Cetera Adds Ex-Commonwealth Team With More Than $1.1B in AUA
Cetera added King Financial Network – led by its founder and industry veteran financial adviser Jim King Jr. and partners Tony Kelly and A.J. Vignola – who oversee more than $1.1 billion in assets under administration. The 14-person, Manalapan, N.J.-based multifamily office moves from Commonwealth Financial Network to Summit Financial Networks, one of Cetera’s communities within the Cetera Advisor channel.
King called the LPL acquisition of Commonwealth an “inflection point” in his career prompting the search for a broker-dealer that would provide deep relationship-based support and the strong sense of community that he said was at the heart of the firm’s growth. “We’re grateful for everything Commonwealth has done for us. [Chief executive officer] Wayne Bloom and his outstanding team helped us grow in 10 years from $108 million in assets to over $1.1 billion,” King said.
As part of the firm’s due diligence, which included meeting with more than a dozen broker-dealers, King’s team met in person with Cetera executives and community leaders.
“I love that Cetera focused on service and their expertise in different areas, which mirrors how we conduct our business at [King Financial Network],” King said. “We are also looking forward to Cetera’s advanced technology and maintaining Fidelity’s NFS for custody and clearing.”
For King Financial Network, it said that Cetera’s customized collaboration is key, including regular in-person meetings with clients to ensure they stay close to the important changes in clients’ lives.
“For me, Cetera is very much about the people. Meeting with Cetera executives made me feel very comfortable about the executive access and the relationships we’re going to build together,” said Kelly. “There’s mutual respect and we can be very direct knowing we’re looking to grow together and offer our clients the best service possible. We’re confident Cetera is the right long-term partner for our clients.”
“We emphasize the importance of having a multidisciplinary team all under one roof, being able to provide comprehensive wealth management services, from tax and financial planning to estate and insurance services,” said Vignola.
King Financial Network will be supported by a Cetera regional growth team that takes a personalized, consultative approach to business planning and growth.
In welcoming King Financial Network, Cetera Wealth Management President Todd Mackay said: “Jim is passionate about caring for clients and his team. It shows in every conversation we have. We’re making the big feel small for Jim with personalized service and access to the technology, expertise, advisory solutions and resources of Cetera as a sizable company. I strongly believe the KFN team will thrive within Cetera and the boutique atmosphere of Summit.”
Summit Financial Network is a region of Cetera Wealth Services LLC. Cetera Financial Group encompasses Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser, and the following FINRA/SIPC members: Cetera Wealth Services, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC.
Owned by Cetera Holdings, Cetera Financial Group offers financial professionals and institutions the latest solutions to grow, scale, or transition with a merger, sale, investment, or succession plan. Cetera serves independent financial advisers, tax professionals, licensed administrators, large enterprises, as well as institutions. Home to approximately 12,000 financial professionals and their teams, Cetera oversaw more than $590 billion in assets under administration and $263 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2025.
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