(Photo: AP)
Raymond James recently recruited a $900 million team from Merrill Lynch and a $200 million duo from Wells Fargo Advisors to its independent channel.
The ex-Merrill group includes advisors Neil J. Goetzman, Jeffrey A. Nau, CFP, and Gerald Lyon, as well as registered client service associate Kathy Trzaskoma. It is based in Alexandria, Virginia, where it does business as Goetzman Nau Financial Partners.
"From the beginning, we could tell the atmosphere and culture at Raymond James were different," according to Nau. "Taking our due diligence process very seriously, we wanted to ensure that we had a partner that would offer the best opportunities in helping us serve our clients … for the long haul."
Goetzman began his career 32 years ago at Merrill Lynch, while Nau did so 20 years ago; the two became business partners in 2004. Lyon joined Merrill about 14 years ago. Trzaskoma begam working with Goetzman and Nau 15 years ago.
Meanwhile, Raymond James recruited two registered reps from Wells Fargo Advisors: Mark Killingsworth, CFP, and Stephen Vessey in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. They work with registered client service associate Carrie Decker and operate as Killingsworth & Vessey Financial Partners.
"We were attracted to Raymond James' exceptional focus on comprehensive financial planning for clients and continued commitment to its wealth management offerings," said Vessey, in a statement.
Killingsworth has 34 years of industry experience, most of it at A.G. Edwards & Sons and its successor firms Wachovia Securities and Wells Fargo Advisors. Vessey began his career at Wells Fargo in late 2017, after working in education for 22 years.
