Industry

Waddell & Reed had been working in recent years to transform its “proprietary broker-dealer into a fully competitive independent wealth manager.”

The firm has added 42 advisors this year with a combined $3.8 billion in AUM.

Alterations include higher hurdles for cash pay, a grid stretch for deferred compensation and new bonuses.

The firm’s new business highlights the beginnings of a shift in the custody marketplace due to a series of consolidations.

Funding is getting tighter as advisors look towards marketing automation as an engine for growth.

Jon Stein was a pioneer of the robo advice industry, building a $25 billion firm over the past decade.

The Buffalo, New York location is the independent firm’s 12th nationwide.

Brian Truscott oversaw more than $330 million in client assets.

The firm also added a new unit to accommodate its dramatic advisor growth — from one to 140 in seven years.

The new hires generated approximately $5 million in production before making the move.