Deals & People June 26, 2023

Advisory M&A

Moneco Advisors receives minority investment; Integrated Partners creates Insurance Solutions Division; Omnia Wealth Group launches with support from LPL Financial.

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MONECO Advisors Receives Strategic Minority Investment from Emigrant Partners

Emigrant Partners announced a strategic, non-voting minority investment in MONECO Advisors LLC, its third direct investment in 2023, expanding EP’s current portfolio to 21 platform investments.

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Moneco is an independent wealth management business headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, managing $1.5 billion in assets under management across more than 2,300 clients.

“MONECO’s differentiated client and community-centric model, adviser partnership platform, and organic growth engine are highly compelling,” Jenny Souza, who was promoted to CEO and president of Emigrant Partners in May, said in a statement. “We were thoroughly impressed with MONECO’s leadership team, and they are well positioned for future growth in the New York Tri-State area.”

Integrated Partners Creates Insurance Solutions Division, Adds Key Staff

Integrated Partners announced the launch of its Integrated Insurance Solutions division and has hired Peter Kaplan as its senior vice president to lead the endeavor.

“The ever-increasing complexity of regulations and individuals’ financial circumstances has rendered this service indispensable for our high-net-worth clients,” Paul Saganey, Integrated Partners’ founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Peter’s enthusiasm for client service is unwavering, and it’s been a delight to build this out with him.”

Additionally, the firm has appointed Josh Benson as vice president of strategic relationships. Benson, who previously spent nearly 11 years at Orion Advisor Technology, most recently as vice president of business development, will serve as a liaison between all of Waltham, Massachusetts-based Integrated’s services.

Omnia Wealth Group Launches With Support From LPL Financial

LPL Financial LLC announced that financial advisers Isaac Hart, Robert Entwistle Jr., Matthew Malvitz and Sam Asani have joined the company to launch a new independent office, Omnia Wealth Group.

Prior to joining LPL from Edward Jones, the group reported having served an aggregate of approximately $400 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets.

“We all run similar practices, share the same client-centric values and appreciate the family-oriented Midwestern culture, so it made sense for us to come together under one umbrella,” Entwistle said in a statement. “We’re all friends, so it’s awesome we can do this together and start something bigger.”

The Markets June 26, 2023

BlackRock Changes Up Public Policy Team

Samantha DeZur will now head U.S. division of team focused on public policies regarding investors’ long-term interests.

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BlackRock has overhauled its U.S. public policy team, changing leadership and structure for the division that advocates for public policies beneficial to investors’ long-term interests.

A BlackRock spokesperson confirmed in an email this week that Samantha DeZur was promoted to head of U.S. public policy. The BlackRock U.S. public policy group is part of the global public policy group led by Joanna Cound.

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“Under Samantha’s leadership, the U.S. team will be composed of two main pillars: (i) legislative policy and engagement, led by Bryan Wood; and (ii) regulatory policy and engagement, led by Ben Tecmire,” the spokesperson said via email. “In addition, we are growing Bryan and Ben’s teams to support our legislative and regulatory engagement at both the federal and state level.”

With DeZur’s promotion, managing director Kate Fulton “will transition to a new part-time role as senior policy advisor across both pillars and will report into Samantha,” the spokesperson added.

The public policy team “support[s] the creation of regulatory regimes that increase financial market transparency, protect investors, and facilitate responsible growth of capital markets, while preserving consumer choice and properly balancing benefits versus implementation costs,” BlackRock’s public policy website states.

DeZur was previously a managing director of the global public policy group. DeZur has worked at the firm since 2019 and held previous roles at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and CME Group, according to LinkedIn.

BlackRock also appointed Sarah Logan to the U.S. public policy team; she had been chief of staff to the head of external affairs.

“Sarah will cover sustainability and stewardship policy for the U.S.,” the spokesperson said.

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