Large-firm advisors focused on business succession planning in Utah

The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.

If you're preparing to transfer your business ownership, you need an advisor who understands the complexities of keeping your company thriving through the transition. A common mistake is overlooking how succession impacts both your personal finances and the business's ongoing operations.

  • Comprehensive transition planning. Look for advisors who integrate tax, legal, and operational factors to create a seamless handover.
  • Stakeholder alignment. Confirm how they manage relationships among family members, partners, or buyers to prevent conflicts.
  • Valuation expertise. Ask how they determine your business's worth and incorporate that into the succession strategy.
  • Post-succession support. Find out if they assist with ongoing financial planning after ownership changes to secure your future.

Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.

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Jill P

Series 63, Series 66

Sandy, UT

Morgan Stanley

Jill Pettijohn is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at E*TRADE Securities LLC, Transamerica Financial Advisors, and World Financial Group. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs focused on tailored financial planning and asset management.

General estate planning guidance
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Joshua B

Series 63, Series 66

Salt Lake City, UT

Fidelity

Joshua Beard is a financial advisor with Fidelity in Salt Lake City, UT, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked in retail and university settings, including positions at Nike, Inc. and the University of Utah. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and charitable funds. The firm employs a systematic investment process combining fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction, with activities such as fund advisory, model portfolio delivery, and commodity pool operations.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Active portfolio management
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David W

Series 63, Series 65

Draper, UT

Ameriprise

David Wright is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Draper, UT, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Ameriprise Financial and The Vanguard Group, as well as prior experience outside finance at BlenderBottle. He is also the owner of CherriON, a tart cherry juice company. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services tailored to individuals approaching or in retirement, focusing on clients with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written recommendations through a centralized consulting team, supporting a wide range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions.

Retirement income strategy Income planning Social Security optimization Retirement withdrawal strategies Approaching retirement
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Nicholas S

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Lehi, UT

Telos Partners LLC

Nicholas Stecklein is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving at Diversify Wealth Management, LLC in Orem, UT. His prior roles include positions at North Capital Investment Technology and DFPG Investments. Outside of investment advising, he is involved with Advantage Tax and Planning, providing tax preparation services to prospects and clients. Diversify Wealth Management offers investment advisory and planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, business owners, retirement plans, trusts, and institutions. The firm employs a tactically diversified investment approach across multiple account types and platforms, incorporating due diligence on third-party managers and a mix of traditional and alternative investments aligned with clients’ objectives and fiduciary standards.

Charitable giving & philanthropy Cash flow / budgeting College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Retirement withdrawal strategies ESG / Sustainable investing Founder/Business Owner Executive Values-based investing
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John R

Series 63, Series 66

San Francisco, CA

1919 Investment Counsel, LLC

John Roberson is a financial advisor at 1919 Investment Counsel, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at 1919 since 2018, following six years at Rand & Associates. 1919 Investment Counsel is an SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $23.9 billion for individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, endowments, foundations, and pension plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and family office services, employing a core and satellite investment approach with a focus on liquid mid- and large-cap equities and investment-grade fixed income.

ESG / Sustainable investing Private / alternative investments Real estate investing
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran FInancial Advisors

Ethan Siekkinen is a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and has experience outside finance with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis supported by a proprietary equity market valuation model.

Options & derivatives strategies Concentrated stock management Private / alternative investments Wealth management Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. in Livingston, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he works as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth and non-HNW clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting, emphasizing tailored financial plans developed through detailed client interviews and risk profiling.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Retired
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Wealth management Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals Established Professionals
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional, LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Commonwealth Financial Network. In addition to his advisory role, Ferguson is licensed to sell fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan consulting for businesses and institutions. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and economic analysis in its investment approach and offers due diligence and monitoring of alternative and private investments for qualified investors.

Private / alternative investments Business succession planning Charitable giving & philanthropy Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey P

Series 66

Dacula, GA

Merrill

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill in multiple capacities since 2011, with brief stints at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities in 2022. Merrill serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage services. The firm employs a range of program strategies and manager-constructed portfolios, with oversight from its CIO and platform management, and leverages its affiliation with Bank of America to support trading, lending, and capital markets activities.

Tax-loss harvesting Active portfolio management Executive Founder/Business Owner Mid-Career Professionals HENRY (High Earners, Not Rich Yet)
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Scott M

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Morgan Stanley

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

General estate planning guidance
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Elizabeth B

Series 66

Chicago, IL

J.P. Morgan Securities

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wealth management Executive Founder/Business Owner
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Wesley P

Series 63, Series 66

Fort Worth, TX

Wells Fargo Clearing

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Fort Worth, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years and has entrepreneurial experience with #TagMeBro LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services grounded in modern portfolio theory and tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances. The firm’s advisory process includes a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Retired Founder/Business Owner
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Willie M

Series 63, Series 66

Cary, NC

Equitable Advisors

Willie Myles is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously affiliated with Axa Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit organization. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through various third-party programs. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model, offering both advisory and brokerage channels to implement client recommendations.

Retirement income strategy Social Security optimization Founder/Business Owner Retired Executive Approaching retirement Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
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