Two Teams Break Away from Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch to Form $2B Firm, Longleaf Capital Group

Two advisory teams from Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch have combined to create a new independent firm, Longleaf Capital Group, with over $2 billion in assets under advisement. The team includes six founding directors, led by Jonathan D. Lee, and is based on the Arkadios Capital platform. Longleaf provides various financial and retirement planning services, and chose Arkadios for its infrastructure and resources.

Two elite advisory teams from Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch have joined forces to create Longleaf Capital Group, an independent wealth management firm with over $2 billion in assets under advisement. The new firm, based on the Arkadios Capital platform, is led by Jonathan D. Lee and includes six founding directors with extensive experience in wealth management, institutional investing, and related fields.

Longleaf Capital Group offers a comprehensive suite of financial and retirement planning services, including personal financial planning, tax planning, institutional retirement planning, estate planning, alternative investments, insurance solutions, liquidity event planning, and philanthropic advisory. The team comprises two former CPAs, four Certified Financial Planner™ professionals, and specialists with advanced designations in institutional retirement plans, estate planning, and tax optimization.

The founding partners include Todd P. Thornell, Sr., a former managing director and senior financial advisor with Merrill Lynch; Cory A. Singletary, CFP®, a former senior financial advisor with Merrill Lynch; C. Thomas Lee, CFP®, a former senior vice president and wealth advisor at Morgan Stanley with earlier experience at Merrill Lynch; George M. Liddon, CFP®, a former senior vice president and wealth advisor at Morgan Stanley with earlier experience at Merrill Lynch; Jonathan D. Lee, CFP®, a former first vice president and senior portfolio manager with earlier experience at Merrill Lynch; and Lee E. Forehand, CIMA®, C(k)P®, CPFA, a nationally recognized retirement plan consultant and former Morgan Stanley corporate retirement director.

The decision to form Longleaf Capital Group reflects a growing national trend of top advisors leaving large banks in favor of the independence and flexibility of the hybrid RIA model. By joining forces, the team aims to deliver truly comprehensive services to clients at the highest level.

Founded by wealth advisors for wealth advisors, Arkadios partners with leading investment managers to deliver an institutional-quality platform tailored to private wealth clients. It has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in Georgia, earning a spot on the prestigious Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Georgia Fast 40 list for four consecutive years. It is consistently ranked by Financial Planning and Investment News as one of the top independent broker-dealers in the country.

References:
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-morgan-stanley--merrill-lynch-teams-combine-to-launch-2-billion-longleaf-capital-group-on-arkadios-capital-platform-302539002.html
[2] https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20250826cl59261/former-morgan-stanley-merrill-lynch-teams-combine-to-launch-2-billion-longleaf-capital-group-on-arkadios-capital-platform