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People Moves Related to "RIA executives who defined $5.5 trillion, 12-year growth run in RIA biz represent new resource -- 'on-tap' senior advisory talent"


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Seven 'RIA' chief executives are stepping aside for CEO 'operators' as PE backers get 'trigger' happy in adverse market; here are their stories

Sep 7, 2023

Whether it's Edelman Financial Engines, SMArtX, Allworth or InvestCloud, the re-CEO-ing process follows a fat 2020 capital raise and thinner results in stormy financial markets.


Bill Crager leaps back into the RIA fray with 'moonshot' bid to Envestnet-ize alts backed by WestCap and Laurence Tosi

Oct 9, 2025

The co-founder and former president and CEO of Envestnet is back in the day-to-day RIA biz, but as an 'operator' in an attempt to create software that connects all the tools needed to manage alternative assets.


Startup that feeds RIAs tax data -- directly from the IRS -- has analysts calling it a 'holy crap,' 'game-changer,' and made believers out of Eric Clarke, Ric Edelman and Randy Bullard

Sep 3, 2025

TaxStatus Founder Charles Almond has seemingly made the impossible possible -- though questions linger about how long it can hold off competitors and whether RIA clients will sign off on data


Vise resets -- again -- with more executive firepower and fresh vision focused on RIA M&A and 'wellness,' but analysts say its solutions must stand apart to succeed

Nov 6, 2024

The New York City brat pack -- still loaded with VC cash -- is pivoting, again, but with a pitch that has convinced big hitters to join the firm as advisors and president, respectively.


The upper RIA echelon mass-exit is now at 25 execs and counting -- for 25 'reasons' -- but it's hardly a coincidence, analysts say

Jun 7, 2024

Burnout and EBITDA weigh on CEO-types as never-ending exits claim Ron Carson, Aaron Klein, Bernie Clark, Rudy Adolf, Bill Crager and Tim Buckley.


Sleeping giant McKinsey & Co. hires Eric Clarke as it awakens to $9-trillion RIA business and plays catch-up

May 30, 2024

The New York City consulting giant quietly made the Orion founder and ex-CEO a McKinsey senior advisor two months after he stepped down last year.


Envestnet shares popped -- up 8% today -- after Wall Street filtered out bad news and staked its bet on confidence in a new team

Feb 24, 2024

The Berwyn, Pa., firm sugar-coated nothing but ended up with a sweet stock price result as analysts see good outweighing bad.


Bill Crager is dropping CEO role after multiple shoes dropped; the company insists it was his 'decision' but vision, Yodlee future uncertain

Jan 9, 2024

The co-founder of the $5.3-trillion AUA outsourcer of software and investments was pressed to take the job under the most adverse circumstances, then second-guessed by stakeholders as he managed the cards he was dealt.


Allworth gets its man in John Bunch, who takes over as CEO 'with bases loaded and nobody out' but faces a high bar

Oct 13, 2023

Co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain of the $18-billion RIA got the former TD Ameritrade retail chief on his way home from a stint in the UK


Orion Advisor Solutions calls 6% staff reduction a 'final action,' after ballooning headcount 40-plus percent since 2020 by gorging on Brinker, Redtail and five other companies

Sep 30, 2023

The Omaha, Neb., administrator of $3.6 trillion will cut 'duplicative' back office jobs to reduce staff to 1,320 from about 1,400.


Bill Crager makes critical hire of 'step back from the numbers,' Joshua Warren, replacing 'brother' Pete D'Arrigo at CFO; Warren had a big role at BlackRock -- Envestnet's biggest stakeholder

Sep 27, 2023

The Envestnet CEO gets 'very, very impressive' 43 year-old BlackRock exec; the New York asset manager happens to be Envestnet's largest stakeholder.



A week after he became chairman of Eric Clarke's board, Charles Goldman is heading the search to replace Clarke as Orion CEO-- at Eric's direction

May 22, 2023

Eric Clarke founded Orion in 1999 and built it to a $3.6 trillion AUA juggernaut, but he believes both he and the company are ready for a big change


Bill Crager shuffles the deck on management team created just seven months ago: Tony Leal is out of 'Big Three' inner circle, replaced by Morgan Stanley vet Rose Palazzo

Jan 7, 2023

The RIA software 'trailblazer' and co-founder of MoneyGuidePro has been working on departure for a year; will transition to a 'consultant,' company says


Envestnet just named an ESG head to meld 'wellness,' 'The Intelligent Financial Life' and 'sustainable investing' into a single nirvana -- that starts outside of the product realm

Jul 27, 2022

Ron Ransom earned CEO Bill Crager's trust as chief business development officer and now will define how Envestnet conducts itself as a global citizen and vendor of wellness.


Noreen Beaman steps down as president of Orion Advisor Solutions after Brinker migrates to Orion software and enterprise deals 'prove out'

Feb 10, 2022

The former Brinker CEO oversaw an 18-month transition of her then $26-billion TAMP and will remain as vice chair of the company after 'mutual' decision on role changes.


Brad Shepard unexpectedly resigns from Orion Advisor Services after 10 months, and his chief strategy officer position will remain vacant, the company says

Jan 7, 2022

The Nashville, Tenn. executive came aboard to create a 'go-to-marketing strategy' for Brinker, HiddenLevers and legacy units but gave his notice this week.


Karin Risi, who built $170-billion Vanguard Personal Advisor Services, takes new role and Matt Benchener is taking her spot as head of US retail for the $6.3 trillion manager

Dec 4, 2020

Risi now heads planning and still directly reports to CEO Tim Buckley and her 34 year-old understudy, Benchener gets her job at year's end.


Envestnet nabs Dani Fava to cross-pollinate semi-autonomous units and reap 'financial wellness' as the end product

Jul 23, 2020

The Chicago outsourcer has a massive, partially disconnected arsenal of products that CEO Bill Crager is rationalizing into 'wellness' with yet another new unit.


Behind the scenes, Envestnet's board of directors had much to tussle over before finally subtracting the 'interim' from Bill Crager's CEO title

Apr 2, 2020

With Jud Bergman gone at a chairman, a power struggle ensued to fill that spot, and the process dragged when taking the company private came under review


Walt Bettinger axes current and former Schwab retail chiefs, Terri Kallsen and Andy Gill; funnels responsibilities to Jonathan Craig, for now

Jul 24, 2019

The Schwab CEO is 'restructuring,' which includes cutting the Chairman's Club program that sent 200 top performers to Hawaii on a free junket


John Bunch is out at Financial Engines Advisors after merger integration 80% complete; 'big reveal,' relaunch planned in coming months

Jul 11, 2019

The No. 2 man at the $181-billion RIA built a uniform client experience, but now has a chance to be CEO of VC-backed firm based in his hometown


Ron Carson ends national search for chief marketing officer by doing a local M&A deal using his favorite HR broker -- Eric Clarke

Oct 5, 2018

When Eric Clarke decided he'd play matchmaker, the hyperactive Carson Group CEO snapped up Mineral Interactive and made a creative deal


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