Registration is now open for M&A+ Summit
October 8-10, 2025 in Chicago at the Ritz-Carlton!
agenda highlights
Format and Overview
Rich content in multiple formats: keynotes, general sessions, and panels.
Networking times during coffee breaks, receptions and dinners
Day One: Arrivals and river cruise welcome reception on the First Lady Boat
Day Two: Full-day conference programming, happy hour/expert 1:1 meetings, and summit dinner at The Kitchen American Bistro
Day Three: Half-day conference programming
Topics
Current State and Outlook for RIA M&A
State of the RIA Industry
Lessons from Seasoned Acquirers for Prospective Sellers
Transition Stories from Your Peers
Your Topics: One-on-Ones Meetings with Industry Experts
And more!
2025 Speakers
More speakers to come!
Michael is a highly respected and experienced leader in the wealth management industry. As Chief Executive Officer, he plays a pivotal role in driving organizational change and spearheading a range of firm-wide initiatives. He is relentlessly dedicated to bringing meaning and joy to the lives of clients, his team, and throughout the Focus Partnership, by fostering a culture that values lifelong learning, cultivates innovation, and offers opportunities to live lives full of passion and purpose.
Michael’s passion is reflected in the recognition he has received, having been selected ten times by Barron’s magazine as one of the top 100 independent financial advisors in the nation, included in Worth magazine’s list of the country’s top 250 wealth advisors and recognized as one of ThinkAdvisor’s 2022 LUMINARIES winners for Executive Leadership. He also was selected six times as a “Super Lawyer,” as published in Massachusetts Super Lawyers. During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer and Chair of The Colony Group, he is most proud of the firm being named one of 50 firms as a Best Place To Work for Financial Advisors by InvestmentNews.
As a lifelong learner, he is committed to sharing his knowledge and experience with clients, colleagues, and the next generation of industry leaders and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. He also has served on the Fidelity Clearing and Custody Solutions Advisor Council and the Schwab Advisor Services Advisory Board. Previously, he served on the Board of Advisors for Boston University’s Program for Financial Planners and as Co-Chairman of the Boston Bar Association.
Michael Nathanson
CEO
Focus Financial Partners
-Keynote Speaker-
A successful financial advisor as well as a lawyer, Peter has received wide acclaim for his work in the world of wealth management. He is a sought-after thought leader on financial topics and a New York Times bestselling author. Since 2004, Peter has led Creative Planning and its family of companies to provide comprehensive wealth management services to clients in all 50 states and abroad, including investment management, financial planning, tax planning, retirement plan consulting, estate planning services and charitable planning.
Peter Mallouk
President & CEO
Creative Planning
-Keynote Speaker-
Rohit Mahna is head of Client Growth at Institutional Wealth Management Services, which offers wealth management professionals and firms access to the investment, technology, and platform solutions they need to serve their investor clients and grow their businesses. Institutional Wealth Management Services is a part of Fidelity Investments, a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing, and other financial products and services to institutions, financial intermediaries, and individuals.
In this role, Mr. Mahna leads the sales and relationship management teams that are responsible for building and maintaining relationships with wealth management firms and institutions, understanding their business objectives, and delivering the best of Fidelity to help them grow their businesses.
Before joining Fidelity, Mr. Mahna spent more than 10 years at Salesforce, where he was most recently senior vice president and general manager of Global Financial Services and was responsible for product, marketing, partners, industry expertise, and overall go-to-market strategy. Mr. Mahna was instrumental in the vision and development of Salesforce’s Financial Services Cloud, the company’s first industry-specific application.
Mr. Mahna has over 20 years of experience in financial services, previously leading global development of IBM’s financial services industry solutions for business analytics and overseeing the industry marketing team. He got his start in financial services at TD Waterhouse.
Mr. Mahna earned his bachelor of science degree in business and economics from Lehigh University.
Rohit Mahna
Head of Client Growth
Fidelity Investments
-Keynote Speaker-
Ben Harrison is a Managing Director and leads the client facing businesses for BNY Pershing. He is the Co-Chair of BNY’s Wealth Community Practice which aligns professionals serving the wealth industry across the BNY enterprise. Additionally, Ben serves as President & board member for BNY Mellon, N.A. Ben is a member of BNY’s Senior Advisory Council, a group of senior managing director working closely with BNY’s Office of the CEO and the Executive Committee on the bank’s strategic initiatives.
Prior to his current role, Ben led Wealth Solutions serving wealth intermediaries, the RIA custody business as well as business development and relationship management for the advisory marketplace at BNY Pershing. In those roles, he spearheaded key strategic initiatives and built successful partnerships with clients focused on powering their growth. Ben was a 2010 Chairman’s Circle Honoree, recognized for his outstanding performance and contribution to BNY. Before BNY Pershing, Ben worked at TD Ameritrade Institutional where he focused on the RIA business.
Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics Management from Ohio Wesleyan University. He has also completed the Securities Industry Institute® program, sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Ben is a former Chair for the Foundation for Financial Planning and a current trustee. He also serves on the Board of The Woodstock Academy Foundation.
Jason Gordo is a co-founder and president at Modern Wealth Management. Gordo is an accomplished wealth management executive with a diverse background in business strategy, execution, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining the founding team at Modern Wealth, Gordo was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management where he was Head of Advisor Growth.
Gordo was part of the team that scaled and sold United Capital, a $25B RIA with 90 locations, to Goldman Sachs for $750M. While at United Capital he held various positions, including Head of Office and Head of FinLife Partners. Gordo was also a member of the United Capital executive team where he worked to help drive the firm’s growth and success.
Before joining United Capital, Gordo co-founded Valley Wealth, Inc., a wealth management firm that served high-net-worth clients, endowments, foundations, and corporate retirement plans. Under his leadership, the firm was named to Forbes Magazine’s list of fastest-growing RIAs.
Gordo graduated from Gonzaga University, earning a master’s degree in organizational leadership. He also holds industry credentials from the College for Financial Planning and the Center for Fiduciary Studies.
Martine is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of the organization through strategic mergers and acquisitions of other RIAs. Based on her more than two decades of experience in the independent wealth management space, she leads like-minded firms in their transition decisions, including assessment of fit, due diligence, financial analysis, talent mapping, and deal negotiations.
Martine previously served as Chief Talent Officer (a role she held since joining Mercer Advisors in 2020), with a focus on developing and growing the organization’s talent. She is also a Member of the Executive Leadership Team.Prior to Mercer Advisors, she served as Principal, COO and CCO at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney. She also served on the Technology, Operations & Service Advisory Board of one of the largest RIA custodians, and has been involved as a writer and instructor for CFP™ exam review courses.
Education: MBA, Georgetown University; B.S., Mathematics, Duke University
Credentials: Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner™
David DeVoe founded DeVoe & Company in 2011 to help wealth management companies optimize their business decisions. The company has supported hundreds of firms in consulting, investment banking and valuation engagements since launch. David has been a thought leader on RIA practice management for 18 years and was named the 'RIA M&A Guru' by Barron's magazine.
Previously, he served as Managing Director of Strategic Business Development at Charles Schwab Advisor Services. In this role, he developed and led Schwab’s Transition Planning platform, which provides comprehensive M&A and succession planning services to registered investment advisors. During this eight-year period, he provided strategic counsel to over 500 advisors. Previously, David worked in the Business Strategy group at American Express.
David holds a BA degree from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Ben Harrison
Managing Director, Head of Client Business Services
BNY Pershing
Jason Gordo
President and Co-Founder
Modern Wealth Management
Martine Lellis
Principal, M&A Partner Development
Mercer Advisors
David DeVoe
Founder and CEO
DeVoe & Company
Karisa Diephouse oversees partnership integration and the strategic execution of operations across all Beacon Pointe offices located throughout the country. Karisa brings over 20 years of experience in financial services and wealth management and understands the operational components involved with office and service efficiencies. She has worked at Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments where she held various roles of increasing responsibilities in sales, planning, operations, compliance, and client services. She is also a founding member of the Beacon Pointe Women’s Advisory Institute and co-authored Your Dollars, Our Sense: A Fun and Simple Guide to Money Matters, an international best-selling book that has ranked #1 in six different business/finance categories. Karisa received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance from California State University, Long Beach. Karisa is married, has two sons, and lives in Mission Viejo, CA. She enjoys traveling, staying fit, watching sports, and spending time with her family and friends.
Karisa Diephouse
Chief Operating Officer
Beacon Pointe Advisors
Scott Holsopple serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Hightower Advisors, leading enterprise strategy and M&A, and defining the firm’s value proposition for both advisors and end clients. In his role, he aligns cross-firm initiatives with a unified vision focused on accelerating advisor success and enhancing client outcomes. Scott brings 20 years of experience in investment banking, private equity and wealth management — all of which help him to successfully articulate enterprise strategy and oversee implementation. Most recently, he worked at an international firm focused on strategic investments in the wealth management industry, leading their West Coast M&A efforts to identify top RIA firms and support existing partner firms’ M&A and organic growth strategies.
Scott Holsopple
Chief Strategy Officer
Hightower Advisors
Jim Cahn holds the role of Chair of the Investment Committee & Chief Strategy Officer. Jim has been with Wealth Enhancement since 2012 and has been instrumental in the firm’s success as it has evolved from a regional player to establishing a strong national foothold. His contributions to growing the firm’s investment platform and executing its inorganic growth initiatives have helped to shape Wealth Enhancement into a leading investment advisory platform.
Prior to joining Wealth Enhancement, Jim served as Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at the Vestian Group, where he oversaw investment programs, launched a hedge fund-of-funds, and consulted with clients.
A frequent contributor to financial media, Jim has appeared in CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg among other prominent outlets.
Jim Cahn
Chair of the Investment Committee & Chief Strategy Officer
Wealth Enhancement
Doug joined DeVoe & Company in 2021 as a Managing Director and works with our clients on consulting and investment banking projects.
Doug has more than 20 years of senior-level RIA management experience as COO/CCO and consultant. Most recently, he served as COO/CCO at Parcion Private Wealth (~$2B) in Seattle. He oversaw an 80% AUM growth trajectory in the first 12 months of his tenure there. Prior to Parcion, Doug spent six years at The Ensemble Practice, where he supported RIAs and broker-dealers with business consulting and strategic planning. Doug also served in leadership positions at Columbia Pacific Capital Management and Lakeside Capital Management, among other firms.
Doug earned an MBA from Thunderbird School of Management/ASU and a BA from University of California Los Angeles.
Doug Johnson
Managing Director
DeVoe & Company
Jay specializes in practice development, team leadership, communication, collaboration and adult-learning behavior. He and his team provide coaching to financial professionals across the country, and he frequently speaks regionally and nationally on behalf of Invesco Global Consulting (IGC). Jay is also a member of the IGC Leadership Team, which focuses on helping financial professionals grow, keep and optimize their practices in a complex and competitive business environment.
A keynote speaker, executive coach and author, Jay has worked in the financial services industry since 1999. His writing has been featured in multiple industry publications, and he is the coauthor of The Three Commitments of Leadership: How Clarity, Stability and Rhythm Create Great Leaders.1
Jay joined Invesco in 2019 when the firm combined with OppenheimerFunds. Previously, he was a Director of Business Consulting and head of CEO Advisor Institute Marketing at OppenheimerFunds. Prior to these postions, Jay held various leadership roles in the financial industry, including head of learning and development, national sales manager and head of professional development at ING, MassMutual and The Hartford, respectively. Jay earned a degree in economics and finance from the University of Massachusetts and a BS in business management from Western Governors University. He holds the Series 7 and 63 industry registrations.
Jay Therrien
Managing Director of Executive Consulting, Invesco Global Consulting
Invesco
Denitsa Balunis is Head of Corporate Strategy and Corporate Development at Edelman Financial Engines (EFE), where she leads enterprise strategy, planning, and all aspects of M&A. She also serves as Chief of Staff to the CEO and is a member of the firm’s executive committee, the CEO Council, which oversees the company’s enterprise strategy. Since establishing EFE’s dedicated M&A function in 2020, Denitsa and her team have executed nine acquisitions representing more than $6B in assets under management. Her team manages the full lifecycle of transactions—from opportunity sourcing and valuation to negotiation, closing, and integration.
Since joining EFE in 2018, Denitsa has played a central role in transformative deals, including the combination of Edelman Financial Services and Financial Engines under Hellman & Friedman’s ownership and the 2021 minority investment by Warburg Pincus.
With 20 years of strategy, finance, and operations experience across financial services and technology, Denitsa has advised and led organizations through growth, market entry, M&A, and IPO preparedness. She holds a B.A. in Economics, summa cum laude, from Colby College and an MBA in Strategy from Duke University.
Denitsa Balunis
SVP, Corporate Strategy & Corporate Development, Chief of Staff to the CEO
Edelman Financial Engines
Michael is responsible for leading the external M&A strategy for Carson Group. Prior to joining Carson, Michael spent more than 17 years with one of the nation's leading independent broker/dealers as a business development executive and consultant. He is a proud graduate of Creighton University.
Michael Belluomini
SVP, Mergers & Acquisitions
Carson Group
Brad joined DeVoe & Company in 2018. He brings 30+ years of financial services experience in wealth management, asset management, and banking.
Brad has led several multi-billion dollar AUM RIAs and banks that own RIAs, many of which he helped grow through acquisition. His roles included President of PSBT’s Wealth Management Group, Managing Director of Manarin Investment Counsel, President of Carson Wealth Management Group, and President and CEO of BancWest Investment Services. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions at Citigroup, Kemper Financial Institution Group, and consulted with Farmers Financial Services.
Brad earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from Loyola University Chicago.
Brad Grubb
Managing Director
DeVoe & Company
Bruce Milam is the Chief Executive Officer at Composition Wealth and oversees the firm's day-to-day operations while driving the formulation and execution of the firm's growth strategy. A key part of his role involves identifying and connecting with future partners who share the firm's values and client-first approach, a strategy that has successfully integrated eight advisory teams across the country over the last two years.
Prior to joining Composition Wealth, Bruce worked for nearly a decade at Freestone Capital Management, an RIA based in Seattle, where he served as Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure, he led vision and strategy efforts and contributed towards Freestone's extraordinary growth accomplishments. Prior to that, Bruce spent over eight years as a Director at HBK Capital Management, building out the firm's operations and technology infrastructure while also leading teams through large-scale transformations to drive scale and optimization.
Bruce received his Masters of Professional Accounting at Texas McCombs School of Business and his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas, Austin. In his time away from work, Bruce enjoys being active – ideally doing something outdoors, traveling internationally, and keeping up with his twin teenage sons.
Bruce Milam
CEO
Composition Wealth
Dustin Mangone is a Managing Partner and the Director of Investment Advisor Services for PPC LOAN, a cash-flow based lender providing nationwide financing to service sector businesses. He has nearly 20 years of experience with cash-flow lending and has evaluated and underwritten over $1 billion in loans for investment advisors. Dustin now spends 100% of his time consulting on the M&A financing needs of RIAs and Independent Investment Advisors nationwide and is a regular speaker on these topics. Dustin’s experience is focused on acquisitions, mergers, buy-ins, buy-outs, equity purchases, succession plans, and debt consolidations.
Dustin is a 2002 graduate of Texas A&M University and spent 2 years as a financial advisor providing retirement planning for non-profit organizations before joining PPC LOAN in May of 2005.
Dustin Mangone
Managing Partner & Director of Investment Advisor Services
PPC LOAN
Russ Larsen is responsible for managing Wintrust’s middle market banking efforts in the northwest suburbs, Wintrust’s Investment Advisor Banking practice, and also serves as CEO of Village Bank & Trust. Russ has spent the last 30 years working with middle market companies in the greater Chicagoland area. He is passionate about establishing highly personalized relationships with an emphasis on strategic discussions about growth and succession planning.
Russ has a bachelor’s degree in finance with an emphasis in accounting from Northern Illinois University and an MBA in marketing with an emphasis in finance from DePaul University. He serves on the Board of Executive Advisors of the Northern Illinois University College of Business and as a board member for the American Cancer Society.
Russ Larsen
Group Executive Vice President
Wintrust
James Hughes is the Head of Investment Advisory Lending at Live Oak Bank. In his role, James leads the sales team and oversees the lending process from the initial call to loan servicing. Since joining Live Oak in 2013, he has helped hundreds of businesses achieve their goals through financing. James has served in several roles at Live Oak, including as a sales trader, relationship manager, underwriter and loan officer. Before joining the bank, James worked at one of the leading investment banks in the world, where he managed a group of derivative trading assistants and several client service teams. Through this unique experience, James has gained an understanding of business owners' challenges. James' dedication is to assisting small business owners in the Investment Advisory industry to attain success and continue to thrive with Live Oak Bank’s products and services James has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Bucknell University.
James Hughes
Managing Director - Small Business Lending Division
Live Oak Bank
Rick Dennen is the founder and CEO of Oak Street Funding, a First Financial Bank company. Founded in 2003, Oak Street Funding provides customized loan products and services for specialty lines of business including certified public accountants, registered investment advisors, BHPH dealerships, and insurance agents nationwide.
A CPA and former Senior Manager at Deloitte, Rick holds a BS in Accounting and an MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He has served as an adjunct professor at Kelley, teaching venture capital and entrepreneurial finance, and is a sought-after speaker on startups, capital options, and succession planning.
Rick Dennen
Founder and CEO
Oak Street Funding
Adam returned to DeVoe & Company in 2022 after previously working with the company in 2014-2015. Adam is focused on delivering our valuation services to RIA clients. He is an experienced CFO and financial analyst.
He has held positions across multiple industries, including financial services, technology, and other professional services verticals. Most recently, he was the CFO at Talent, Inc a technology-enabled career services provider. Prior to that, he was the CFO at Helix Education, a technology-based enrollment platform for colleges and universities. Earlier in his career, Adam co-founded Deer Creek Capital Partners, a long/short alternative investment fund with $20MM in assets. He was also a Senior Equity Analyst at Invesco Funds Group.
Adam has a BA in English from the University of Michigan and a MBA in Finance from Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Adam Levy
Managing Director
DeVoe & Company
Event Location
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago
160 E Pearson St, Chicago, IL 60611
Hotel reservations at the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago can be made on the hotel website here , or you may call the hotel directly at (312) 266-1000.
There is also a room block available at the Hilton Magnificent Mile, which is a short 0.2-mile walk from the Ritz-Carlton. Hotel reservations at the Hilton can be made on the hotel website here.
The room blocks are limited and close on September 16, 2025, or when sold out, so be sure to book as soon as possible.
2025 Networking Events
We are kicking off the 2025 DeVoe M&A+ Summit with a boat cruise on the Chicago River on Wednesday, October 8th. Thank you to Soltis Investment Advisors for their partnership on this event! Boarding begins at 5:00 pm and will depart at 5:20 pm. The boat will return at 7:00 pm. Registration required.
Save the date for the 2025 M&A+ Summit Dinner at The Kitchen American Bistro! Thank you to Invesco QQQ, our Diamond Partner, for their partnership on this event! Registration required.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a partner, please email us at events@devoe-co.com.
Please enjoy a few scenes from previous events.
