Financial advisor Jonathan Blakelock, an army veteran operating as Blakelock Financial Group in the Houston suburb of Kingwood, Tex., has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, RIA and custodial platforms, the company said today.

Blakelock and his six-member support staff were formerly with Ameriprise, where he and the team oversaw approximately $180 million in advisory and brokerage assets. 

Blakelock earned a bachelor’s degree in both accounting and finance from Lamar University, as well as a M.B.A. degree from the University of Houston. He started his career as a financial advisor in 2007 and has grown his business organically over the years, now serving more than 400 clients in 17 states. 

The practice offers a comprehensive suite of advisory services, ranging from small business, to retirement and tax planning strategies, to family finances and divorce financial planning. 

“What motivates me is helping people and knowing that I can make a difference in the lives of my clients through financial planning,” he said in a news release announcing his transition to LPL. “We take a very hands-on, analytical approach to helping clients find a way to solve problems and work toward a more secure financial future.”

Blakelock said that he made his decision to change partners based on a need for greater flexibility and choice, particularly in the area of financial planning, a cornerstone of the practice.

“LPL has several advanced planning programs to choose from, along with more mutual funds and innovative solutions to deliver better experiences for my clients,” he said in the news release. “This move will give me more tools and flexibility, while still providing oversight that my clients want. It also allows me to brand my business and have more control in the way we operate.”

Scott Posner, LPL executive vice president, Business Development, welcomed Blakelock and his team to the LPL family of advisors.  

“We extend a warm welcome to Jonathan and are honored that he recognized LPL’s ability to provide robust planning tools and differentiated experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the wealth management industry,” Posner said. “We will continue to invest in capabilities and solutions designed to help advisors bring added value to their clients, and we look forward to supporting Blakelock Financial Group for years to come.”

Headquartered in Ft. Mill, S.C., San Diego and Boston, LPL Financial supports more than 21,000 financial advisors nationwide.