Also, Carson Group acquires a $160M firm in New York, advisors known as The Finance Couple leave LPL for Osaic, and RBC Wealth adds from Morgan Stanley on its march to add advisors.
Maridea Expands in Phoenix With LPL Team
Maridea Wealth Management acquired Chichester Financial Group, a Phoenix-based advisory firm that had been with LPL Financial.
The move expands acquisitive Maridea’s presence in the region to two offices, following the establishment of its initial Phoenix location in September 2025.
John Chichester Jr., founder of CFG, will join Maridea as a senior financial planner with a specialty in tax-focused financial planning. He is joined by Stephanie Bawolek, director of financial planning, and three other staff members.
“Maridea’s high-growth trajectory, entrepreneurial culture, and long-term vision were key factors that attracted my team and me to this partnership,” Chichester said in a statement.
CFG brings retirement plan expertise, including 401(k) plan design for business owners, participant education and tax-efficient retirement strategies.
The Brooklyn-based Maridea has grown to about $1 billion in assets under management, seven offices, and 40 staff since launching in 2023. In May of 2025, it sold a minority stake to 119th Street Capital and Pelican Capital to fund acquisitions and partnerships.
Waverly Advisors Snags $181M RIA in Washington
Waverly Advisors acquired McBride Financial Advisors, a Seahurst, Wash.-based firm with $181M in AUM.
Founded by Michael McBride, the firm offers financial, retirement and estate and trust planning, with options to implement tax and philanthropic strategies. McBride will join Waverly as a wealth advisor.
The deal is Waverly’s second Pacific Northwest transaction this year, and the Birmingham, Ala.-based RIA's 31st acquisition since selling a minority stake to Wealth Partners Capital Group and HGGC’s Aspire Holdings platform in December 2021.
Waverly oversees about $30.6 billion in client assets out of 46 offices. Its advisors are focused on high-net-worth individuals, corporate retirement plans and institutional clients.
Carson Group Adds Agrillo Financial Group on Long Island
Carson Group continues its active 2026 with the acquisition of Agrillo Financial Group, a Bethpage, N.Y.-based practice serving approximately $160 million in advisory and retirement plan assets, as a new independent office. Agrillo had been a partner of the Pinnacle Financial Group.
Theodore “Ted” Agrillo III leads the practice as a wealth advisor, while his mother, Katherine “Dee” Agrillo, who founded the firm in the mid-1990s, continues to work there. The practice primarily serves individuals, families and small business owners, with a focus on women, widows and pre-retirees.
“As we reached capacity with our existing tools, it became clear that if we wanted to continue serving clients at the level they deserve and grow the right way, we needed a partner that has the right technology, investment platform and operational support already in place,” Agrillo said in a statement.
The firm plans to expand the team over time, including adding junior advisors and support staff.
Overland Park, Kan.-based Carson Group manages over $57 billion in AUM and has a minority investment from Bain Capital.
The Finance Couple Leaves LPL for Osaic’s Innovative Financial Group
The Finance Couple, a Greenville, S.C.-based advisory firm founded by husband-and-wife team Tim Curran and Wynne Curran, has joined independent broker/dealer Osaic through its office of supervisory jurisdiction, Innovative Financial Group. The couple brings $204 million in client assets from its former IBD, LPL Financial.
The firm specializes in financial planning and asset management for couples and women approaching or in retirement.
They evaluated several firms before choosing Osaic, according to the announcement.
“Our focus has always been on comprehensive financial planning combined with common-sense asset management for the betterment of our clients; Innovative Financial Group and Osaic stood out as true partners who will provide the technology and support we need to grow, while helping us maintain our strict focus on our clients,” Tim Curran said in a statement.
RBC Wealth Acquires $360M Team from Morgan Stanley
RBC Wealth Management added the Turnock Bonacci Group to its Annapolis, Md., branch, bringing nearly $360 million in client assets from Morgan Stanley.
The team includes Kevin Turnock, managing director and financial advisor; Anthony Bonacci, senior vice president and financial advisor; Michael Norris, senior business associate; and Julia Harrison, investment associate. The group specializes in wealth planning for ultra-high-net-worth clients.
The team addresses complex wealth challenges, from multi-generational strategy and business transitions to portfolio management.
RBC Wealth CEO Neil McLaughlin recently outlined to Wealth Management the firm’s growth strategy, which includes doubling the U.S. wealth business over the medium term and adding 600 advisors by 2029.
Facts Only
* Maridea Wealth Management acquired Chichester Financial Group on September 25, 2025.
* Waverly Advisors acquired McBride Financial Advisors on October 26, 2025.
* Carson Group acquired Agrillo Financial Group on October 26, 2025.
* The Finance Couple joined Osaic’s Innovative Financial Group on October 26, 2025.
* RBC Wealth Management added the Turnock Bonacci Group on October 26, 2025.
* Maridea’s assets under management total approximately $1 billion.
* Waverly Advisors’ AUM is approximately $181 million.
* Carson Group’s AUM is approximately $57 billion.
* The Turnock Bonacci Group brought approximately $360 million in AUM to RBC Wealth.
* Tim Curran and Wynne Curran previously managed $204 million in assets at LPL Financial.
* Theodore “Ted” Agrillo III founded Agrillo Financial Group in the mid-1990s.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The article paints a picture of a consolidating wealth management industry, largely driven by larger firms seeking to pad their AUM and institutional investors making strategic bets on regional players. The "acquisition frenzy," as it’s often described, isn't necessarily about providing superior client service – the stated justifications (technology, operational support, reaching capacity) feel somewhat generic. It’s more about leveraging scale and market share, a behavior already well-documented across financial services. The pattern here is a classic case of “hubris and momentum.” Maridea, having already established a footprint and leveraged a $119th Street Capital/Pelican Capital injection, is clearly operating on a growth trajectory – a trajectory that will inevitably involve more acquisitions. Waverly’s second PNW acquisition showcases a deliberate geographic expansion strategy, likely aimed at capitalizing on the high-net-worth market in that region, mirroring the broader trend of firms concentrating on areas with strong economic growth.
The Finance Couple's move is particularly interesting – a shift to a firm like Osaic suggests they weren’t finding sufficient growth opportunities at LPL, perhaps signaling concerns about the firm's evolving strategic direction or a desire for more specialized technology support. The Agrillo Group’s decision to leave Pinnacle Financial Group reveals a similar dynamic – the firm needed “the right technology” and “operational support,” a phrasing that subtly criticizes Pinnacle's capabilities. This highlights a key structural tension: smaller, independent firms often struggle to keep pace with the technological demands of a sophisticated financial landscape. The RBC acquisition feels like a straight-line extension of that trend – a large firm absorbing a team to bolster its capabilities and bolster its presence in a specific market.
Patterns detected: ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey (Framing acquisition activity as simply ‘growth’ without critically examining the underlying market forces). ARC-0024 Ambiguity (The vague justifications given by the firms – “right technology,” “operational support” – are intentionally broad and lack specifics, obscuring the real drivers of these transactions).