A four-member advisory team managing more than $468 million in client assets has left Wells Fargo to join Raymond James & Associates’ (RJA) employee advisor channel in Augusta, Ga., according to an announcement today from RJA.
Martin Ferrara, James “Bubba” Helton Jr., Justin Preissler and James McGee operate as Cypress Wealth Group of Raymond James. The advisors, except for McGee, serve as first vice president, investments. McGee serves as vice president, investments.
Helton said the team was attracted to the technology and managed platforms that Raymond James offers. “It was also important to us to be able to work with any client we choose to work with. The independence and autonomy at Raymond James allow us to run our business in a way that works best for us and our clients,” he said in a statement.
Helton has been in the industry for more than 20 years, beginning his career with J.C. Bradford & Co. He was a financial advisor with UBS PaineWeber and Morgan Keegan before moving to Wachovia Securities (now Wells Fargo Advisors) in 2008.
Ferrara also began his 20 year-career at J.C. Bradford& Co. /UBS PaineWebber. He moved to Morgan Keegan in 2002 and then to Wachovia Securities in 2008, according to his BrokerCheck profile.
Preissler, first vice president, investments, began his career at First Union Brokerage Services in 1999 before moving to Wells Fargo in 2000, according to his BrokerCheck profile.
McGee’s BrokerCheck profile said he joined Wells Fargo in 2012. He had previously been in the banking industry, working for Wells Fargo Bank and Synovus Bank (formerly Athens First Bank & Trust), the release said.
“Raymond James continues to be an optimal firm for financial advisors looking for that unique balance of independence by way of practice ownership, coupled with the offerings that make it easy for them to serve their clients’ needs,” said Deborah Cicatelli, Mid-South regional director for RJA. “We’re proud to be that destination of choice for financial advisor teams like Cypress Wealth Group.”