May has brought a flurry of advisor movement across the independent broker-dealer and wirehouse channels, with Wells Fargo Advisors, LPL Financial, and Cetera all announcing significant hires. The activity underscores ongoing competition for experienced teams managing substantial client assets.
Wells Fargo Advisors announced the addition of the Bartoli Private Wealth Management Group, a five-advisor team that previously operated from Morgan Stanley's Lemoyne, Pennsylvania office. The group oversees approximately $1.5 billion in client assets. The team includes brothers Stephen Bartoli, David Bartoli, and Patrick Bartoli, along with advisors Craig McLean and William Duval. Support staff Leigh Beshaw, Kristen Rodriguez, and Andrea Taylor also made the transition. This move follows Wells Fargo's recent recruitment of The Taylor Group in New York City, which manages $6 billion, and AGT Private Wealth Group in Frisco, Texas, with over $1.6 billion. Ken Terranova, Wells Fargo Advisors' Greater Pennsylvania Market Leader, noted that the team was attracted to the firm's combination of institutional resources and localized support.
LPL Financial reported that advisors Conley Thornhill, Doug Rathbun, and Nikki Rathbun have joined its Linsco channel to form Paxara Wealth Partners. The team brings approximately $330 million in advisory, brokerage, and retirement plan assets from UBS. Based in Winter Haven, Florida, outside Tampa, the group serves a national clientele including business owners, physicians, executives, and retirees. Thornhill, the firm's founder and lead advisor, has a 44-year FINRA record with prior stints at Morgan Stanley and AG Edwards. He has been recognized by Forbes as a top state advisor from 2020 through 2025. The practice name Paxara derives from the Latin word for peace, reflecting its focus on building lasting financial foundations for multigenerational families. Doug Rathbun cited the desire for better technology, greater independence, and freedom from proprietary product constraints as key reasons for the move.
Cetera Financial Group welcomed advisor Jaakko "Jack" Kasko, whose Saint Joseph, Michigan-based practice, Milestone Wealth Management, oversees approximately $150 million in assets under administration. Kasko spent the past decade with Commonwealth Financial Network before evaluating options following Commonwealth's acquisition by LPL. In a statement, Kasko said Cetera's Summit Financial Networks community offered a cultural fit similar to what he valued at Commonwealth. Operational efficiency also played a role, with Kasko emphasizing the importance of reliable back-end systems to focus on client service. His practice specializes in retirement and pre-retirement planning for business owners and individuals transitioning from wealth accumulation to income generation. Cetera has emerged as an active recruiter of former Commonwealth advisors since the acquisition.
These moves reflect broader trends in the wealth management industry, as advisors seek platforms that offer greater autonomy, advanced technology, and supportive cultures. For more on recent advisor transitions, see LPL-Affiliated Genesis Wealth Hires JPMorgan Veteran with $725M; UBS Adds $2B in Southeast; Osaic Lures $300M Team from Wells Fargo and LPL Financial Recruits UBS Veteran with $250M; &Partners Adds Three Teams Totaling $1.6B.
