{"id":823905,"date":"2026-07-24T21:22:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/823905\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T21:22:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:22:10","slug":"deals-moves-rfg-caps-record-recruiting-run-with-100m-advisor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/823905\/","title":{"rendered":"Deals &#038; Moves: RFG Caps Record Recruiting Run with $100M Advisor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>RFG Advisory Nears $9B in Client Assets With $100M Advisor From Farther<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">RFG Advisory crossed $1.5 billion in recruited assets during the first half of 2026 with the addition of Brian LaHue, who moved his Indiana-based Sweet Life Financial Planning team from Farther with over $100 million in assets under management, the firm announced this week. The Birmingham, Ala.-based hybrid RIA now has close to $9 billion in total AUM.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">LaHue, who has a team of three, cited RFG\u2019s operating system and advisor growth platform as key factors in choosing to leave Farther for RFG, according to the announcement. Sweet Life works with clients through a \u201cplanning-first approach\u201d that considers wealth, lifestyle, health and long-term personal goals into the planning process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">LaHue has been running Sweet Life for almost four years, according to his LinkedIn profile.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">RFG noted its first half as the strongest recruiting period it has seen since its founding in 2003.<\/p>\n<p data-component=\"related-article\" class=\"RelatedArticle\">Related:<a class=\"RelatedArticle-RelatedContent\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/judge-sides-with-dynasty-in-merrill-lynch-dispute\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Court Denies Merrill\u2019s Attempt to Restart OpenArc\/Dynasty Lawsuit<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">\u201cCulture creates opportunity, but execution earns results,\u201d CEO Shannon Spotswood said in a statement. \u201cWhen you combine exceptional people with the right infrastructure and a relentless commitment to helping Advisors grow, great things happen. This recruiting momentum is a reflection of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">In April, RFG <a class=\"ContentText-BodyTextChunk ContentText-BodyTextChunk_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/rfg-advisory-invests-ai-notetaking-platform-zocks\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">invested in Zocks Communications<\/a>, an AI assistant that its advisors also use for daily operations. In June, it also announced that it had entered into a partnership with <a class=\"ContentText-BodyTextChunk ContentText-BodyTextChunk_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/alternative-investments\/icapital-names-new-president\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">private-market fintech iCapital<\/a> to give its advisors access to investments, including private equity, private credit, hedge funds and structured investments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">The RIA also touts its \u201cClickONE\u201d operating system, launched in March, which uses artificial intelligence to reduce the &#8220;swivel-effect&#8221; for advisors in managing client portfolios and financial plans.<\/p>\n<p>Arax Pens 7th Deal of 2026 With $3B RIA<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">Arax Advisory Partners, a New York-based registered investment advisor <a class=\"ContentText-BodyTextChunk ContentText-BodyTextChunk_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/arax-lures-1.5b-upstate-ny-firm-from-wells-fargo\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">subsidiary of the $43 billion Arax Investment Partners<\/a>, announced Thursday it has signed an agreement to acquire Transcend Capital Advisors, a multi-state RIA with more than $3 billion in assets under management.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">Transcend will be the seventh firm to join RedBird Capital Partners-owned Arax in 2026, further expanding the firm\u2019s national footprint, according to the announcement. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">Founded in 2019 by former New York Stock Exchange CEO Duncan Niederauer and partners, Transcend serves more than 1,000 clients through a dozen advisors with experience investing in public equities, fixed income, private equity, and other asset classes. The firm is led by President and Chief Investment Officer Jacob Grossman and Head of Fixed Income Robert Brown.<\/p>\n<p data-component=\"related-article\" class=\"RelatedArticle\">Related:<a class=\"RelatedArticle-RelatedContent\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/moneta-group-expands-globally-with-uk-partnership\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Moneta Expands Globally With U.K. Partnership<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">\u201cAs we looked to the future, we wanted a partner that would preserve what makes Transcend stand out while expanding what we can deliver to clients,\u201d Niederauer, founder and vice chairman of Transcend, said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">Transcend is headquartered in Madison, N.J., with offices in Michigan, Rhode Island and Florida.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Transcend, and Seward &amp; Kissel LLP served as legal counsel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">In a February <a class=\"ContentText-BodyTextChunk ContentText-BodyTextChunk_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/-40b-arax-partners-to-turn-up-dial-on-recruiting-breakaway-advisor-teams\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">interview with <\/a><a class=\"ContentText-BodyTextChunk ContentText-BodyTextChunk_link ContentText-BodyTextChunk_italic\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/-40b-arax-partners-to-turn-up-dial-on-recruiting-breakaway-advisor-teams\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wealth Management<\/a>, Arax CEO Haig Ariyan said the firm would be looking to \u201cturn up the dial\u201d on recruiting in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>NorthRock Partners Adds $200M Kowalski Financial in Minneapolis<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">NorthRock Partners, a Minneapolis-based RIA with <a class=\"ContentText-BodyTextChunk ContentText-BodyTextChunk_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/northrock-partners-expands-across-the-midwest-with-addition-of-950m-vantage-financial-partners\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">about $12 billion in AUM<\/a>, has brought on registered investment advisor Kowalski Financial, a five-person team based in Minneapolis with $200 million in AUM.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">Kowalski Financial was founded in 2019 and offers financial planning services, including estate planning and tax services. The deal adds members to what NorthRock calls its \u201cPersonal Office\u201d model, which creates teams for clients across investments, tax, estate planning, insurance, legal, business services, and philanthropy.<\/p>\n<p data-component=\"related-article\" class=\"RelatedArticle\">Related:<a class=\"RelatedArticle-RelatedContent\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wealthmanagement.com\/ria-news\/schwab-gains-on-retail-investors-in-q2-but-advisor-new-client-assets-dip-from-q1\" target=\"_self\" data-discover=\"true\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Schwab Gains on Retail Trading Frenzy, Forecasts Long-Short Strategy Growth<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">\u201cNorthRock\u2019s Personal Office model provides an expanded platform of expertise and resources that will allow us to continue delivering the personalized guidance our clients expect,\u201d CEO Marc Kowalski said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ContentParagraph ContentParagraph_align_left\" data-testid=\"content-paragraph\">The group will relocate to NorthRock Partners\u2019 offices in downtown Minneapolis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RFG Advisory Nears $9B in Client Assets With $100M Advisor From Farther RFG Advisory crossed $1.5 billion in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":823906,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[45,49,48,133,131,132],"class_list":["post-823905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-personal-finance","tag-business","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-finance","tag-personal-finance","tag-personalfinance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823905\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/823906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=823905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=823905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}