Business Development Manager

People moves: Cetera hires RIA execs from Raymond James, Primerica. Also, merchant bank Valeon hires a managing director from Houlihan Lokey, Verdence brings on a financial planning head, and Credent Wealth adds AssetMark's CEO to its board. Alex Ortolani, Senior Reporter, Wealth Management July 31, 2026 Independent broker/dealer Cetera has hired two executives for its registered investment advisor channel from competitors. Torrance Chaplin, formerly of Primerica, will be the community leader of Cetera Investors, and Sean Marrin, formerly of Raymond James, will be the community leader of Cetera's RIA Network. According to San Diego-based Cetera, Chaplin and Marrin will lead advisor engagement, drive community growth and advocate for financial professionals across their respective channels, with a focus on recruiting, retention, advisor productivity and sustainable business growth. "Torrance and Sean are proven leaders who have dedicated their careers to helping financial professionals and businesses thrive," said Jennifer Hanau, president of the Cetera RIA & Branches channel. Chaplin was most recently a regional vice president with Primerica, where he led a multi-state business supporting senior leaders, more than 250 financial advisors and independent business owners. Marrin has focused on independent advisors during his career, most recently serving as division director for RIA & Custody Services at Raymond James. In June, Cetera launched a dedicated RIA & Branches Channel under Hanau's direction. The channel includes a supported RIA option, a W-2 RIA business line and supported independent branches. Valeon Partners hires managing director for market strategy. Valeon Partners, a merchant bank serving founders, family offices and private equity stakeholders in partnership with Leon Capital Group, has hired Lawson Smith as managing director responsible for overseeing the firm's market strategies. Smith brings 25 years of experience in capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and post-close office-of-the-CFO advisory work, according to the Dallas-based firm said. He was most recently a managing director at investment bank and consultancy Houlihan Lokey. "Lawson brings an exceptional combination of technical expertise, strategic insight, and a collaborative approach that resonates with both clients and colleagues," Valeon CEO C. Travis Pittman said in a statement. While at Houlihan Lokey, Smith founded the firm's Accounting and Financial Reporting practice group and subsequently served in an advisory markets leadership role. Previously, he spent 15 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, including as managing director in the firm's Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory practice. Verdence adds executive director of financial planning. Verdence Capital Advisors, a Hunt Valley, Md.-based private wealth advisory and multi-family office with approximately $4.9 billion in assets under management, hired Bryan Dalesandro as executive director of financial planning. Dalesandro will oversee the firm's financial planning division, working with advisory teams and clients to build and refine planning strategies for ultra-high-net-worth families, the company said. "Bryan's arrival reflects exactly where we are headed as a firm," Leo Kelly, founder, CEO and partner with Verdence, said in a statement. "We built Verdence around sophisticated planning for ultra-high-net-worth clients and their families, and that only works if the team leading it has real depth." Dalesandro joins Verdence from RiversEdge Advisors, where he served as director of financial planning, a role he also held previously at Concentus Wealth Advisors. He specializes in estate planning strategies, retirement and cash flow planning, investment management and risk management for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. Credent Wealth adds AssetMark CEO to board. Credent Wealth Management, an Auburn, Ind.-based registered investment advisor with over $4.5 billion in assets under management, has named Michael Kim, president and CEO of AssetMark, as an independent board member, the company announced. Kim has spent over 15 years at AssetMark, a $180 billion wealth management platform serving advisors. "We are excited to have Michael Kim joining our board of directors," David Hefty, CEO of Credent, said in a statement. "We're confident that the insights and expertise he brings to the table will help us elevate our client experience, propagate our mission, and remain innovative and adaptable." Kim joins current board members David Hefty, Stacy Hefty, Dennis Kehoe, and the firm's strategic investor, Crestline Management, which took a minority stake in Credent in December. Senior Reporter, Wealth Management Alex Ortolani is a New York-based senior reporter with Wealth Management with a focus on deals, moves and trends in the registered investment advisor space. In addition to financial and business reporting, he has worked in media relations and corporate communications for tech firms and Fortune 500 companies.

Cetera names Torrance Chaplin and Sean Marrin Community leaders within RIA & Branches channel. Jul 30, 2026, 11:30 ET Veteran wealth management executives bring decades of leadership experience to support growth and advisor success across two key advisor communities SAN DIEGO, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Cetera today announced the appointments of Torrance Chaplin as Community Leader of Cetera Investors and Sean Marrin as Community Leader of RIA Network, two advisor communities within Cetera's RIA & Branches channel. Cetera Investors is a community of independent advisors operating through Cetera's supported independence branch model, combining entrepreneurial freedom with the support of a national wealth management platform. RIA Network, powered by Blueprint, serves independent RIAs seeking autonomy combined with the power of Cetera's tools and resources, along with the flexibility to operate their businesses in the way that best serves their clients. In their new roles, Chaplin and Marrin will lead advisor engagement, drive community growth and advocate for the evolving needs of financial professionals across their respective communities, with a focus on recruiting, retention, advisor productivity and sustainable business growth. Together, they bring more than five decades of leadership experience spanning wealth management, advisor development, business growth, and client service. Chaplin and Marrin will report to Jennifer Hanau, President, Cetera RIA & Branches channel. "Torrance and Sean are proven leaders who have dedicated their careers to helping financial professionals and businesses thrive," Hanau said. "They each bring a unique combination of strategic leadership, operational expertise and deep advisor relationships that align perfectly with our vision for the RIA & Branches channel. Their experience, passion for advisor success and commitment to building strong communities will help strengthen the value we deliver." Torrance Chaplin - Community Leader, Cetera Investors Chaplin joins Cetera Investors after more than two decades of executive leadership in wealth management, most recently serving as Regional Vice President with Primerica, where he led a top-performing multi-state business supporting senior leaders, more than 250 financial advisors and independent business owners. He brings extensive experience driving revenue and asset growth, advisor development, recruiting and retention, practice management, operational excellence and client engagement across affluent, high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth markets. Throughout his career, he has focused on helping financial professionals grow their businesses, deepen client relationships, and achieve long-term success. Prior to his wealth management career, Chaplin served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he held leadership roles in financial management, logistics, and operational planning, overseeing complex organizations, significant budgets and critical initiatives. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy. "Cetera Investors has built a strong reputation for empowering advisors to grow while delivering positive outcomes for their clients," Chaplin said. "What attracted me to this role was the opportunity to work alongside talented advisors and leaders who share a commitment to helping clients achieve their financial goals. I am excited to collaborate closely with our advisors to grow their businesses, elevate the advisor experience, and continuing strengthening Cetera Investors as a premier supported independence affiliation model." Sean Marrin - Community Leader, RIA Network Marrin brings more than 30 years of financial services experience with a focus on independent advisors. Most recently, he served as Division Director for RIA & Custody Services at Raymond James, where he played a key role in expanding the advisor platform by partnering with and recruiting high-performing independent advisory firms across the country. Earlier in his career, Marrin held leadership and business development roles at Schwab Institutional and LPL Financial. Throughout his career, Marrin has specialized in helping independent advisors and RIA firms build and scale successful practices, with expertise spanning advisory platform development, custody relationships, practice management, advisor recruiting, onboarding, transition support and relationship management. "RIA Network represents an important community of independent advisors who value flexibility, scale and the ability to build their businesses on their own terms," Marrin said. "Cetera has built a compelling platform that combines independence, flexibility and scale. I'm excited to work alongside these advisors, understand their goals and help ensure they have the support and solutions they need to continue growing their businesses and serving clients at the highest level." Financial professionals interested in learning more about Cetera's RIA & Branches channel can visit Cetera.com. About Cetera Cetera is the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub, empowering independent advisors and institutions with personalized support, flexible affiliation models, and end-to-end growth solutions. Home to approximately 12,000 financial professionals and institutions, Cetera's multi-channel ecosystem enables financial professionals to grow, scale or transition their businesses on their own terms. Unlike traditional IBDs, Cetera offers true choice - blending modern technology, integrated wealth solutions, and a community-driven culture. Cetera's five-channel model and commitment to long-term advisor value provide a scalable blueprint for consistent, repeatable growth. As of March 31, 2026, Cetera firms manage approximately $630 billion in assets under administration and $296 billion in assets under management. Its Voice of the Customer program has captured nearly 50,000 advisor reviews, with more than 43,000 five-star ratings, giving Cetera a 4.7 out of 5 satisfaction score. Cetera is a network of independent retail firms, including those that are members of FINRA/SIPC: Cetera Advisors LLC; Cetera Wealth Services, LLC (formerly known as Cetera Advisor Networks); Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors); and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. Entities registered as investment advisers with the Securities and Exchange Commission include Cetera Investment Management LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Cetera's principal office is located at 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc., is an SEC registered investment adviser within the Aretec Group, Inc. (dba Cetera Holdings, an affiliate of CFG). All the referenced entities are under common ownership. Cetera exclusively provides investment products and services through its representatives. Although Cetera does not provide tax or legal advice, or supervise tax, accounting or legal services, Cetera representatives may offer these services through their independent outside businesses. This information is not intended as tax or legal advice. SOURCE Cetera Financial Group

Cetera taps veteran leader from Choreo to lead tax-focused CFS unit. Craig Bartlett, community leader of Cetera Financial Specialists. Craig Bartlett brings more than 30 years of experience, including stripes from Creative Planning and UBS, as survey data point to a tax planning gap among US investors. JUL 27, 2026 Cetera has named a new leader for its Cetera Financial Specialists community, putting a tax-focused wealth executive at the head of the firm's advisor group built around the intersection of tax and financial planning. The newly announced external hire, Craig Bartlett, will be taking the helm of a community that sits within Cetera's Tax & Accounting channel alongside Avantax. Bartlett joins Cetera from Choreo, a wealth management firm built around a network of advisors serving CPAs, entrepreneurs, and individuals, where he served as senior vice president of advisors focused on advisor leadership and organizational growth. His broader background spans more than 30 years across wealth management, broker-dealer, insurance and advisory platforms, including earlier roles at Creative Planning/Wipfli Financial Advisors - the wealth arm of accounting firm Wipfli - as well as U.S. Bank, UBS, Transamerica and Allstate. Beyond the highlights on Bartlett's resume, Andy Watts, Cetera's Tax & Accounting channel leader, pointed to his "strategic thinking, execution-oriented sales leadership, and relationship management skills" as reasons for the hire. For his part, Bartlett described the move as an opportunity to build on a tried and truly successful advisor culture. "CFS advisors have created something truly special - a culture where deep tax expertise and genuine client care go hand in hand, and the results speak for themselves," he said. Bartlett's appointment is the latest in a series of community-leader moves Cetera has made since last year. In May 2025, the firm promoted Clint Brookshire to community leader of Avantax, the tax-focused advisor group it acquired in 2023, while also naming John Lefferts to head Cetera Investors.Lefferts, who arrived following a leadership role at Equitable Advisors, parted ways with Cetera in April. Last July, Cetera appointed Richard Vogel - a Merrill Lynch and Bank of America alum who was most recently affiliated with Ameriprise - to lead Cetera Advisors. A few months later in October, the firm tapped Paul Polese, a veteran of Pershing, Charles Schwab and Fidelity, to lead its RIA Blueprint program. The CFS appointment lands as survey data suggests many advisors still aren't making taxes a regular part of client conversations, even though clients increasingly expect them to. According to Nationwide's most recent Advisor Authority research, 80% of investors expect taxes to rise in the future, yet less than one-third of that group said they are proactively adjusting their financial plan. The disconnect extends to advisor engagement. Only 37% of respondents said their advisor proactively discusses tax planning strategies or tax policy changes as part of regular review meetings, while another 11% said those discussions happen only when major tax law changes occur, and 11% said taxes come up only when the client asks. "Advisors should make taxes a part of regular client discussions," said Nationwide Annuity president Kush Kotecha, adding that investors not receiving regular tax guidance should ask for it or consider working with a professional who prioritizes tax-efficient retirement planning. Tax planning is also increasingly becoming a factor in RIA M&A. Last month, Waverly Advisors announced a deal to acquire WealthPlans in Maryland, along with its affiliate tax and accounting firm, Cooley & Associates. Shortly after, Wealth Enhancement revealed it had acquired Trippon Wealth Management Group & J.M. Trippon & Company PC CPAs in Houston, adding eight tax professionals and eight support staff.