Bradford Smith Leaves Edward Jones for Independence with LPL Financial

TEMECULA, CA — Winthrop & Co. is proud to formally announce that Bradford Smith has joined LPL Financial, the nation's largest independent broker-dealer, moving his practice to full independence.

Bradford joined Edward Jones in 2014 and spent more than seven years building his practice in Temecula, serving families and individuals across the region. His move to LPL gives that practice an independent foundation: ownership of the client relationships, open-architecture investments, and the flexibility to run the business around his clients rather than around a branch model.

LPL Financial has been the industry's most frequent destination for advisors leaving captive channels, combining the scale of the largest independent platform in the country with a model in which the advisor, not the firm, owns the practice. For established branch advisors, that ownership is often the deciding factor.

Winthrop & Co. worked with Bradford through his evaluation and transition, from the initial confidential conversation through his first day of independence. As with every placement, the process was run quietly, on his timeline, and at no cost to him.

Winthrop & Co. is an independent consulting and advisor placement firm serving financial advisors nationwide. We represent the advisor, never the firm, across wirehouse, regional, independent broker-dealer, and RIA channels. Advisors exploring their options can request an introduction in complete confidence.