Five former Merrill Lynch advisors who collectively managed $515 million have joined Raymond James & Associates’ employee advisor channel in Burlington and Boston, Mass., according to a company release.

The advisors – Eric Hobin, Jiles Robinson, Antonio Sordillo, Jason Whittier and Kristen Ragusin – continue RJA’s expansion in the Northeast and will become part of RJA’s Southern New England Complex led by Bill Drew, the release said.

Hobin, Robinson, Sodillo and Whittier, who previously managed $375 million in client assets, at Merrill Lynch’s Burlington office, operates as Evergreen Financial Partners of Raymond James. They are joined by Eryn Whittier, senior registered client service associate, and Josh Franklin, registered client service associate.

Ragusin, who previously managed $140 million in client assets, has launched her own practice at RJA’s Boston, Mass., office. She has been with Merrill Lynch since 1992. Ragusin said she is professionally supported by a firm that truly makes her feel like she is swimming with the tide instead of against it.

“I feel so supported with the plethora of resources Raymond James has to offer, especially right now in a pandemic world. “The interface technology makes me feel like I’m walking into a high-tech store. I can interact and engage with clients while simultaneously using the real-time advanced tools. Its functionality makes running your practice fun and effortless,” she said in a statement.

Hobin, who has 21 years of financial services experience, began his career at Signator Investors and has worked at firms including Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, where he served clients the last 15 years.

Robinson also has been in the financial services industry for 21 years. He spent 18 years at Merrill Lynch and successor firms, as well as four years at Fidelity Investments.

Whittier began his career in the financial services industry in 2011. He spent over seven years with Merrill Lynch and, also served clients at Santander Securities and Northwestern Mutual.

Sordillo, who serves as vice president of investments, began his career at Merrill Lynch in 2005. He said it was important to find a firm that deeply values the client and advisor relationship.