HighTower Adds Merrill Advisor With $225M

HighTower added a veteran Merrill Lynch advisor, who made the move with $225 million in AUM, according to the firm.

Last week, advisor Doug Conklin joined the HighTower Network’s Ezzell Group, a Sacramento, Calif.-based team that also left Merrill earlier this year. The team, which includes Jason Ezzell, Alec Fisher and Gina Clark, currently manages approximately $300 million, a spokesperson said.

Ezzell, who had been with Merrill since 1999, described Conklin as a long-time friend and colleague. "I'm thrilled that HighTower has recognized his wealth of experience and talent by recruiting him to the Network channel," he said in a statement.

Conklin started his career in 1983 with Merrill, according to FINRA records.

HighTower has recruited other wirehouse teams this year. In August, another Merrill team, which managed $800 million in assets, joined HighTower's employee-channel model in Fort Myers, Fla.  A Morgan Stanley team with $600 million in AUM joined HighTower in Columbus, Ohio, in May.

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