A Female-Led Edward Jones Team Joined Ameriprise. The Real Story Is Family Continuity

Wealth Management

Jul 28

Ameriprise’s recruitment of Kendall Wealth Management from Edward Jones is not just a $300 million advisor move. It is a family-business story inside a changing advisor-platform market.

The New Philadelphia, Ohio practice is led by Kiley Kendall and includes her husband, Mitch Kendall, and son, Kyle Kendall. Ameriprise described the group as a family-run, female-led private wealth advisory practice that moved from Edward Jones with more than $300 million in assets.

That combination matters.

A family-led practice has a different client message than a standard advisor transfer. The advisors are not only moving a book of business. They are moving a household brand, a local reputation and a continuity story. Clients who work with a family team often care about trust, succession, service consistency and whether the next generation of the practice will stay involved.

Ameriprise’s pitch met that moment. The firm framed the move around flexibility, independence, technology, planning tools and the ability to tailor service to clients ranging from emerging investors to high-net-worth families. Kiley Kendall said the team was not actively seeking a change, but a conversation with Ameriprise led the practice to explore whether the platform better supported its next growth stage.

That is the real story.

Kendall Wealth Management did not need to be the largest team moving in 2025 to reveal an important trend. It shows how advisor recruiting is becoming more specific. Ameriprise is not only winning advisors with a big-firm brand. It is selling a model where experienced teams can keep a local, relationship-based identity while gaining more tools, independence and support.

For Edward Jones, the loss is another reminder that its branch-based model can still produce loyal advisors, but it cannot assume every successful family practice will stay forever. As teams become more planning-heavy, technology-dependent and succession-minded, they may want more flexibility than the classic Edward Jones structure provides.

The move is therefore not only about Ameriprise beating Edward Jones in Ohio.

It is about what family-led advisor teams want when the next stage of growth requires more than a familiar firm name.

TL;DR

Ameriprise added Kendall Wealth Management: The New Philadelphia, Ohio practice moved from Edward Jones with more than $300 million in client assets.
The team is female-led and family-run: Kiley Kendall leads the practice with financial advisors Mitch Kendall and Kyle Kendall, her husband and son.
Independence was central to the move: Ameriprise said the team joined its independent channel for flexibility, autonomy, resources and support.
The client base is broad: Kendall said the practice serves clients from emerging investors to high-net-worth families with different goals and complexities.
Multi-generational planning is the strongest client angle: Ameriprise said the team plans to use integrated planning tools to support deeper family relationships.
Technology was part of the recruiting pitch: The team cited Ameriprise’s tools and planning platform as resources that could help scale service.
Ameriprise keeps building its recruiting story: The firm said about 1,700 experienced advisors have joined Ameriprise over the last five years.
Raymond James and Commonwealth also won advisors in the roundup: Raymond James added Kevin Brown from Osaic, while Commonwealth-affiliated Union Street Financial added Thomas Kinslow and Brian Sanford from Morgan Stanley.
The broader lesson is platform fit: Advisors are choosing models based on independence, planning depth, technology, local identity and client continuity.

Kendall Wealth Management Is A Family Practice First And A Recruiting Win Second

InvestmentNews reported that Ameriprise added Kendall Wealth Management from Edward Jones, but the asset number is only part of the story.

The structure of the team is more interesting.

Kiley Kendall leads the practice. Mitch Kendall and Kyle Kendall are also financial advisors. Jennifer Stewart serves as client relationship senior director, and Alexis Shaw serves as client service specialist, according to the team’s Ameriprise profile. That gives the practice a family-led center and a support team around it.

A practice like that is not easily replaced by a branch reassignment.

Clients may know the family. They may know the support staff. They may see the team as part of the local community. They may trust the practice because it feels personal, not institutional.

Why The Family Structure Matters

It supports continuity: Clients can see more than one generation involved in the practice.
It strengthens local trust: A family-led practice can feel rooted in the community.
It creates a succession message: The son’s involvement gives clients a clearer long-term story.
It improves team coverage: Clients are less dependent on one advisor alone.
It makes the move more personal: The transition is not only a firm change. It is a family business choosing a new platform.

That is why Ameriprise’s win is strategically useful.

It adds a team with a client relationship model that is hard to build quickly.

New Philadelphia Makes This A Local-Wealth Story

New Philadelphia, Ohio is not a giant financial center. That is exactly why the move is worth studying.

Advisor recruiting coverage often focuses on New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and other large markets. But wealth management growth also happens in smaller communities where long-term trust, referrals and local presence matter deeply.

Kendall Wealth Management’s local base gives Ameriprise a different kind of growth asset. The team can serve families, retirees, business owners and emerging investors through a relationship model built over years, not through a national advertising campaign.

Why Smaller Markets Can Be Powerful

Trust compounds locally: Clients may rely heavily on community reputation and referrals.
Families stay connected: Advisors may work with parents, children and business-owner households across generations.
Business owners need planning: Local entrepreneurs often need retirement plans, succession advice and investment guidance.
Service expectations are personal: Clients may expect direct access and familiar staff.
A platform move is noticeable: When a known local practice changes firms, the community may pay attention.

The New Philadelphia angle makes the Ameriprise win more than a map pin.

It shows that advisor-platform competition is reaching deeply into community-based practices.

The Female-Led Angle Is Strategic, Not Decorative

The headline’s “women-led” framing matters because women-led advisor teams bring a distinct competitive message.

Wealth management has spent years talking about serving women clients better. A female-led family practice can make that promise more concrete. Clients navigating retirement, widowhood, divorce, inheritance, caregiving, family business decisions or household financial transitions may value advisors who combine technical planning with patient, relationship-based communication.

That does not mean women advisors only serve women clients. Kendall Wealth Management serves a broad client base. But the leadership identity still matters because it gives the practice a visible point of differentiation in a business that remains heavily relationship-driven.

Where Women-Led Practices Can Stand Out

Family decision-making: Many households need advisors who can communicate across spouses and generations.
Life transitions: Divorce, widowhood, caregiving and retirement changes often require sensitive planning.
Financial education: Clients may want clear explanations without pressure or jargon.
Community presence: Women-led practices can become important local trust centers.
Talent development: A visible female leader can help attract future advisors and staff.

The point is not symbolism.

The point is client fit.

Ameriprise Sold Independence With A Safety Net

Ameriprise’s official release framed the move around flexibility, independence and support. Kiley Kendall said the team wanted independence, resources and flexibility while staying true to its practice values.

That is the exact balance many advisors want.

They do not want to feel constrained by a legacy model. They also do not want to run without support. Ameriprise’s independent channel gives advisors a way to operate with more practice control while still using a large national firm’s technology, planning tools, brand, compliance structure and field leadership.

The Ameriprise Pitch In Plain English

Keep the local practice identity.
Gain more flexibility in client service.
Use stronger planning and technology tools.
Operate with more independence.
Stay connected to a recognized national brand.
Receive support for growth and client relationships.

That is why Ameriprise can compete for teams leaving branch-centered firms.

It offers autonomy without asking the advisor to build a standalone RIA from scratch.

Edward Jones’ Model Faces A Different Kind Of Retention Test

Edward Jones has long been known for local branches, personal relationships and community-based advice. That model still has power.

But the Kendall move shows the pressure point.

When a successful advisor team becomes more planning-heavy, family-led and growth-oriented, it may eventually want more flexibility around technology, client segmentation, team structure and service model. Edward Jones’ strength has traditionally been consistency and branch presence. For some advisors, that same consistency can start to feel limiting if the practice wants to evolve.

Why Edward Jones Can Lose Strong Local Teams

Advisors may want more platform flexibility.
Family teams may want more control over practice identity.
High-net-worth clients may need more customized solutions.
Technology expectations may rise as the practice grows.
Succession planning may require more team-based flexibility.
Competitors can offer independence with major-firm support.

That does not make Edward Jones weak.

It means the advisor’s needs can change faster than the firm’s model.

Multi-Generational Planning Is The Strongest Client Story

Ameriprise said Kendall Wealth Management plans to use integrated planning tools to support multi-generational planning.

That is the best client-facing rationale for the move.

A family-led advisor team serving other families can tell a stronger continuity story. The practice can help clients think about retirement, estate planning, inheritance, charitable giving, tax planning, business retirement plans and the needs of children or heirs. Ameriprise’s planning platform may help turn those conversations into more structured advice.

What Multi-Generational Planning Requires

Retirement income planning: Parents or grandparents need sustainable income strategies.
Estate coordination: Families need beneficiary, trust and legacy planning conversations.
Tax-aware decisions: Gifting, inheritance and charitable planning often have tax consequences.
Heir education: Younger generations may need basic financial guidance before receiving wealth.
Family communication: Advisors often help clients talk about sensitive money topics.
Business succession: Business-owning families need plans for ownership, liquidity and retirement.
Risk management: Insurance, long-term care and healthcare planning can affect multiple generations.

This is where Ameriprise can make the move meaningful for clients.

The platform should help the team deliver deeper family advice, not just change the logo on statements.

Technology Was A Growth Tool, Not Just A Convenience

Kendall cited Ameriprise’s technology and integrated planning tools as part of the move.

That matters because technology is now central to advisor productivity. It affects financial planning, portfolio reviews, client portals, account aggregation, meeting preparation, retirement income analysis, document management, prospecting and service workflows.

For a family-run team trying to scale without losing personal service, technology can be the difference between growth and overload.

What Better Technology Can Do For A Practice

Create more consistent planning reviews
Help segment clients by needs and complexity
Support retirement and estate planning conversations
Improve client reporting and digital access
Reduce manual work for service staff
Track family relationships across households
Make follow-up more disciplined
Free advisors to spend more time in client conversations

Technology is not valuable because it is new.

It is valuable if it protects the relationship-based service clients already trust.

The “Emerging Investors To High-Net-Worth Families” Range Is Hard To Serve

Kendall said Ameriprise helps the team tailor strategies to clients with different goals and complexities, from emerging investors to high-net-worth clients.

That range is important.

A practice serving both emerging investors and high-net-worth families needs a flexible service model. Younger or emerging investors may need education, budgeting, debt management, retirement-account guidance and early wealth-building habits. High-net-worth families may need tax-aware portfolios, estate coordination, charitable planning, business succession and risk management.

Those client groups cannot all be served the same way.

Why Client Segmentation Matters

Emerging investors need education and habit-building.
Pre-retirees need income, risk and Social Security planning.
Retirees need withdrawal strategies and healthcare planning.
Business owners need retirement plans and exit planning.
High-net-worth families need estate, tax and legacy coordination.
Multi-generational households need family communication support.

Ameriprise’s platform only matters if it helps the team segment service intelligently.

A bigger toolset should create better personalization, not more generic advice.

The Support Staff Detail Should Not Be Overlooked

Ameriprise’s release identified Jennifer Stewart as senior operations coordinator and Alexis Shaw as client service specialist.

That detail matters because large advisor moves succeed or fail in the service layer.

Clients may follow the advisor because of trust, but they stay through the transition because paperwork, account service, phone calls, portal setup, distribution requests and meeting preparation are handled well. In a family-led practice, support staff often help preserve the feeling that clients are known personally.

Why Client-Service Roles Matter During A Move

They manage transition paperwork.
They help clients set up new systems and portals.
They answer practical questions before advisors are available.
They preserve institutional memory about households.
They reduce the risk of transition confusion.
They keep the advisor focused on planning conversations.

A $300 million move depends on more than three advisors.

It depends on whether the whole service team can make clients feel protected.

Ameriprise’s Recruiting Message Is Getting More Coordinated

Ameriprise said approximately 1,700 experienced advisors have joined the firm over the last five years. That gives the Kendall move broader context.

The firm has been building its advisor recruiting story around independence, growth support, technology, brand strength and planning capabilities. It also recently reorganized major advisor-channel leadership under Bill Williams, who has long led the independent contractor channel.

A related NJ Financial News article on Ameriprise’s advisor-channel coordination explained how the firm’s leadership structure could strengthen recruiting across franchise, employee and institutional channels. The Kendall move fits that same theme because Ameriprise is trying to make its advisor support message clearer to teams that want both independence and scale.

Why Coordination Helps Recruiting

Advisors get a clearer platform story.
Field leaders can explain channel options more consistently.
Technology and planning tools can be positioned as growth resources.
Recruiters can match teams to the right model.
Ameriprise can show repeatable success with experienced advisors.

The Kendall move is one example.

The larger recruiting story is Ameriprise trying to make advisor support feel like a system.

The Move Also Shows Why Edward Jones Advisors Are Attractive Targets

Edward Jones advisors can be attractive to rivals because many have strong community relationships, local trust and steady client bases.

A successful Edward Jones practice often has deep household knowledge. Advisors may work with clients through retirement, inheritance, business changes and life transitions. That relationship capital is valuable to competitors such as Ameriprise, Raymond James, LPL, Osaic and RIA platforms.

Why Rivals Recruit Edward Jones Advisors

Local roots: Edward Jones advisors often have strong community presence.
Relationship depth: The model emphasizes personal advisor-client contact.
Branch experience: Advisors are used to running local offices and building referrals.
Growth potential: A new platform may give productive advisors more tools.
Independence appeal: Some advisors may want more flexibility after building a mature practice.
Client loyalty: Clients may follow if the advisor explains the platform change clearly.

The risk for Edward Jones is that the same local trust it helped advisors build can become portable when advisors decide to leave.

The Client Message Needed To Be About Better Service, Not Advisor Freedom

Clients do not follow advisors because the advisor wants independence. They follow because they believe the move protects or improves their financial relationship.

That distinction matters.

Kendall Wealth Management’s client-facing explanation needed to focus on better planning tools, more flexibility, multi-generational advice, continuity of the family team and Ameriprise’s support. It should not focus too much on the advisor’s business reasons.

A Client-Friendly Explanation

“Our team moved to Ameriprise because we believe the platform gives us more flexibility, stronger planning tools and the support we need to serve clients at every stage of life. You will continue working with the same family-led team, and our goal is to use these additional resources to deepen the planning we provide for you and your family.”

That is the right frame.

The advisor’s independence matters because it should improve the client’s experience.

The Family-Team Model Creates Both Strength And Risk

A family-led practice can be powerful. It can also create management challenges.

Clients may like the continuity, personal trust and shared values. But family teams still need clear roles, professional governance, succession plans and service standards. A practice cannot rely only on family identity. It needs a business structure that will work as the client base grows.

Strengths Of A Family-Led Advisor Team

Shared values
Continuity across generations
Local trust
Familiar communication style
Long-term commitment to the practice
Stronger succession story

Risks To Manage

Role clarity
Decision-making boundaries
Next-generation development
Staff career paths outside the family
Client coverage if one advisor steps back
Professional governance as the practice grows

Ameriprise can help if it provides structure around the family identity.

The platform should make the team more durable.

Why This Move Is Different From A Wirehouse Breakaway

Kendall Wealth Management moved from Edward Jones, not from a wirehouse or bank.

That changes the interpretation.

A wirehouse breakaway often centers on payout, bureaucracy, product shelf, banking access or brand fatigue. An Edward Jones-to-Ameriprise move can be more about practice evolution. The advisor may already be local, community-based and relationship-driven. The move is less about escaping a giant wirehouse and more about finding a platform that gives a mature local practice more room.

The Edward Jones-To-Ameriprise Difference

The advisor may already feel entrepreneurial.
The client relationships are deeply local.
The practice may want more planning and technology tools.
The team may want more independence without launching an RIA.
The move may be easier to explain as growth, not rebellion.

That is why the story should not be forced into a standard breakaway framework.

It is a practice-stage change.

Raymond James’ Kevin Brown Move Added A Specialist Planning Angle

The same InvestmentNews roundup said Raymond James added Kevin Brown, who operates as R.E. Baxter and Associates in Charleston, South Carolina, after he managed $165 million at Osaic.

Brown has provided financial planning services for three decades and serves business owners, corporate executives, families, individuals and retirees. He cited Raymond James’ research, resources and advanced technology as reasons for the move.

That mirrors part of the Kendall story.

Different firm, different market, different client base. Same advisor question: which platform gives me the tools to serve complex clients better?

Why Brown’s Move Belongs In The Same Conversation

He is an experienced planner.
He serves complex client groups.
He moved for research, resources and technology.
He joined an independent advisor channel.
He brought a support professional, office manager Karen Rose.

The pattern is clear.

Experienced advisors are not only moving for money. They are moving for infrastructure that fits their planning model.

Commonwealth’s Union Street Addition Was The Independence-With-Scale Version

The Commonwealth section of the roundup brought a different angle.

Commonwealth announced that Thomas Kinslow and Brian Sanford joined Union Street Financial, a Kennett Square, Pennsylvania firm affiliated with Commonwealth since 2010. The pair came from Morgan Stanley with close to $350 million in client assets and more than 35 years of combined experience.

This move is especially interesting because it happened after LPL acquired Commonwealth.

Sanford cited Commonwealth’s service and LPL’s scale, while Kinslow emphasized independence, autonomy and the ability to add solutions such as tax planning. That gives the move a different message: advisors can choose Commonwealth even while its broader ownership structure is changing under LPL.

Union Street’s Pitch Was About Family Office Depth

Commonwealth said Union Street will continue serving ultra-high-net-worth clients, small business owners and families seeking multigenerational wealth planning, with emphasis on stock options and equity compensation strategies.

That is a more specialized client model than a generic advisor move.

It shows why experienced teams may still choose a platform tied to a larger acquisition if they believe the local affiliate and support structure fit their client base.

Three Moves, Three Client-Service Promises

The roundup becomes more useful when the moves are separated by client-service promise rather than by asset number.

Kendall Wealth Management: Family-Led Continuity

Ameriprise won a female-led family practice that wants independence, flexibility and tools for multi-generational planning.

Kevin Brown: Planner-Led Technology And Research

Raymond James added an experienced South Carolina planner who wants research, resources and advanced technology for clients with complex wealth needs.

Union Street Financial: UHNW Family Office Expansion

Commonwealth’s Union Street Financial added former Morgan Stanley advisors to deepen service for UHNW clients, business owners and families with stock option and equity compensation planning needs.

These are not the same move.

They are three examples of advisors choosing a platform to match a service model.

Advisor Recruiting Is Now About Practice Identity

The Kendall move shows that advisor recruiting is no longer only about firm versus firm.

It is about practice identity.

Kendall Wealth Management is not simply “an Edward Jones team.” It is a family-led, female-led, community-based private wealth practice with a multi-generational planning message. That identity needs a platform that supports personalization, growth and continuity.

Ameriprise’s job is to make that identity stronger.

What Practice Identity Includes

Who the clients are
How the team communicates
What planning problems it solves
What role family or succession plays
How technology supports service
What local reputation the practice holds
How the team wants to grow

The firms that understand that identity can recruit more effectively.

The firms that treat every advisor as a production number will struggle.

What Edward Jones Should Watch After Moves Like This

Edward Jones does not need to overreact to one team leaving. But it should pay attention to why teams like Kendall Wealth Management are attractive to competitors.

The recurring themes are flexibility, technology, independence, growth support and the ability to tailor strategies. If Edward Jones advisors feel those needs are harder to meet inside the current model, recruiters will keep using that gap.

Edward Jones Retention Questions

Do mature teams have enough flexibility to grow?
Can family-led practices build clear succession inside the model?
Are planning and technology tools competitive with Ameriprise, Raymond James and LPL?
Do high-producing advisors feel supported or constrained?
Can the branch model adapt to more team-based planning?
Can advisors serve both emerging investors and HNW families efficiently?

Edward Jones’ strength is local trust.

It has to make sure that local trust stays connected to modern practice needs.

What Ameriprise Has To Prove After The Announcement

Ameriprise won the recruiting headline. Now it has to support the transition.

The team expects flexibility, resources, technology and brand credibility. Clients expect continuity. Staff expect smoother workflows. The local community expects the same familiar practice.

Ameriprise’s Execution Checklist

Smooth account transition
Clear client communication
Strong technology onboarding
Support for multi-generational planning
Field leadership engagement
Service continuity for support staff
Business-growth coaching
Client segmentation support
Planning-tool adoption

Recruiting wins become durable only if the receiving firm proves the move was worth it.

For Ameriprise, that proof will show up in client retention, referrals, planning depth and team satisfaction.

What Clients Should Ask After The Move

Clients of Kendall Wealth Management should not need to understand every industry detail. But they should ask practical questions.

Client Questions That Matter

Why did the team move from Edward Jones to Ameriprise?
Will I still work with Kiley, Mitch, Kyle and the same support team?
Will my account fees or costs change?
Will my investment strategy change immediately?
What new planning tools will the team use?
Will my statements or online portal change?
How does Ameriprise support multi-generational planning?
How will my family members be involved in future planning conversations?
What happens if I choose not to transfer my accounts?
How does this move improve the service I receive?

A strong advisor can answer those questions calmly.

The move should feel like a clearer path forward, not a rushed paperwork event.

What Advisors Should Learn From Kendall Wealth Management

Advisors thinking about a move should study the Kendall example for one reason: the team knew what it wanted the next stage to look like.

The best platform decision starts with the practice, not the recruiter.

Advisor Questions Before Moving

What kind of practice are we building?
Do we need more technology flexibility?
Is our current platform limiting planning depth?
Can our family or team structure grow where we are?
Do clients need more multi-generational support?
Will the receiving firm protect our local identity?
Can the platform support both emerging investors and HNW families?
How will we explain the move in client terms?

The right platform is the one that makes the practice stronger.

The biggest recruiting package is not always the best answer.

The Bigger Takeaway: Ameriprise Won A Family Practice That Wanted More Room

Ameriprise’s recruitment of Kendall Wealth Management matters because it combines several important advisor-market themes in one move.

It is a women-led advisor story. It is a family practice story. It is an Edward Jones retention story. It is an Ameriprise independent-channel story. It is also a local Ohio wealth story, where trust and community reputation can matter as much as platform scale.

Kiley Kendall, Mitch Kendall and Kyle Kendall did not move because clients suddenly stopped needing relationship-based advice. They moved because the practice believed Ameriprise could give them more flexibility, stronger resources and better tools while preserving the family-led values that define the team.

That is the recruiting lesson.

Advisors are not abandoning relationship-based models. They are looking for platforms that let those models grow.

For Ameriprise, the opportunity is to prove that its independent channel can help Kendall Wealth Management deepen multi-generational planning, serve a wider range of client needs and scale without losing its local identity.

For Edward Jones, the warning is that strong local practices can become vulnerable when another firm offers more flexibility without asking the team to give up its community presence.

For clients, the key question is simple: does the move improve the advice relationship?

If Ameriprise and Kendall Wealth Management answer that question clearly, the $300 million asset figure becomes more than a recruiting number. It becomes proof that family-led advisor practices are still growing, but they want more room to build the next generation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kendall Wealth Management Joining Ameriprise

Who Joined Ameriprise From Edward Jones?
Kendall Wealth Management joined Ameriprise from Edward Jones. The New Philadelphia, Ohio practice is led by Private Wealth Advisor Kiley Kendall and includes financial advisors Mitch Kendall and Kyle Kendall, her husband and son.
Ameriprise said the family-run, female-led practice moved with more than $300 million in client assets.
Why Did Kendall Wealth Management Move To Ameriprise?
The team cited flexibility, independence, resources, technology and support as key reasons for joining Ameriprise’s independent channel. Kiley Kendall said Ameriprise better aligned with the practice’s commitment to putting clients first while supporting growth.
The team also pointed to Ameriprise’s integrated planning tools and ability to support multi-generational planning.
Why Is The Family-Led Structure Important?
The family-led structure is important because it gives clients a continuity story. Clients can see more than one generation involved in the practice, which may help with long-term service, succession and family wealth planning.
It also gives the practice a clear local identity. A family-led advisor team can feel more personal and community-rooted than a generic branch office.
What Does This Move Mean For Edward Jones?
The move shows that Edward Jones remains a strong source of relationship-based advisors, but competitors can recruit successful teams that want more flexibility, technology and independence. Edward Jones’ branch-centered model may not fit every mature team’s next growth stage.
One move does not define the firm. But it does show how advisor retention is becoming more tied to technology, team structure, client segmentation and planning depth.
What Should Clients Ask After Their Advisor Changes Firms?
Clients should ask why the advisor moved, whether fees or account service will change, what happens to existing accounts and how the new platform improves planning. They should also ask whether the same advisor and support team will continue serving them.
Clients should follow an advisor only if the move supports their financial goals, service expectations and long-term relationship needs.