Advisory M&A News – 3/4/2026

Osaic Adds $352M Women-Led Team

Osaic Inc. announced that Financial Adviser Heather Hackett and her firm, Financial Planning Department, joined Osaic’s wealth management platform. The Long Beach, California-based team with $352 million in client assets transitioned from Commonwealth Financial Network.

Financial Planning Department is a women-led advisory team with a focus on financial planning, investment management, tax planning, and preparation and risk management strategies.

Osaic, a portfolio company of Reverence Capital Partners, has more than 10,000 financial professionals.

Aspen Standard Buys $1B RIA BlueSky Wealth Advisors

Aspen Standard Wealth LLC acquired BlueSky Wealth Advisors LLC, a New Bern, North Carolina-based registered investment advisory with $1 billion in assets under management.

BlueSky is an independent financial advisory firm providing investment management and comprehensive financial planning.

This is the seventh acquisition for Aspen since its launch in late 2024. Previous deals included MG Financial, Sky Investment Group, New England Private Wealth Advisors, Martel Wealth Advisors, DHK Financial Advisors and Summitry.

Beddow Capital Management Joins First Manhattan

First Manhattan, an independently owned and operated investment advisory firm, announced that Beddow Capital Management, a registered investment adviser with more than $300 million in assets under management, joined the firm. Founder Edward Beddow, an industry veteran with nearly 40 years of experience, will serve as senior managing director and portfolio manager and will continue to advise clients from Jackson, Wyoming.

“Joining First Manhattan allows me to continue serving clients with the same investment philosophy that has defined my career,” said Beddow, in a statement. “At the same time, the firm’s research depth, operational strength and integrated trust and wealth planning capabilities meaningfully broaden what we can deliver to clients over time.”

First Manhattan is an investment advisory firm with more than $36 billion in assets under management.

Kestra Private Wealth Services, Kindred Wealth Partners Add New Adviser

Kestra Private Wealth Services, a registered investment adviser subsidiary of Kestra Financial Inc., announced that Eric Longstreth, a veteran financial adviser with more than 20 years of experience, joined Kestra’s community of independent financial professionals. The independent channel is in partnership with Kindred Wealth Partners, a Pennsylvania-based wealth management firm affiliated with Kestra PWS.

Longstreth previously managed $250 million in client assets and brings experience in financial planning, tax planning and estate planning.

Prime Capital Financial Hires San Antonio Adviser

Prime Capital Financial hired  Sonali Patel, a San Antonio-based financial adviser with more than a decade of industry experience.

Prior to joining Prime Capital Financial, Patel served as vice president of private wealth at Texas Capital Bank, advising high-net-worth clients on wealth management strategies. She began her career as an equity analyst at Goldman Sachs before moving into institutional sales and trading roles, focusing on volatility research and hedging strategies.

Prime Capital Financial established its San Antonio office through its 2022 acquisition of Crossvault Capital Management, a former partner firm that operates now fully as Prime Capital Financial.

Osaic Welcomes $464M Wealth Management Team

Osaic Inc. announced that Garnder Wallace Financial Solutions joined the firm through Kurt Jonson’s Advisory Resource Group, an office of supervisory jurisdiction. Based in Addison, Texas, Gardner Wallace oversees $464 million in client assets and previously operated with Kestra.

The firm is led by Advisers Frances Gardner, Andrew Gardner and Patrick Wallace and provides wealth management, insurance, business planning and tax planning services for individuals and business owners.

Through Osaic and ARG, Gardner Wallace plans to leverage business development support, platform efficiencies and succession planning resources, according to the announcement.