Merit Plans Major Leadership Transition
Merit Financial Advisors is reshaping its executive team as the acquisitive wealth manager prepares for its next stage of expansion, pairing a planned CEO succession with broader responsibilities for several senior leaders.
Effective Jan. 1, 2027, founder and CEO Rick Kent will become executive chairman, President Kay Lynn Mayhue will succeed him as CEO, and managing principal and partner Zach Mersberger will become president. Kent will remain involved in long-term strategy, organic growth, culture and leadership development.
The transition formalizes a partnership between Kent and Mayhue that began when their firms combined in 2017. Since then, Merit has grown from approximately $2 billion to $32.92 billion in assets under advisement as of Sept. 12. The Atlanta-area firm now employs more than 500 people, operates more than 70 offices and has completed over 62 acquisitions.
“Growth is not simply about getting bigger,” Mayhue said. “It is about creating more opportunity for advisors and team members, delivering more value to clients and making sure the culture and experience that made the firm successful remain strong as the organization scales.”
Mersberger, a second-generation wealth advisor who joined Merit through an acquisition nearly three years ago, will oversee enterprise execution and alignment across the company’s network of advisors and offices.
Merit also expanded other executives’ duties. Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew will add the title of chief strategy officer, while chief operating officer Chrissy Lee will also become chief enterprise officer. Chief advisor success officer Alex Hansen will assume additional responsibilities covering organic growth and wealth solutions.
Kent said the transition reflects the same succession principles Merit discusses with advisory-firm owners: cultivating leadership and distributing responsibility well before a founder departs. The structure also provides continuity as Merit continues pursuing acquisitions, advisor recruitment and expansion into additional markets.