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VestGen Wealth Partners Completes Buildout of C-Suite Team With Veteran Hires

By Mari Nicholson

New wealth management firm VestGen Wealth Partners LLC announced the completion of its executive leadership team to support its ambitious growth goals.

The appointments of Jason Hanavan, president and chief financial officer; Ferian Nickelson, chief operating officer; Greg Gessert, chief growth officer; Timothy Woods, chief legal and compliance officer; Sarah Musante, chief human resources officer; and Leann Stevens, chief marketing officer position the firm to apply its unique value proposition and innovative technology-enabled solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing the wealth management industry. The expanded C-Suite will work closely with Josh Gerry, VestGen chief executive officer, to achieve the firm’s strategic vision.

“VestGen is not just another wealth management integrator, it’s a carefully crafted ecosystem designed to leverage personalized client service, technology, operational excellence and strategic acquisitions to create a next-generation industry leader,” Gerry said. “To achieve our growth ambitions, we’ve assembled a veteran team that has consistently demonstrated its ability to innovate, scale and deliver results. Their collective experience spans the entire spectrum of our industry – from founding and growing registered investment advisers to leading operations at some of the largest financial institutions.”

  • Hanavan has more than 20 years of experience, including financial and operational senior leadership roles at portfolio holdings of Blackstone and Elliott Management. VestGen said his track record for driving enterprise value and steering companies through acquisitions aligns perfectly with VestGen’s growth ambitions. Hanavan is responsible for leading the commercial organization, human resources, marketing and facilities, as well as all finance-related activities.
  • Nickelson contributes insights stemming from her roles at industry giants such as Morgan Stanley, HighTower Advisors, and BNY Pershing. VestGen said Nickelson’s 20-plus years of financial services experience and expertise in building and scaling adviser solutions will further its expansion strategy and are central to the firm delivering a multi-generational, adviser-client experience. As COO, Nickelson is tasked with creating an integrated platform experience and executing the company’s strategy responsible for firmwide operations, integrations, and technology.
  • As chief growth officer, Gessert is leaning on his background in institutional mergers and acquisitions to help VestGen execute an aggressive yet strategic acquisition plan, according to the company. He provides strategic leadership for inorganic growth and is responsible for identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, partnerships, and acquisitions. He joins the firm from LPL Financial, where he was responsible for developing and leading the inorganic growth strategy of LPL’s acquisitions of sub-scale broker-dealers and registered investment advisers.
  • Woods ensures regulatory compliance and legal integrity as chief legal officer and CCO, leveraging his experience navigating the industry’s complex regulatory landscape. His experience includes being CCO and Counsel at SYSTM Wealth Solutions / William Blair; broker-dealer CCO and counsel at Wentworth Management Services; and CCO and general counsel at Hightower.
  • Musante has over 15 years of experience in the wealth management industry. Her expertise in building HR teams and managing complex acquisitions will be key to VestGen’s growth, according to the company. In prior leadership roles, Musante was instrumental in shaping entire HR departments. She is dedicated to fostering a positive, high-performance and dynamic culture.
  • Stevens has successfully scaled asset managers and wealth management platforms in prior roles, which VestGen said is crucial to its brand amplification and lead generation strategy. Stevens began her financial services career at GCM Grosvenor before moving to marketing at HighTower. She later joined Tidal Financial Group, leading go-to-market strategies for dozens of ETFs. She recently led the content strategy for William Blair’s investment banking division.

VestGen launched in December 2024 with 10 financial advisory practices that collectively manage $5.3 billion in assets. The firm said it is “dedicated to solving the succession challenges facing the industry as financial advisers continue to retire in greater numbers.”

“I look forward to working with the entire leadership team to make VestGen the destination of choice for advisers at every stage of their careers,” added Gerry. “We have a unique offering in our evolving industry, and with the help of the best team in the business, we plan to make our presence known quickly. It’s a fun time to be at VestGen.”

 

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