Carson Group, the Omaha-based RIA with more than $62 billion in assets under management, has hired Kevin Peterson as senior vice president of business development for its independent channel. Peterson, who spent nearly three decades in advisor recruiting, most recently served as senior vice president of sales at Osaic, where he led the firm's recruiting organization. He also helped launch Goldman Sachs Advisor Solutions and spent over 16 years at TD Ameritrade Institutional.
In his new role, Peterson will work alongside Scott Conroy, president of Carson's independent channel, to attract growth-minded independent advisors. The firm says it serves over 60,000 client families through more than 165 partner offices. Peterson's arrival comes as Carson continues to expand its independent platform, which offers flexible affiliation models for advisors at various stages of their careers.
“Kevin has built his career around understanding what advisors want to accomplish and helping them position their businesses for long-term success,” Conroy said in a statement. “He blends deep industry experience with a thoughtful, consultative approach and a genuine passion for helping advisors win.”
Peterson said he was drawn to Carson's combination of RIA and broker-dealer capabilities, as well as its investments in technology and artificial intelligence. “Independent advisors are increasingly looking for a partner that combines a strong RIA platform with broker-dealer capabilities, and Carson is well positioned to fill that need,” he said.
The hire is part of a broader trend of recruiting talent moving between large consolidators. Carson, which took a minority investment from Bain Capital in 2021, became part of Osaic's capital stack in April when Osaic completed a $2 billion recapitalization backed by Reverence Capital Partners. That deal gave Osaic a stake in Carson, creating an unusual dynamic as the two firms compete for advisors.
Osaic, which works with more than 11,000 advisors, has seen several senior executives depart in recent months. Dimple Shah, executive vice president of strategy and client experience, left in the spring to join Humanity Labs. Kristen Kimmell, executive vice president of business development, departed in June after nearly five years. Kristy Britt, chief financial officer, and Greg Cornick, executive vice president of wealth management solutions, also left in June.
Carson's move to separate its independent and integrated advisor channels earlier this summer is designed to let each business focus on the specific needs of its advisors. The firm has been actively recruiting, including a $1.76 billion Wells Fargo team in New Hampshire, its second billion-dollar deal of 2026. The industry is also seeing rising recruiting costs, which some CEOs warn are unsustainable.
Peterson's experience at TD Ameritrade, where he helped transition advisory firms onto the platform, and at Goldman Sachs, where he helped build out Advisor Solutions, gives him a broad perspective on the evolving wealth management landscape. His hire follows other notable moves in the industry, such as Cetera Financial Group's recent additions of veterans from Primerica and Raymond James to lead its RIA and branch channels.
As Carson continues to build out its independent channel, the firm is betting that its combination of technology, AI tools, and flexible affiliation models will appeal to advisors who want to maintain independence while gaining scale. Peterson's track record in recruiting suggests he will be a key player in that effort.
