Cetera Welcomes Former Commonwealth Advisor John Fitzgerald, Overseeing Approximately $185 Million in AUA

Relationship-focused Vineland, New Jersey practice begins its next chapter of growth within Summit Financial Networks at Cetera

Cetera welcomes financial advisor John Fitzgerald and his Fitzgerald Financial Group team, including financial professionals Doug Kramer, CFP® and Gary Bolno, and assistant Tatyana Shevchuk. The tight-knit team serves roughly 400 households, more than 1,300 accounts, and oversees approximately $185 million in AUA1 from their Vineland, New Jersey-based office; they join Cetera from Commonwealth Financial Network.

Fitzgerald said he joined Commonwealth in December 2017, attracted by its reputation for top-tier service, and built his practice one client and referral at a time rather than through acquired books of business. He describes his team as having a family feel while taking a hands-on approach to client service.

Like many former Commonwealth advisors, Fitzgerald re-evaluated his broker-dealer affiliation after LPL announced it would acquire Commonwealth. Rather than simply default to LPL, Fitzgerald said he conducted extensive due diligence and met with several broker-dealers and RIAs before choosing Cetera and its Summit Financial Networks² community, which he said most closely resembled Commonwealth.

“I didn’t choose LPL, so rather than taking the path of least resistance and automatically going wherever the acquisition took us, I spent a lot of time doing due diligence and deciding where I wanted Fitzgerald Financial Group to be for the next 10 to 20 years,” Fitzgerald said. “Ultimately, I felt Summit and Cetera were the best fit for our clients, our team, and where I want to take the business.”

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Fitzgerald said one key to his choosing Cetera and Summit was access to and interaction with leadership.

“On that home office visit, meeting Summit’s leadership face to face is what drew me in,” he said. “I saw in Summit that same service model I’ve valued at Commonwealth within their organization, and that’s what had kept me with Commonwealth. So, that’s why I felt good about choosing Cetera and Summit for the long haul.”

Fitzgerald said he plans to continue growing his practice primarily through referrals while also pursuing inorganic growth, including acquiring books of business and partnering with advisors seeking a succession solution. The firm recently purchased an office building in Fitzgerald’s hometown of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, from where they plan to continue expanding while maintaining their presence in Vineland.

Welcoming Fitzgerald Financial Group, Cetera Advisor Channel Leader Tom Halloran said, “John has built a practice the old-fashioned way, one client relationship at a time, and that hands-on, family-style commitment to client service is exactly the kind of partnership Summit is built to support. We’re proud to help John build the next chapter of Fitzgerald Financial Group’s growth.”