ResearchMag.com on 2/12.
Raymond James Financial says that has continued to attract experienced financial advisors to its private client group both in the last three months of 2009 and into January, though not as rapidly as during the peak of the recent financial crisis.
The latest batch includes advisors from Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch with total assets under management of more than $1 billion.
"Recruiting for both traditional employees and independent contractors has certainly slowed from the record levels of early 2009," says Chet Helck, Raymond James COO and head of the firm's private client group. "But we are still attracting top tier advisors who recognize that Raymond James is a stable firm, where they can put their clients' interests first, own their own book of business, access superior resources and research, all while receiving the highest levels of client service."
Recent recruits include the following:
- 25-year veteran Ron Richardson, CFP, and J. Dale Thurman, who came from Morgan Stanley Smith Barney where they managed over $86 million in client assets in Oklahoma City, Ok.
- Alex Opoulos and Nick Holmes joined the Raymond James office in Charleston, SC from Merrill Lynch, where they had annual revenue of $1.1 million and managed over $200 million in client assets.
