WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Steward Partners Global Advisory LLC (Steward), an employee-owned, full service independent partnership affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services (RJFS) member FINRA/SIPC, announced today that veteran financial advisors, James Fowkes II and Ben Plata, known collectively as The Fowkes Group, have left the Wells Fargo Profit Formula system, to join Steward Partners. The team will locate in Steward's flagship Washington, D.C. office, at 1717 K Street, NW with several other advisor teams and senior management. At Wells, the team managed $200 million in client assets, and generated $1.6 million in production.

Steward's remarkable success has established their "Elite Hybrid" model as one of the fastest growing in the category of full service independent firms, according to several media outlets. The addition of The Fowkes Group brings their recruited assets to $1.8 billion in just 13 months.

Mike Maurer, CEO of Steward, states "Jim Fowkes is clearly a first quintile producer, but that alone is never enough. He and his partner, Ben Plata are most importantly, first quintile people. We welcome them proudly as partners into the Steward family."

Jim Gold, President of Steward, adds, "Jim's tenure and experience is indicative of the quality of advisors we are attracting. We started Steward with partners like Jim and Ben in mind, and we feel that our best days are ahead of us, something many of us thought was lost at our predecessor firms."

"Steward Partners is no longer a secret to high-end advisors." says Fowkes, managing director, wealth manager at Steward. "Our industry is small and we all talk. The best advisors and larger teams serious about making a break, all have Steward along with Raymond James on their list."

"Many of our clients are business owners," adds Plata, Sr. Vice President and wealth manager at Steward. "They intuitively understand that an inclusivepartnership means better service and care for themselves, their businesses and their families. The entire Steward team, as well as our partners at Raymond James, is first class in every way. Being in a partnership with such well-regarded leaders and the enormous resources and reputation Raymond James brings, lends great comfort to our team and our clients."

Greg Banasz, Steward's director of Business Development says, "Our pipeline is incredibly strong and allows us to continue to be very selective and strategic with both the advisors we choose and the locations we develop. Banasz continues, "The Steward model, and everything it represents, is something that potential partners feel is a compelling differentiator. To us it signifies a 'Culture of Caring,' and it's a process that cannot be rushed."

Everyone at Steward Partners, regardless of position, is an equity owner. "We wanted to be in a place where everyone from the CEO on down has a skin in the game," adds Fowkes. "We feel that's best for our clients and for us long term. As an owner in a partnership with other top advisors, our opinions and suggestions are actually welcomed, encouraged and embraced."

About Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with additional offices in New York, NY, Andover, Mass. and Portsmouth, N.H., Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC is an employee-owned, full service partnership catering to family, institutional and multi-generational wealth. Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC maintains a separate professional business relationship with, and our professionals offer securities through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.  

1717 K Street, Suite 930, Washington D.C. 20006 - Toll Free: (855) 414-3140. 

For more information, visit us at www.stewardpartners.com

About Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is a financial services firm supporting more than 3,200 independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, has provided a wide range of investment and wealth planning related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both broker/dealers are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF) a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 6,200 financial advisors serving in excess of 2.5 million client accounts in more than 2,500 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $485 billion. For more information visit www.raymondjames.com

Press Contact:
Tony Sirianni- Sirianni Strategy Group
703-975-1615
tony@siriannistrategygroup.com

SOURCE Steward Partners Global Advisory LLC