Lawson/Wincester Wealth Management is an independent firm in Chattanooga, Tenn., led by Matt Lawson and William F. Winchester, The team also is acquiring the existing practice of Raymond James Financial Services advisor John Goodson in Wincester, Tenn.
With the combining of the two practices, the new firm will now manage more than $150 million.
"We are very pleased to welcome this exciting and entrepreneurial team to Raymond James," said Scott Curtis, president of Raymond James Financial Services, the firm's independent broker/dealer. "The fact we were able to help them grow their business by financing their acquisition of an existing RJFS practice is particularly gratifying. We know John was pleased to be able to implement a succession plan through the merger of two very successful practices, and we are delighted to now include Bill and Matt and the rest of their team as part of the Raymond James organization."
Lawson said his team has known Goodson for several years "and, initially, had wanted to acquire his practice and have him transition to LPL. But John insisted we talk to Raymond James, and once we were exposed to all that the firm had to offer and then worked with Patrick Jinks in Practice Planning & Acquisitions, we knew we wanted to move to RJFS."
Winchester said that "without the creative financing and attention to detail that Patrick provided this deal would not have gotten done. And now that we've discovered Raymond James' superior technology and experienced its client first culture - which so matches our own - we could not be more pleased."
Prior to co-founding Lawson/Winchester Wealth Management in 2007, Lawson spent three years working as an advisor with SunTrust's wealth and investment management division. Before that, he worked for Merrill Lynch for eight years. Winchester began his financial services career in 2002 with First Tennessee Brokerage and in 2003 moved to SunTrust, where he spent four years working in the investment management division. In 2007, along with Lawson he formed Lawson/Winchester Wealth Management and affiliated with LPL. At LPL, the team managed $40 million in client assets.
Also on the Lawson/Winchester team affiliating with Raymond james are financial advisors Dan Norton, Michael Schleger and Clint Barfield along with sales and administrative support associates Denise McMillan, Ann Sisk and Jackie Mullins.
The business will be operated from an office in Chattanooga and Goodson's existing office in Wincester.
