LPL Financial has recruited Cebert Wealth Advisors, a seven-advisor team previously with Ameriprise that oversees roughly $1 billion in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets. The practice, based in The Villages, Fla., focuses on retirees, pre-retirees and multigenerational families in one of the nation's largest planned retirement communities, according to LPL's announcement Wednesday.
Dale Cebert, the firm's founder, leads a team that includes Alec Thomas, Catherine Harris, Tom Romanac, Stephen Peterson, David DeSantis and Mark Dickerson. Together, they serve more than 1,700 clients, the majority of whom are at or near retirement. The team is supported by 11 client service and operations professionals.
"The Villages is a community filled with people who have worked hard, built meaningful careers and are now focused on enjoying retirement while protecting what they've built," Cebert said. "Our role is to help clients navigate that transition with confidence by providing thoughtful, personalized strategies that support sustainable income, long-term financial freedom and legacy planning." Cebert cited LPL's flexibility and expanded resources as key reasons for the move.
This addition follows LPL's recent welcome of Davis Executive Wealth, a team formerly with Steward Partners in Massachusetts. The moves come amid ongoing recruiting battles, as highlighted by a judge halting forensic searches of advisors' devices in an Ameriprise-LPL recruiting dispute.
Cetera Adds $176M Advisor, Welcomes Back $217M Boomerang
Cetera Financial Group announced two advisor moves this week. Mark Yatros and his Allegiant Wealth Strategies practice in Michigan joined Cetera's Summit Financial Networks community, bringing approximately $176 million in assets under administration. Yatros spent nearly a decade with Commonwealth Financial Network, which was acquired by LPL, sparking a recruitment free-for-all among rival broker-dealers. He has 35 years of industry experience and leads a four-person fully licensed team.
"Commonwealth was extremely advisor-focused, and they had that small-firm feel," Yatros said. "In my experience, as broker-dealers get larger and larger, you get further and further away from the people who matter most to supporting your business. ... I didn't want to go back to that structure." He noted Summit's selectivity mirrored Commonwealth's membership-like culture.
Separately, Cetera said Mark Gavrilov and his Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Gavrilov Wealth Management practice returned to the firm less than 30 days after leaving for LPL. Gavrilov, who oversees approximately $217 million in AUA and serves nearly 1,000 clients, described his LPL departure as a "trial period." A 2024 and 2025 recipient of Cetera's Circle of Excellence award, Gavrilov was with LPL from 2012 to 2019, then affiliated with Cetera from 2019 until his brief move.
"Over the past few weeks, I explored a new professional environment and gained fresh perspective within our industry," Gavrilov said. "After reviewing other options, it became clear to me that Cetera is at the head of the industry in terms of technology, service and turnaround time for issue resolution." LeAnn Rummel, president and CEO of Cetera Investment Services, acknowledged the pull of transition incentives, noting that "transition checks can be extraordinarily compelling."
Raymond James Adds $112M Advisor in Indiana
Raymond James' Financial Institutions Division welcomed Larry Rolland to First Farmers Investment Group at First Farmers Bank & Trust in Kokomo, Ind. Rolland manages more than $112 million in client assets and was previously affiliated with LPL. He brings more than 25 years of financial services experience and is married to Irene Rolland, branch manager at FFIG. Grace Austin, senior vice president and North division director of Raymond James FID, said the firm is "proud to support First Farmers Investment Group's continued growth."
The latest moves underscore the competitive landscape for advisor talent, with firms like LPL, Cetera and Raymond James vying for experienced teams. For more on industry trends, see Affinity Groups Drive Retention, Revenue at RIAs: Three Case Studies and Lido Advisors Adds $1B Tulsa RIA; Integrated Partners Lands $850M Boston Firm.
