A Wells Fargo adviser who managed $175 million in client assets has gone independent with Raymond James, a spokeswoman said.
J. Shawn Gentle made more than $1.1 million in revenue before leaving the wirehouse, according to the spokeswoman. He now operates as Gentle Family Wealth Management, based in Birmingham, Ala.
"I choose independence to be closer to my clients," Gentle says.
He spent two years researching his decision to go independent and interviewed five firms before going with Raymond James, Gentle says. He adds that he was attracted to Raymond James' financial planning tools and services, as well as its culture.
Gentle began his career with Merrill Lynch in 1988 and stayed with the wirehouse until he joined Wells Fargo in 2005, according to FINRA BrokerCheck records.
A Wells Fargo spokesman declined to comment on the move.
The largest teams to go indie this year managed more than $5 billion in client assets.
