Raymond James welcomes Michigan advisor team managing $1.1 billion in client assets
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Raymond James recently welcomed financial advisors Nicholas Conner, Kevin Latta, Michael Conti and Jamie Howells to Raymond James & Associates (RJA) – the firm's employee advisor channel – in Novi, Michigan, according to Dominic Prioli, Great Lakes regional director for RJA.
The team, now operating as Stone Manor Wealth Advisors of Raymond James, includes client service associates Timothy Holly, Kimberly Reid and Kimberly Ybarra, as well as investment portfolio associate Adriana Soto, CFP® and business coordinator George Kourtis. They join from Merrill Lynch, where the advisors previously managed approximately $1.1 billion in client assets. The team was recruited by and will report to branch manager Lewis Walterhouse.
"We are staunch believers that one of the most important jobs of a financial advisor is to preserve their client's best interests. This guiding principle drives our business forward and is at the crux of every decision we make, said Conner, managing director. "We feel that Raymond James' client-first culture strongly parallels our own and provides the best opportunity to continue positively impacting the families, individuals and businesses we faithfully serve."
"We were intent on aligning with a firm that had an interest in our clients' success, but also in our team's ability to grow," said Latta. "The support we've been given since joining Raymond James' has been tremendous and has already had a significant positive effect on clients and the daily lives of our advisors."
A 26-year veteran of the financial services industry, Conner spent the entirety of his career at Merrill Lynch before transitioning to Raymond James. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certificant and holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor and designation. These distinctions bolster a bachelor's degree in economics from Andrews University. In addition, Nick was named to the Forbes “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” list in 2022.
Latta brings more than 26 years of experience caring for clients' financial needs, culminating in being named to the Forbes "Best-In-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2021 and 2022. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master's degree in economics from Bowling Green State University and has since added the designations of Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor, Certified 401(k) Professional®, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist® and Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM to his list of credentials.
Conti is a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor and senior vice president with over a decade of financial services experience. He spent the first two years of his career at Ameriprise and Telemus, respectively, before transitioning to Merrill Lynch in 2015. Conti is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor's of Business Administration degree in finance and economics.
Born and raised in Wales, Howells is an associate vice president at Stone Manor Wealth Advisors and a graduate of The University of Worcester. His career in financial services spans over 14 years, including nearly five years as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch.
"With a combined 75 years of industry experience, the Stone Manor team demonstrates the long-term success possible when clients are put first and treated with integrity," said Prioli. "It is an absolute privilege to welcome this accomplished team to Raymond James and continue our growth in the Detroit metro area."
About Raymond James & Associates
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (RJA), member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC, is an industry leader in financial planning and wealth management services for individuals, high-net-worth families, corporations and municipalities. RJA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), one of the nation's premier diversified financial services companies with approximately 8,600 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $1.16 trillion as of Aug. 31, 2022. Additional information is available at raymondjames.com.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM, CFP®, (with plaque design) and CFP®(with flame design) in the U.S. which it awards to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors who are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those who encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 32,725 nominations, more than 5,000 advisors received the award. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of an individual client's experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its financial advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or SHOOK Research, LLC. Please visit forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.