The firm says it also recently entered an agreement to purchase VSR Financial, with 264 registered representatives and advisers. The deal with Girard brings about 250 additional producing financial advisers, with an average annual production of approximate $210,000 per adviser, to RCAP, as well as over $10 billion of assets under administration.

Earlier deals in 2014 helped push RCAP’s advisory network well into the top-five largest independent financial advisory networks in the U.S. by number of advisers. A January deal to purchase Cetera Financial Group was valued at $115 billion and expanded RCAP’s ranks by more than 6,600 advisers, bringing the group’s total number of producing advisers to just shy of 9,000. Then came a deal to acquire J.P. Turner & Company for $27 million in aggregate consideration. This pushed RCAP’s advisory network to 9,300 advisers.

With the most recent Girard deal, RCAP’s footprint grows to some 9,700 independent retail advisers spread across its national network.

According to RCAP, Girard provides a broad range of securities brokerage and investment services primarily to individual investors.  It sells insurance products, including variable and fixed annuities and life insurance.  Girard also offers, through its SEC-registered investment adviser subsidiary and its network of independent financial advisers located throughout the United States, asset management and investment advisory services. Girard will continue to operate under current management and the “Girard” brand, RCAP says.

Michael Weil, president of RCAP, says this transaction represents “another successful step in solidifying RCAP as a leading independent retail advice platform. With over $10 billion of assets under administration, Girard will provide RCAP with a well-established independent retail adviser platform. We believe its diverse service offering and valuable RIA relationships will immediately strengthen RCAP’s revenue stream, as well as deepen our roster by adding experienced, top-tier advisers.”

He adds that this transaction, coupled with the recently announced agreement to acquire VSR Group, further demonstrates RCAP’s “commitment to capitalize on external growth opportunities.”

Weil says that Richard Woltman, chairman emeritus of the board of directors of Girard, is considered by many to be a pioneer of the independent broker/dealer industry. Forty years ago, he and two partners founded First Affiliated Securities, the predecessor of what today is known as First Allied Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of RCAP.

Susie Woltman Tietjen, Richard Woltman’s daughter and the current chairman of the board of directors and CEO of Girard, says RCAP’s commitment to maintain the separate identity and culture of Girard “was one of the most attractive aspects of this combination.”

“This transaction will allow Girard to leverage the resources of what we believe to be one of the industry’s fastest growing and most innovative firms,” she adds. “Moreover, we expect this union will result in the realization of our shared vision of providing greater opportunities for our advisers and a more diverse service offering to their retail clients.”

The transaction is expected to close in late 2014 or early 2015, according to RCAP, and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Upon the close of the transaction, Girard will join the other firms that make up RCAP’s independent retail advice platform operating under the Cetera Financial Group umbrella, which includes Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Financial Institutions, Cetera Financial Specialists, First Allied Securities, The Legend Group, Investors Capital Corporation, J.P. Turner & Company, and Summit Financial Services Group (and following the closing of a pending acquisition, VSR Group).

Additional information about RCAP can be found on its website at www.rcscapital.com.