LPL Financial and Berthel Fisher Companies have each added advisory teams to their platforms, bringing in a combined $321 million in client assets. The moves underscore the continued recruiting activity in the independent broker-dealer space, where firms are competing to attract experienced advisors seeking greater support and flexibility.
LPL Financial announced that Brian Lubel has joined its Independent Advisor Network model to support Cypress Point Wealth Partners, the practice he founded near Orlando, Florida. Lubel reported approximately $175 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets and arrives from MML Investors Services. His team includes an associate advisor and two client services specialists.
Cypress Point Wealth Partners was built around a planning-first approach, with Lubel initiating client relationships through a discovery process focused on goals, priorities and overall fit. His client base consists primarily of business owners and career-driven professionals, a roster he expanded over time through referrals rather than acquisitions.
Lubel said the decision to move followed a period of due diligence aimed at reinforcing his independence while adding more structured support behind the scenes. “As my business has grown, I’ve been focused on finding ways to operate more efficiently and better serve my clients,” Lubel said. “LPL’s scale, technology and forward-looking capabilities, particularly in areas like AI and practice management, will help streamline my business and position us for continued growth.”
Separately, Berthel Fisher Companies recruited APP Financial, a Fort Wayne, Indiana practice led by Gregory Whitenack with roughly $146 million in client assets. The three-person team focuses on securities and retirement planning for clients approaching retirement, with a service model built around quick response times and personal accessibility.
The addition is part of a broader expansion push for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based firm, which has brought on financial professionals across Missouri, California, Texas and New Jersey so far in 2026, alongside next-generation hires at existing branches. Berthel Fisher has also introduced Madyson Tracy as its new vice president of business development, a role focused on supporting growth and succession planning for advisors on the platform. Tracy joins with nearly a decade of experience spanning advisor support, operations, client service and business development, most recently as director of organizational development at Renaissance Financial.
These moves come amid a broader trend of advisors seeking more robust technology and practice management support. For more on how firms are adapting, see WestPac: Fragmented Advice Teams Leave Concentration Risk Unmanaged for Affluent Clients. Additionally, the integration of AI into advisory platforms is becoming a key differentiator, as highlighted in Cerity Partners Appoints Will Peng as First Chief Innovation Officer, Joining AI-Focused Executive Trend.
The independent channel continues to attract advisors who value autonomy but also seek the resources of larger organizations. As LPL and Berthel Fisher demonstrate, the ability to offer a combination of independence and institutional support remains a powerful draw for advisors looking to scale their practices.
