Two Former Wells Fargo advisors, who oversaw approximately $280 million of assets, have joined Linsco by LPL Financial, the firm announced Monday.
The father-son team of Michael and Wes Climer join fellow advisors at a dedicated Linsco office on Carnegie Boulevard in Charlotte, South Carolina.
Mike Climer started his career at Investors Financial Planning in 1979 and had been affiliated with Wells Fargo since 2013, according to his BrokerCheck report. Wes Climer, who is also a state senator for South Carolina, served as a press secretary until 2011, when he returned to the financial services industry.
Deborah Higel, a licensed paraplanner and 30-year industry veteran, also joins the team.
The Climers spent the last three years interviewing firms, including large wirehouses, banks, broker-dealers and RIAs. They said moving to Linsco by LPL seemed like the right fit as it offered them independence and flexibility to run the practice on their own terms.
“With Linsco, we have all of the benefits of a large firm to operate on our own terms,” Mike Climer said in a statement. “We don’t have to deal with HR, real estate or the operational mechanics of running our firm. It gives us peace of mind knowing that the practice is taken care of, so that we can focus on serving our clients – and that’s what matters most.”
Wes Climer added that it was the best fit culturally.
“In terms of tools and resources, it gives us the freedom to focus on each client’s best interest along with more flexibility in how we can tailor experiences and investment strategies,” he said. “I also love that LPL is a hometown firm in the county I live in and serve.”
They said joining the firm’s employee advisor model helps bridge the gap between working in a wirehouse environment and being independent.
With Linsco, advisors have access to LPL’s integrated wealth management platform and robust business resources, along with the additional benefits of having support from an experienced branch management team, dedicated marketing consultant, technology consultant and service team.
The Climers currently work together helping clients with investment selection and portfolio construction. They also focus on helping younger generations build healthy financial habits and practices around multigenerational wealth.
The Climers are the 45th team to join Linsco by LPL Financial.