Industry

At RIA Edge West, Charles Schwab and WealthManagement.com hosted the Female Advisor Breakfast to discuss the challenges and career transition issues women face in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Mariner CEO and President Marty Bicknell will maintain majority control, and Leonard Green & Partners will retain its minority stake in the wealth management firm.

A Georgia-based advisor is also moving from Edward Jones to Raymond James’ independent advisor channel.

Financial Planning and Information Services represents Hightower’s fifth investment this year and follows news last week that it will take a majority stake in NEPC, an institutional consulting firm.

The company, which launched in early 2024, has raised $21 million to date for its automated research agent product.

The two public-private fixed-income funds are the first products of the partnership the firms announced in May.

Ninety-two percent of firms surveyed by the ACA Group and National Society of Compliance Professionals have no policies in place for AI use by third parties and service providers.

Boca Raton-based Wealth Empowerment Financial Strategies joins Kestra Financial from B. Riley Wealth Management, which is reportedly in talks to sell to Stifel.

Mercer Advisors collaborated on the design for 18 months as an anchor customer; 60+ firms have since been added during the beta period.

The annual report from PwC and the Urban Land Institute predicts a slow and gradual recovery for U.S. commercial real estate.