Valley Financial Group joins Hightower's national wealth practice

What's the deal? Hightower Advisors said Valley Financial GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an independent wealth manager in Ambler, Pennsylvania, will join Hightower Signature WealthDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (HTSW), its integrated national practice. Valley oversees roughly $275 million in assets under management and serves individuals, families, and businesses across Greater Philadelphia. The deal is expected to close later in summer 2026.

What's the endgame? HTSW pools investment management, financial planning, operations, technology, compliance, marketing, and client service into one platform. The pitch is to let advisers spend more time with clients and less on back-office work.

Why now? This is the second external acquisition into HTSW in 2026, and Hightower expects to announce more before the end of 2026. Chicago-based Hightower positions itself as a growth partner for independent advisers seeking scale under a national brand.

What changes? Valley's employees become part of HTSW and continue serving clients from the Ambler office. After the addition, HTSW will hold about $40 billion in assets under management, with more than 160 advisers across more than 35 locations.

Managing Partner Kevin McGarry said HTSW gives Valley "greater scale and expanded capabilities while preserving the personal relationships that have always been at the heart of our firm."

The signal: The deal reflects steady consolidation in independent wealth management, as smaller practices trade autonomy for centralised resources and larger platforms chase assets one firm at a time.

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Read more: Associated Press