# Wells Fargo FiNet adds 11-person Los Angeles team from Ameriprise with $580 million

URL: https://www.financialadvsr.com/article/wells-fargo-finet-adds-11-person-los-angeles-team-from-ameriprise-with-580-03a9b3
Published: October 9, 2026
By: Grant Whitmore, Moves Correspondent
Section: Moves
Publisher: Financial ADVSR (https://www.financialadvsr.com)

Orchard Financial Group, led by Anthony Perez, joined Wells Fargo's independent contractor channel on October 7, according to InvestmentNews and AdvisorHub.

An 11-person Los Angeles practice has left Ameriprise for Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, the bank's independent contractor channel known as FiNet. InvestmentNews reported that the team, Orchard Financial Group, oversees roughly $580 million in assets under management and is led by Anthony Perez.

AdvisorHub reported that the group joined FiNet on October 7, 2026, and that it produced $4.3 million in annual revenue.

The roster, per InvestmentNews, includes senior financial advisors Audrey Schmedes, Eric Smutko and Michael Kawase, and financial advisors Devin Marshall, Kristie Liuag and Chase Johnson. Aprile Poag joined as the team's registered wealth planning director. Brenda Mahar, Claudine Rajah and Sheree Wesley make up the support staff.

AdvisorHub detailed the advisors' backgrounds. Perez, Smutko and Kawase began their careers between 2003 and 2004 at a predecessor of Ameriprise known as IDS Life Insurance. Schmedes first registered with Merrill Lynch in 2017 and moved to Ameriprise three years later.

InvestmentNews described the move as the latest step in a Wells Fargo effort to deepen recruiting across its employee and independent channels after years of net advisor losses.

FiNet is marking its 25th anniversary in 2026. According to a Wells Fargo news release, the channel has just come off one of its strongest recruiting runs, representing close to $5.5 billion in client assets during January and February. WealthManagement reported separately that Touchstone was the fourth practice with more than $1 billion to affiliate with FiNet in 2026.

The same InvestmentNews column covered two smaller independent moves. LPL Financial signed Brad Jerome of Legacy Financial Group from Osaic; he reported serving about $175 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets. In a separate InvestmentNews column, Raymond James Financial Services was reported to have welcomed Roberto De Jesus, who joins from Edward Jones after 18 years there with about $199 million in client assets.

Wells Fargo & Company has about $2.3 trillion in assets, according to a Business Wire release announcing its third-quarter earnings date of October 13, 2026.

Key facts:
- Orchard Financial Group, an 11-person Los Angeles team led by Anthony Perez, moved from Ameriprise to Wells Fargo FiNet (InvestmentNews).
- The team oversees about $580 million in assets and produced $4.3 million in annual revenue (InvestmentNews, AdvisorHub).
- The team joined FiNet on October 7, 2026 (AdvisorHub).
- FiNet recruited close to $5.5 billion in client assets in January and February 2026, per a Wells Fargo release.

Why it matters: The move shows Wells Fargo continuing to recruit established teams into its independent contractor channel from wirehaul-style and employee-model rivals such as Ameriprise. For advisors weighing a switch, FiNet's recent recruiting run signals competition for mid-sized teams, which can influence the deals on offer.

Sources:
- InvestmentNews: https://www.investmentnews.com/independent-broker-dealers/advisor-moves-wells-fargo-finet-lands-580m-ameriprise-team/268547
- investmentnews.com: https://www.investmentnews.com/independent-broker-dealers/advisor-moves-wells-fargo-finet-lands-580m-ameriprise-team/268547
- advisorhub.com: https://www.advisorhub.com/580m-ameriprise-team-jumps-to-wells-fargo-finet-in-california/
- businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261005655050/en/Wells-Fargo-to-Announce-Third-Quarter-2026-Earnings-on-Oct.-13-2026
- newsroom.wf.com: https://newsroom.wf.com/news-releases/news-details/2026/FiNet-Celebrates-25th-Anniversary-Amid-One-of-Strongest-Recruiting-Runs/default.aspx
- investmentnews.com: https://www.investmentnews.com/independent-broker-dealers/advisor-moves-lpl-cetera-raymond-james-newedge-wealth/267874
- wealthmanagement.com: https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ibd-news/wells-fargo-finet-attracts-2-1b-ubs-team