Five M&A affiliations and one traditional affiliation underscore demand for Steward's flexible partnership model

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Steward Partners, a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm, announces the addition of six advisor teams representing more than $2.2 billion in combined client assets during the third quarter of 2026.

Five of the six teams joined Steward through the firm's M&A channel, while one affiliated through Steward's traditional model, highlighting the range of paths available to established advisory businesses seeking greater scale, infrastructure, ownership and long-term optionality.

The teams joining Steward during the quarter include American Financial Advisors, led by Mike Stark in Georgia with approximately $1 billion in client assets; O'Neill Wealth Management in New Jersey with approximately $426 million; Sapphire Blue Advisors in Michigan with approximately $305 million; KM Private Wealth, led by Kyle Martin in Alabama with approximately $194 million; Axiom Capital Wealth Management, led by Bob Phinney in Massachusetts with approximately $191 million; and Integrity Financial Services, led by Jeff Seitz in Washington with approximately $116 million.

"This quarter reflects what we're seeing across the marketplace. Successful advisors and founders want more options, not fewer," said Scott Danner, Chief Growth Officer at Steward Partners. "They want the ability to keep growing, create liquidity, plan for succession and gain greater infrastructure without losing what made their business successful in the first place. Five of these six teams joined through M&A, but the larger story is choice. Different businesses need different paths, and our job is to meet them where they are and build the right partnership for what comes next."

The quarter reflects the continued expansion of Steward's Strategic Growth platform, which serves advisory businesses across multiple stages of their evolution. Teams can affiliate while maintaining independence and ownership of their practices, pursue strategic liquidity while continuing to lead and grow their businesses, or develop longer-term succession and continuity plans.

"Five M&A affiliations in a single quarter is a reflection of the rigor we've built into that process, not just demand for it," said Valerie Rivera, Chief Operating Officer, Strategic Growth at Steward Partners. "Scott and I work closely with these teams from the earliest conversations through close, and the businesses we're seeing want more than a deal — they want a partner who can integrate their operations, their people and their clients without disruption. That's the piece that determines whether an M&A affiliation actually works long-term, and it's where we spend the majority of our time."

Across those paths, Steward combines advisor ownership with institutional infrastructure, operational support, technology, investment capabilities and M&A resources through its OneSteward model.

"Advisory businesses do not all arrive at the same decision for the same reason, and they should not be forced into the same model," said Jeff Gonyo, Head of Wealth Management at Steward Partners. "What they consistently want is a partner that respects what they have already built while giving them greater resources to support where they want to go next. Whether that means remaining highly independent, accelerating growth, creating liquidity or planning for the next generation, our role is to provide the infrastructure and flexibility that allows them to move forward without giving up the identity and client relationships that made them successful."

The third-quarter additions follow a strong first half of 2026, during which Steward Partners added more than $6 billion in client assets across eleven advisor teams.

Together, the results reflect continued momentum across both Steward's M&A and traditional affiliation channels and growing demand among established advisory businesses for models that combine independence with greater scale and partnership.

Looking ahead, Steward Partners continues to expand in both existing and emerging markets, supported by a pipeline of advisor teams and M&A opportunities in development. The firm remains focused on providing advisors with multiple ways to build enterprise value, strengthen their businesses and create greater choice around what comes next.

Since its launch in 2013, Steward Partners has solidified its place as one of the industry's fastest-growing and most influential RIA firms. The firm was recently recognized with a #10 ranking on the 2026 Barron's Top 100 RIA Firms list and was named a 2025 Thrivent Employer of Choice by InvestmentNews, reflecting the firm's commitment to fostering a collaborative, partner-driven culture. Several Steward Partners advisors and teams were also honored on Forbes | SHOOK's 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors and 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams lists, underscoring the quality of client service delivered across the platform.

About Steward Partners
Representing some of the U.S.'s top advisors, Steward Partners is a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm that offers wealth management solutions for families, businesses, and multigenerational investors. Established in 2013, the firm fosters a positive, transparent culture of camaraderie and excellence that has fueled its substantial growth in a highly competitive industry. Offering services such as comprehensive wealth planning, private banking, institutional consulting, and business solutions, the firm was responsible for over $57 billion in client assets as of September 2026.

To learn more about Steward Partners, visit www.stewardpartners.com.

About Barron's Top 100 RIA Firms
2026 - Source: Barrons.com. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved. The Barron's 2026 Top 100 RIA Firms ranking was published in September 2026 and was based on information for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2026. Eligible firms completed a survey containing more than 100 questions about their practices, and Barron's verified submitted information using regulatory databases. Barron's applied a ranking formula consisting of three primary categories: assets, revenue, and quality of practice. The formula includes multiple quantitative and qualitative factors, such as asset type, growth, client retention, technology spending, succession planning, team diversity, charitable and philanthropic activities, and compliance records. Steward Partners was ranked among the non-Mega RIA firms. The ranking may not be representative of any individual client's experience, does not constitute an endorsement of Steward Partners or its Financial Advisors, and is not indicative of future performance. No fee was paid for participation, consideration, or inclusion in the ranking. Steward Partners may pay licensing, advertising, publication, reprint, or promotional fees associated with publicizing the ranking. Barron's is not affiliated with Steward Partners.

About InvestmentNews: Thrivent Employer of Choice
2025 – The Thrivent Employer of Choice award recognizes a multi-office advisor network, brokerage, or fund provider's commitment to building a workplace that recognizes excellence and supports career growth for all. This award recognizes the company that has earned the reputation of being called an employer of choice within the wealth management and financial planning industry. Nominations by employees, partners, peers, and clients are welcome. Employers are selected based on objective criteria including: must have more than 50 employees within the U.S. and be in the wealth management industry, demonstrates unique employee value proposition (e.g. business development support, marketing support, education, training, philanthropy), defined workplace brand and culture to foster growth for employees, innovative approach to employee recruitment, retention, talent management, learning & development, mitigating employer-related risks, managing changes within the business (i.e. digitalization, customer expectations, compliance), and exemplary reputation within the industry. Data was compiled from 2024. Award Finalists announced June 24, 2025. Steward Partners nor its affiliates paid a fee to InvestmentNews in exchange for the ranking.

About Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors
2026 – Source: Forbes.com - The ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings, client impact, industry experience, client retention, review of best practices, credentials, compliance records and firm nominations, as well as quantitative factors including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion, as client objectives and risk tolerances vary and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Neither Steward Partners nor its Wealth Managers pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2024 to 6/30/2025 and published by Forbes (April 7, 2026). For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com. 

About Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
2026 - Source: Forbes.com (award given 1/7/2026) - ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Neither Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC nor its Wealth Managers pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com. Data for the award as of 3/31/2025.

Securities are offered through Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC ("SPIS"), registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC ("SPIA"), an SEC-registered investment adviser. SPIS, SPIA, and Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC are affiliates and collectively referred to as Steward Partners.

Media Contact:
Zach Allegretti
JConnelly
zallegrettiii@jconnelly.com
973-850-7341

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SOURCE Steward Partners