Cetera snatches Marquette Bank’s $382M program from rival

Marquette Bank has ditched its third-party broker-dealer of 15 years for Cetera.

The Chicago-based community bank was drawn to Cetera's technology platform and service-oriented culture, which it said it would tap to grow its wealth management business and advisor force.

The bank had previously used Invest Financial as its broker-dealer.

Marquette's investment services business employs nine financial advisors who collectively manage some $382 million in client brokerage assets as well as three insurance professionals. The business launched in 1999 with bank’s current director of bank sales, Carol Steele, as its leader.

“When we set out to identify a new partner for our wealth management program, we knew we wanted a firm that offered an advanced technology platform and a proven track record of success supporting their clients,” Steele said in a statement.

Marquette has 21 banking centers, two lending services offices and a corporate administrative center with locations throughout Chicago and its suburbs. It has $1.5 billion in assets and a local lending portfolio of almost $1 billion, according to Marquette.

Marquette’s program is the second to join Cetera’s platform from Invest Financial this year. In January, Short Hills, New Jersey-based Investors Bank also opted to move its $700 million investment services program to Cetera due to its technology and focus on supporting banks and credit unions.

Invest Financial was part of National Planning Holdings, which was bought by LPL in August.