Advisors On the Move: Spring Thaw Inspires Change

Retirement Benefits Group welcomed wealth advisor Michael Rosenthal to their Irvine, Calif. office on Thursday. He previously worked with LPL Financial specializing in employee retirement plans and executive benefits. RGB has over $10 billion in assets under management. Rosenthal has over 12 years of experience in the financial services industry.

HighTower Advisors named Amit Dogra as their new executive director of east coast relationship management on Wednesday. Dogra is leaving North Highland Company to provide practice management and business consulting services to drive organic growth of the firm’s industry-leading financial advisor teams in HighTower’s New York headquarters. Dogra has more than 16 years of experience in helping top wealth management firms build their businesses. HighTower has approximately $12.3 billion assets under management.

Janney Montgomery Scott landed financial advisor Martin Lutschaunig from Merrill Lynch the firm announced on Wednesday. Lutschaunig—who previously managed $250 million in client assets—will be working out of their office in Yardley, Penn. Senior registered private client assistant Patricia Coluccio will be joining him as his associate.

Wells Fargo announced on Tuesday that they picked up four advisors from Morgan Stanley, with a combined AUM of almost $600 million. Thomas Nolan, Mark Phillips, and Gary J. Parese will be joining Wells Fargo’s Westport, Conn. office. Barry D. Masci will be advising at Wells Fargo’s San Diego, Calif. office.

Raymond James picked up financial advising duo David Huffman and Aimee Boggs on Tuesday from Morgan Stanley, where Huffman served as VP of wealth management and branch manager, and Boggs served as first VP of wealth management. They managed more than $180 million in client assets. Together they will form the Boggs Huffman Wealth Management Group of Raymond James in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. As senior vice presidents of investments they will be offering a full range of financial services from charitable giving to retirement income planning.

Memphis, Tenn. based Wunderlich Securities acquired Art Hogan as chief market strategist on Monday. He will be managing $8 billion in client assets after leaving Lazard Capital Markets as deputy director of research and head of product strategy. Hogan is a regular presence in business news as well as a weekly guest on “Squawk on the Street”. He will be stationed in Wunderlich’s New York office.

Irvine, Calif.-based Affinity Investment Advisors announced last Wednesday that Dennis Shea will be joining their advisory board. Shea previously served as CIO and Global Head of Equity for Morgan Stanley Investment Management, where he managed $300 billion in assets. Shea is a recognized leader and innovator in the world of equity research and strategy as well as having more than 25 years of investment experience.