Three registered investment advisory platforms closed out September with a flurry of expansion moves, collectively adding more than $1.3 billion in client assets and several advisor teams from Massachusetts to Wisconsin.
Hightower Signature Wealth, the W-2 employee-advisor platform of Hightower Advisors, said it will absorb Sandy Cove Advisors, a Hingham, Massachusetts-based firm managing roughly $752 million as of June 30. The transaction, expected to close at the end of the third quarter, marks the platform's third external acquisition this year and pushes its assets past $40 billion. That puts the firm within reach of the $40 billion-to-$50 billion year-end target it set in March, following its earlier addition of a $1.6 billion Boston-area firm.
Sandy Cove was founded by Deirdre Prescott, who serves as president and chief wealth strategist, alongside Chief Investment Officer Kate Saltonstall, a CFA charterholder. The practice specializes in investment management, financial planning and family-office services, often coordinating with clients' tax and legal advisors on legacy planning and major life transitions such as divorce. Prescott said in a statement that the firm's philosophy centers on listening before advising, a approach that will continue under Hightower's umbrella.
Jenn Frazier, president of Hightower Signature Wealth, praised the Sandy Cove team for its deep client relationships and community roots, echoing the platform's strategy of acquiring established boutiques in affluent Northeastern markets. The deal follows Hightower's recent leadership reshuffle, which brought in a former Vanguard executive as president, signaling a continued push for scale.
In the Midwest, Minneapolis-based NorthRock Partners announced that Triumph Wealth Management has joined the firm, adding approximately $350 million in assets under management, along with three advisors and six support staff. Triumph, founded by Nathan Brinkman, focuses on owners of closely held businesses and high-net-worth families, advising on business succession and intergenerational wealth transfer. The team will establish a new NorthRock office in Madison, Wisconsin, and bolster the firm's existing Milwaukee presence, which was created through its April acquisition of Vantage Financial Partners.
Brinkman said the partnership allows his team to deliver a more comprehensive level of advice and coordination than they could previously offer clients. NorthRock, which serves more than 7,000 clients and oversees upward of $13.7 billion, has now completed four partnerships this year, including the July addition of Minneapolis-based Kowalski Financial.
On the East Coast, OnePoint BFG—formerly Bleakley Financial Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey—welcomed two advisor teams with a combined $235 million in assets. Theodore “Theo” Kuczarski, a nearly 20-year industry veteran, joins as a wealth management advisor in Tampa, Florida, where he will continue offering holistic advice on retirement, tax efficiency, insurance, estate planning and life-stage decisions. Kuczarski emphasized his practice's focus on understanding client goals and fostering confident decision-making.
Separately, Mark Hoffman moved his practice from Lanier Asset Management to OnePoint BFG's Atlanta office. Hoffman's clientele consists mainly of business owners and philanthropically minded families across Georgia and Kentucky. He cited the firm's shared values and long-term view of client relationships as key factors in the move, which he said represents a strong cultural and strategic fit.
The flurry of activity comes amid a broader wave of advisor movement, with industry data showing record numbers of transitions in 2025. As firms like Hightower and NorthRock continue to consolidate, the competitive landscape for independent RIAs remains intense, with platforms vying for top talent and established books of business.
