Seven-advisor team brings nearly four decades of client-first financial planning and a culture built on mentorship, shared values, and holistic wealth management

STAMFORD, Conn., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Steward Partners, a full-service, employee-owned independent financial services firm, today announced the acquisition of Wisdom Rock Financial Advisory Group, adding over $500 million in client assets to Steward Partners' platform in its M&A Channel.

By bringing on Wisdom Rock Financial Advisory Group, Steward Partners expands its presence in the greater Rochester, NY market. Led by founding partner Michael Keys and advisor partner Chris Neitz, the seven-advisor team brings nearly four decades of client-focused financial planning, built on a foundation of purposeful mentorship, diverse professional backgrounds, and a holistic approach to wealth management that spans investments, estate planning, tax strategy, and retirement income.

"What stood out about Steward immediately was that they wanted to get to know us as people before they ever looked at our numbers and that's a big deal, because that's exactly how we treat our clients," said Michael Keys, CFP^®, APMA^®, Managing Director, Wealth Advisor. "We found a firm that genuinely shares our belief in holistic financial planning. Estate planning, tax planning, retirement income, these aren't secondary to what we do—they are what we do, and Steward understands that at their core."

"Steward didn't just present to us, they felt like a partner from our first meeting," said Christopher Neitz, APMA^®, Managing Director, Wealth Advisor. "They came in with energy, with ideas and exciting developments on the horizon, and that enthusiasm was contagious. With the back-office weight lifted, our advisors can focus on what they do best and keep growing. We now have the infrastructure and the partnership to take our client experience to an entirely new level."

"I use the phrase strategic partnership carefully, because it means something specific—it's when both sides bring something to the table that genuinely makes the other better," said Scott Danner, Chief Growth Officer at Steward Partners. "What Mike and team have built is exactly what the Steward Model was designed to honor and protect, a team with shared values, diverse backgrounds, and a genuine commitment to holistic planning that goes well beyond a portfolio. Our job is to come alongside them so they can go even deeper for the clients who've trusted them for decades. We couldn't be more excited to do it."

Steward Partners' M&A Channel is designed to support established advisory teams seeking a long-term succession and continuity solution without sacrificing their brand or client relationships. Steward Partners provides a flexible framework that allows advisors to maintain their identity while leveraging the scale, resources, and operational support of a national firm. It's an ideal path for advisors planning for retirement, team transitions, or strategic growth.

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 #9 ranking on the 2025 Barron's Top 100 RIA Firms list, up from its #18 ranking in 2024. Additionally, Steward Partners 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. With its commitment to exceptional client service and forward-thinking partnerships, the firm was ranked as the #9 RIA in the country in Barron's Top 100 RIAs for the year 2025. Offering services such as comprehensive wealth planning, private banking, institutional consulting, and business solutions, the firm was responsible for nearly $50 billion in client assets as of March 2026.

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

About Baron's Top 100 RIAs
2025 - Source: Barrons.com. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved. Participation in this ranking is by invitation only and limited to firms that meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Barron's selected firms that manage 2% or more of the total assets of all ranking applicants. This year, that creates a threshold of $70 billion in assets. Participating firms were evaluated and ranked on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, including: assets overseen by the firm, revenue generated by the firm, level of technology spending, number of clients, size of staff, diversity across staff, and placement of a succession plan. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Steward Partners nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Barron's is not affiliated with Steward Partners.

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 to be 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.

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