News>Industry $1.3B Las Vegas Team Departs Morgan Stanley for Raymond James The seven advisors making up the team are joining Raymond James’ employee advisor channel.

Patrick Donachie | Jun 26, 2024

A Las Vegas-based team of seven advisors collectively managing about $1.3 billion in client assets is joining Raymond James’ employee advisor channel from Morgan Stanley.

The team includes advisors Nick Takahashi, James Zapotocky, Joshua Yocam, Luka Vasiljevic, Michael Ortega, Stephen Ellignsen and Sean Tsaconas. The group will operate out of Raymond James’ Las Vegas location, working with executives, families, pre-retirees and retirees. They’ll be joined by senior client service associate Yalda Momeni.

According to Takahashi, joining Raymond James was “a natural choice for the team” due to the firm's “client and advisor-centric ethos” and its resources and support.

“Additionally, the firm’s renowned leadership and history makes for a seamless culture fit,” he said.

Starting in 2008, Takahashi worked at Wachovia Securities (which merged with Wells Fargo that year) before moving to Morgan Stanley for 11 years. He’ll be joining Raymond James as a managing director. Zapotocky entered the industry in 2010 at Wells Fargo before joining Morgan Stanley for over 10 years.

Earlier this month, Raymond James attracted a Morgan Stanley advisor (and one from Merrill Lynch) to open the first Alaska location for its employee advisor channel. Keith Green came over from Morgan Stanley, where he managed more than $290 million in assets, while Jon Coon left Merrill (where he managed about $308 million) to help create an Anchorage office. 

Earlier this month, Raymond James also grabbed a $490 million Florida-based team from Merrill for its independent advisor channel.

Earlier this year, Raymond James announced that CFO Paul Shoukry will succeed current CEO Paul Reilly as the firm’s leader in fiscal year 2025, part of a broader “multi-year succession planning process.” 

As a part of these shifts, the firm promoted Tom Walrond to head Raymond James Associates, replacing Tash Elwyn, who was appointed president of the company’s Private Client Group. In November, Raymond James announced that Shannon Reid would head the firm’s independent contractor division.

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