LPL Financial, Synergy Wealth Alliance Welcome Three Financial Advisors

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – March 24, 2020 – LPL Financial LLC, a leading retail investment advisory firm and independent broker-dealer, today announced that financial advisors Shawn Walton, Debbie Hawksworth and Richard Coloni have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer and corporate registered investment advisor (RIA) platforms. The three advisors have teamed up to form a new office of Synergy Wealth Alliance, an existing LPL firm. The financial advisors reported having collectively served approximately $100 million in brokerage and advisory assets*. They join from Cambridge Investment Research, Edward Jones and Cetera Advisors, respectively.

The three financial advisors have been friends for years, having met at their country club in DeBary, Fla., just north of Orlando. Working at different firms, they had what they called a friendly rivalry prior to their new partnership. When Walton and Coloni began discussions about joining their practices in order to develop a succession plan for business continuity, Hawksworth mentioned she was looking to go independent. “It turned into the perfect partnership, with all three of us bringing something to the table to complement each other going forward as we build out the group,” said Walton, who is serving as branch manager for Synergy Wealth Alliance’s new Orange City office.

The advisors each bring different skills and services to the practice. Walton, who has a financial planning focus, works closely with small business owners and has a younger client base. Coloni serves mostly retirees and high-net-worth clients, with a focus on investment portfolio management. Hawksworth’s background is in insurance and business retirement planning. All three are deeply involved in their community and share a belief in the importance of giving back.

Synergy & LPL’s resources

They chose to partner with Synergy Wealth Alliance and LPL Financial as a way to grow and take their business to the next level. “We want to grow organically but also through business acquisitions, and we know Synergy and LPL have resources to help guide us through that process,” Walton said. “We were really drawn to Synergy’s family-like atmosphere, culture and infrastructure designed to help us come together as a group and grow our business. And LPL’s self-clearing capabilities as a custodian are a big plus for us from a service standpoint, making it easier for us to have time to interact with clients and manage the back office.”

Walton added LPL’s integrated technology was also a large draw, including the ability to use third-party software solutions MoneyGuide Pro and Riskalyze, making it easier begin experiencing greater efficiencies right away. “As client expectations evolve, we need to stay at the forefront of technology. It’s clear that LPL is responsive to industry trends and committed to innovation,” Walton said.

“We are excited to welcome Shawn, Debbie and Richie to the team,” said Synergy Wealth Alliance CEO Chris Bordner. “At Synergy, we believe strongly that a high performance team of advisors grows faster, delivers a higher level of service to their clients, while creating a much higher level of personal satisfaction from their business.  As our name ‘Synergy’ suggests, we partner with our network of independent financial advisors and professionals to leverage our combined strengths and resources to help us both produce greater results. In this case, we were able to help this trio of advisors partner to form an ensemble practice working out of our new Orange City office, creating the synergies to help them grow and better serve their clients. Powered by LPL’s technology and capital resources, we look forward to providing this group and all of our financial professionals with personalized support and a network of peers for years to come.”

Rich Steinmeier, LPL Financial managing director and divisional president, Business Development, said, “Everything we do is for our financial professionals so they can be successful as independent financial advisors, professionals and business owners. We are proud that three advisors coming from different models and with varying areas of experience could find a single platform that would meet their collective needs. We are committed to delivering a best-in-class solution set that can meet the unique needs of any single advisor, while also providing all advisors access to a platform that can help them have more control over their business and the support they can deliver to their clients. We welcome Debbie, Richie and Shawn to LPL and congratulate Synergy Wealth Alliance on expanding its network of quality financial professionals. We look forward to supporting each of them for many years to come.”

Related
LPL Financial Welcomes Synergy Wealth Alliance

Read about other firms that recently joined LPL in the LPL Financial News and Media section of LPL.com.

Advisors, find an LPL business development representative near you.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial is a leader in the retail financial advice market and the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer**. We serve independent financial advisors, professionals, and financial institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow thriving practices. LPL enables them to provide objective guidance to millions of American families seeking wealth management, retirement planning, financial planning and asset management solutions.

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA / SIPC.

Synergy Wealth Alliance and LPL Financial are separate entities.

*Based on prior business and represents assets that would have been custodied at LPL Financial, rather than third-party custodians. Reported assets and client numbers have not been independently and fully verified by LPL Financial.

**Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine June 1996-2019