Old course wants to expand by adding similarly client-centric advisors. A group of nine former Houston-area Merrill Lynch brokers have teamed up to form Old Course Investment Partners to provide investment services to high-net-worth clients. The firm is affiliated with LPL Financial.

"[Our] mission incorporates the old way of doing business; one that makes a priorities of client service and investor education", says Old Course managing partner Bill Angel.

Help wanted

Old Course says it has been successful in transitioning most of its books of business from Merrill.

Further, despite market challenges and economic headwinds, Old Course plans to buck trends of downsizing. It is looking to attract experienced and established advisors who take a high-touch approach to client service.

Working with Bill Angel are managing partners Bruce Angel, Brian Dluzniewski, Blaine Douglas and Jay Frankel. Vice presidents Rhonda Guest Barclay and Jack Varcados, business-development chief Nisha Pillay Modak, client associate Ashlee Lacey and operations associate Diandra Cosby round out the Old Course team.

Prior to establishing Old Course, this team worked in Merrill's branch in the affluent River Oaks section of Houston. There's another River Oaks -- a municipality rather than a neighborhood -- a little west of Fort Worth, Texas. Independent broker-dealer LPL provides support products and services to more than 12,000 financial advisors.

Merrill became part of Bank of America early this year. -FWR

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