Financial advisors Steve Harman, Mark DeGon and Jake Phillips have joined Raymond James & Associates (RJA), the firm’s employee advisor channel, in Spokane, Wash., according to Rick Sanchez, West Coast regional director for RJA.

The trio, operating as Panorama Wealth Management of Raymond James, joined from Merrill Lynch, where they managed about $409 million in client assets. Their team also includes client service associates Jennifer Jones and Kaitlyn Harman.

Harman, senior vice president of the practice, is an industry veteran with nearly three decades of experience as a wealth advisor at Merrill Lynch. He said in a news release that he and his team chose to join Raymond James based on the firm’s client-centric focus.

“Collaborating closely with clients and getting to know them personally has always been a priority for our group, so there was substantial common ground right from the start,” he said.

DeGon, the team’s vice president, wealth management, is a Navy veteran with 28 years of industry experience as a financial advisor and investment associate. He said that in addition to prioritizing the client-advisor relationship, Raymond James offered the team other incentives, such as robust resources and technological capabilities.

“The high level of support provided to advisors was immediately apparent and a welcome development for our group,” DeGon said in the news release.

Phillips, serving as associate vice president of wealth management for the team, is a CPA as well as a CFP. He began his career in wealth management when he joined Merrill Lynch in 2014. Phillips said he had expected a few bumps in the road upon joining a new affiliate, but to his surprise, there were none.

“With any major change, there’s a level of expected hiccups along the way; however, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the seamless transition,” he said in the news release. “Our colleagues have welcomed us with open arms and gone above and beyond to ensure our needs are met at each step of the way.”

Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., Raymond James & Associates Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial Inc., a diversified financial services company with total global assets of $1.26 trillion.