Laura Ward is joining William Blair as a managing director and wealth advisor out of San Francisco a month after her previous firm collapsed and was acquired by JPMorgan Chase.

Edelman Financial Engines' current chief, Larry Raffone, will transition to chairman, effective in August.

Morgan Stanley's $4.6 trillion wealth management business has seen significant growth in the past 10 years and posted $6.6 billion in pretax profit last year.

A trio from the former Signature Bank will operate as an independent team associated with a branch of Cadaret Grant.

Franklin Templeton will initially pay $925 million in shares and cash to acquire Putnam from Great-West Lifeco Inc.

While fluctuating capital markets may have caused buyers to become more selective, the talk of slowing RIA M&A activity has been overexaggerated, and valuations remain high for growing firms, said panelists at the RIA Edge conference last week.

The unit, called 23 Wall, focuses on about 700 families worth more than $4.5 trillion.