Two wealth management firms are bolstering their Sun Belt footprints with high-profile advisor hires, underscoring the intensifying competition for experienced talent in fast-growing U.S. markets. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC launched a Houston office on October 16, 2026, with four financial advisors who collectively manage nearly $3.5 billion in client assets. The team, which previously operated at Raymond James, gives Janney its second major Texas outpost following a Dallas entry in 2025.
The Houston group, known as the Edwards Fitzpatrick Group, is led by Sean Fitzpatrick and James "Jim" Edwards, both managing directors and repeat honorees on Forbes' Best-in-State Wealth Advisors and Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors lists. They are joined by Lance Murphy, a senior vice president with deep Houston ties, and Christin Simon, vice president of investments, who has worked with the group since 2013.
Fitzpatrick cited Janney's blend of personalized support and institutional resources as a key draw. "After carefully evaluating the platforms, cultures, and capabilities available to us, Janney stood out for the combination of personal attention and sophisticated resources," he said. "Leadership is accessible, people took the time to understand our business, and that level of partnership was important to us."
Kevin Reed, president of Janney's Private Client Group, framed the hires as evidence of the firm's appeal to advisors seeking greater autonomy. "Their decisions to join Janney demonstrate why experienced advisors are choosing our firm: greater flexibility, personalized support, and the capabilities they need to serve complex clients and continue growing," he said.
The Philadelphia-based firm has been on an aggressive expansion streak. In the first quarter of 2026, Janney reported its strongest recruiting quarter in over a decade, adding 13 advisors with more than $3.5 billion in assets. That followed a record 2025, when 33 advisors joined, bringing in over $6.5 billion in new client assets. Frank Amigo, Janney's Gulf regional director, said Houston was a logical next step. "Opening an office in Houston with this group of experienced advisors gives us an outstanding foundation in the market," he noted. "We see significant opportunity to build on this presence and continue attracting experienced advisors across Texas."
Meanwhile, Rockefeller Global Family Office, the wealth management arm of Rockefeller Capital Management, has deepened its Naples, Florida presence with the addition of The Kellam Group, a team that previously worked at Truist. Led by Gordon Kellam, a private advisor and managing director with more than 25 years of experience, the group serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, business owners, and multigenerational families. The team also includes managing directors Matt Caras and Owen Wilson, senior wealth strategist Brad Cherkin, and several client-facing associates and analysts.
Rockefeller first opened its Naples office earlier in 2026, and the Kellam Group addition accelerates its Gulf Coast strategy. Michael Outlaw, president of Rockefeller Global Family Office, said the hire builds on "meaningful momentum" and helps the firm deliver its full platform in "strategic private wealth markets." The team reports to Kristen Sario, Southeast regional president, who praised the group's "decades of experience helping families navigate the complexities of wealth."
The moves come as firms jockey for position in the Sun Belt, where population growth and business formation are driving wealth creation. Recent recruiting activity has been brisk across the industry, with Ameriprise, Wells Fargo, Raymond James, and Cetera collectively adding $2.4 billion in advisor teams, and LPL, Raymond James, and RBC pulling in $1.6 billion in moves. For Janney and Rockefeller, the latest hires are part of a broader push to capture a larger share of the high-net-worth market in the South.
