Five financial advisors managing a combined $653 million in client assets have joined Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network (WFAFN), the St. Louis-based independent brokerage arm of Wells Fargo & Co., a spokesman for the company announced today in an email.

Jeffrey Garza of Fresno, Calif., a veteran advisor with over 25 years of industry experience, has left Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney, where he managed more than $68 million in client assets, to join Encore Investment Consultants, an established independent practice affiliated with WFAFN.

Matthew Davis, an advisor with two decades of experience, was formerly with Merrill Lynch, where he managed more than $77 million in client assets. He joins WFAFN after opening his own independent practice, Davis Wealth Management, in Potomac, Md.

Sheila Spicehandler, formerly with Ameriprise, has joined Cutler Andrews Capital Management, an independent WFAFN affiliate in Greenwich, Conn. Spicehandler brings over 21 years of industry experience and manages more than $100 million in client assets.

Michael Schenking, Zachary Chryst and Thomas O'Conor of Bel Air, Md., have left Merrill Lynch to join WFAFN as SCO Wealth Management, an independent practice. The team has over 57 years of industry service and brings more than $355 million in client assets to the partnership.

Christopher Szot of Carlsbad, Calif., has left Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney to join Core Process Wealth Management, an  independent practice affiliated with WFAFN. Szot brings more than 15 years of industry experience to the partnership and manages over $53,000,000 in client assets.

Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo & Co., is a multinational financial services company headquartered in San Francisco.