Kelly LaPalio joins as Vice President of Advisor Growth Marketing as the independent wealth management platform seeks to expand digital marketing support for advisors.
Sanctuary Wealth has added three senior leaders as the Miami-based independent wealth management platform expands its marketing, wealth planning and M&A capabilities.
The hires include Kelly LaPalio as Vice President of Advisor Growth Marketing, Harry Drozdowski as Managing Director of Advanced Estate & Wealth Planning and Reilly Cornell as Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions.
LaPalio will help advisors develop digital marketing, content and lead-generation strategies intended to attract new clients, strengthen existing relationships and support organic growth. She previously held leadership roles at FocusPoint Solutions, Avantax and Hightower, working across both platform-level and advisor-focused marketing.
Her appointment comes as wealth management firms continue to face challenges generating organic growth. RIAs allocate an average of only 5% of total expenses to marketing and business development, according to Cerulli Associates, while just 14% use a dedicated marketing resource.
Drozdowski, who most recently served as Executive Director and Private Wealth Strategist at Wells Fargo, will support Partner Firms serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients. His work will include estate, trust and legacy planning as well as succession planning for advisor businesses.
Cornell will help lead Sanctuary’s M&A strategy and transaction execution efforts. She previously worked at Bluespring Wealth Partners, where she evaluated more than 100 potential acquisitions and helped execute more than 15 transactions. Earlier, she worked in Citi’s Investment Banking division.
“We are building for where our Partner Firms are going, not simply where they are today,” said Adam Malamed, Chief Executive Officer of Sanctuary Wealth. “Harry, Reilly and Kelly bring the experience and perspective to help advisors address more complex client needs, pursue new avenues for growth and prepare their businesses for what comes next. Their arrival represents an important investment in the next generation of our platform and the long-term success of our community.”
