A former Merrill Lynch advisor with more than $170 million in client assets has joined Raymond James Financial Services’ independent advisor channel in Bend, Ore., the company has announced.
Stuart “Stu” Malakoff, founder of Bend Wealth Advisors, is joining Raymond James and RJFS-affiliated Mainspring Wealth Advisors LLC. Also coming aboard are registered client associate Awbrey Gould and branch associate Vicky Malakoff.
Malakoff has more than 30 years of experience in banking and financial services. He had been a senior vice president and wealth management advisor at Merrill Lynch since 2005.
He said affiliating with Raymond James would allow him to offer his clients “uncompromised guidance as an independent advisor and best-in-class resources. For the first time in my career, I feel I have the freedom and support to approach business decisions as an entrepreneur, with my clients’ interests at the forefront of those decisions,” he said in a statement. “I am excited about all the ways I can continue to expand my practice now at Raymond James.”
Raymond James Financial Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial Inc., which has about 8,200 financial advisors throughout the U.S., Canada and overseas, and a total of $945 billion in client assets.