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Clearstead Names Shaun McCracken M&A Director
Clearstead Advisors, a Cleveland-based registered investment advisor with $62 billion in assets under advisement, has appointed Shaun McCracken as executive managing director, mergers and acquisitions, a new role for the firm.
McCracken came from insurance brokerage Acrisure, where he began about eight years ago as an analyst before rising to director of mergers and acquisitions.
Clearstead CEO and President Bradley Knapp said in a statement that McCracken’s “experience and extensive M&A knowledge demonstrate an exceptional record of achievement that will be critical to Clearstead remaining a forward-thinking firm poised for growth and committed to exceptional client service.”
In his new role, McCracken will oversee Clearstead’s M&A strategy and execution, working with leadership to identify and pursue growth opportunities. Founded in 1989, Clearstead provides financial, tax and investment planning to private clients and institutions.
It joins numerous other RIAs in hiring an in-house head of M&A in recent years.
Raymond James Investment Management Taps Kristi Higgins as Head of ETF Strategy
Raymond James’ investment management division, a global asset management firm overseeing $115 billion in assets, has named Kristi Higgins as head of ETF strategy.
Higgins has left a role as senior investment strategist at Dimensional Fund Advisors, and before that worked in ETFs at Allianz Life. Over the course of her career, she has launched and scaled over 30 ETFs across asset classes.
At Raymond James Investment Management, she will work to expand its active ETF platform while reporting to Johan Grahn, head of ETFs. The division currently has a suite of three actively managed ETFs offering income-oriented strategies through a tax-efficient structure.
“Kristi’s experience building ETF platforms makes her an ideal partner as we scale our ETF capabilities,” Matt Johnson, head of commercial strategy, said in a statement. “Active ETFs are a central pillar of our long-term product strategy, and we are leaning in with conviction.”
Cetera Hires Former Fidelity RIA Referral Lead as Growth Head
Cetera Financial Group has hired Fidelity Investments’ head of its Wealth Advisor Solutions referral program to serve as managing director and head of strategic growth, according to a LinkedIn post.
The San Diego-based independent broker/dealer said Matt Kwartler has taken the role to lead Cetera’s growth across channels, partly leveraging his experience working with RIAs from Fidelity’s coveted client referral program.
“With 25-plus years of experience, Matt has helped some of the largest RIAs in the country achieve sustained organic growth,” Cetera wrote in the post. “His experience in strategic partnerships and growth program design directly supports the future we’re building at Cetera.”
Harbourfront Wealth Group Names Richard McIntyre CEO
Harbourfront Wealth Group, an independent wealth advisory firm with over 60 locations across Canada and a U.S. RIA affiliate, has named Richard McIntyre as CEO.
McIntyre, who previously served as president and chief executive officer at Manulife Wealth, brings more than 30 years of experience from leadership roles at firms including Dundee Corporation and Scotia Private Client Group.
He will lead Harbourfront Wealth’s growth strategy, focusing on scaling its advisor-first platform and expanding its presence among independent advisors.
“Bringing in a CEO with Richard’s experience allows us to deepen leadership capacity, further strengthen execution, and continue pursuing our long-term growth and M&A strategy,” Danny Popescu, founder, executive chair, and former CEO of Harbourfront Wealth, said in a statement.
Popescu will continue to lead the firm’s M&A initiatives and shape its long-term strategy, according to the Toronto-based firm. Harbourfront Wealth forecasts its assets under administration to be $25 billion by the end of 2026.
Rossby Financial Names Marissa Harris Chief Compliance Officer
Rossby Financial, a Melbourne, Fla.-based RIA founded in 2023 with a subscription-based fee model and open architecture technology, has named Marissa Harris as its chief compliance officer.
Harris will leave her position as founder of JBD Risk & Compliance to join Rossby. She had previously held senior compliance roles at Synchrony and Ally Invest, with almost 20 years of experience managing business-line risk and compliance teams.
She will oversee compliance across Rossby’s network of advisors and firms, including cybersecurity, AI, and privacy.
“Marissa has been a powerhouse in compliance throughout her career,” Andrew J. Evans, founder of Rossby Financial, said in a statement. “Her keen insights and thoroughness will benefit not only our firm but the advisors we serve.”
Rossby has amassed about $576 million in client assets since its launch by Evans, with advisors joining on a subscription fee model that allows them to keep 100% of their payouts, according to the firm. Evans was an executive vice president at Tag Advisors, an OSJ of Cambridge Investment Research, before launching Rossby.
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