People and Company News, Week of August 1, 2025
- Philip Drury has joined artificial intelligence startup Poolside as its CIO, which specializes in the development of computer programs. Drury previously spent 28 years at Citigroup, where he was the global head of the firm’s technology, media, communications, and fintech team. Prior to his most recent role at Citigroup, Drury served in senior investment banking positions, including heading up its equity capital markets business globally and leading its dealmaking team in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
- Justin Barish has been appointed as the Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at RIA Lido Advisors. In this role, Barish will lead the firm’s marketing, engagement, digital strategy, and communications efforts, driving brand visibility and growth initiatives across the firm’s presence on various platforms. Before joining Lido Advisors, Barish served as the head of digital marketing and principal at Cerity Partners. Prior to Cerity Partners, Barish was an SVP and head of digital marketing at Dynasty Financial Partners.
- Mother-and-son duo, financial advisors Sheri Johnston and Jason Hotzler, have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer and registered investment advisor to launch their firm, ProsperLane Financial. The duo manages approximately $250 million in advisory, brokerage, and retirement plan assets. Johnston joined LPL from Edward Jones, and Hotzler joined the firm from Thrivent Investment Management.
- Wealth management executive Phill Rogerson has been tapped to serve as SVP and head of the RIA channel for AssetMark. Based in Charlotte, NC, Rogerson will play a key role in leading AssetMark’s expansion in the RIA industry and will report directly to CEO and president Michael Kim. Following Rogerson’s appointment, AssetMark will be investing $10 million and will be creating 252 new jobs in Charlotte.
- Executives Mike Silverman, Jack Ablin, and Amy Hong have been named as Chief Investment Officer, Chief Investment Strategist, and Chief Operating Officer, respectively, of Cresset, a multi-family office and private investment firm. Silverman joined Cresset last year, following the firm’s acquisition of CH Investment Partners, where he served as co-President and CIO. Ablin, who has been with the firm since 2018, is one of Cresset’s founding partners. Prior to joining Cresset, he was formerly the CIO of BMO Harris Bank. Hong, who also joined the firm last year, came from JPMorgan Chase, where she previously served as managing director for the firm’s asset and wealth management division. Before JP Morgan Chase, she was the CCO and head of operations for First Republic Bank’s private wealth management division.
- Steve DiMaio has been appointed as the head of private wealth management for ABS Global Investments, an investment management firm. DiMaio, brings 30 years of industry experience to his role and will play a “pivotal” step in the firm’s collaboration with RIA firms and high-net-worth investors as the firm aims to expand on its late-stage private companies offering. Before joining ABS, DiMaio previously served as the head of the RIA channel at Brookfield Oaktree Wealth Solutions.
- Amy Sliwinski has been announced as EVP and chief people and culture officer at SEI. In her position, Sliwinski will be transforming various people strategies internationally to “enable SEI’s business goals, scale the organization, and nurture the company’s culture” as the organization grows and evolves. Sliwinski will be responsible for developing, leading, and optimizing human resource processes and capabilities, including talent management, professional development, company culture, and benefits. Additionally, Sliwinski will be a member of SEI’s Executive Management team and report to Sean Denham, SEI’s CFO and COO. Most recently, Sliwinski served as chief human resource officer at SKF, an engineering solutions provider.
- Financial advisors Dennis Hellwig, Andrew Focht, and Frank DePaola have joined Cetera Financial Group, where they all have managed approximately $450 million of combined assets under administration. Hellwig has joined Cetera Networks from Osaic Wealth. Focht has joined Cetera Wealth Management Group from Rose Point Capital Advisors at Wells Fargo. DePaola and his team joined Cetera Wealth Partners from Osaic Wealth.
- EquiLend, a Fintech firm, has acquired Trading Apps, a front-office technology provider, in a move that would allow for modular trading solutions and automation services to be used by multiple securities finance desks across the world. The acquisition would consolidate Trading Apps’ solutions and allow EquiLend to expand its capabilities and offer tools that could be potentially integrated with existing services. The tools would further reduce manual responsibilities, provide more control over lending and borrowing decisions, and heighten trade volume capacity.
- Gridiron Capital, an investment firm, has made an investment in Greenix, an independent pest control company. The collaboration aims to deepen Gridiron’s proficiency in residential services to further drive growth for Greenix. Goldman Sachs served as the financial advisor and Greenberg Traurig LLP as legal counsel to Gridiron. William Blair served as the financial advisor to Greenix. Financial terms for the transaction were not disclosed.
- Ducere Wealth, a new registered investment and wealth management firm, has launched. Ducere Wealth, which was founded by industry veterans Rick and Zane Keller, offers “individualized” financial advisory services, including investment management, financial planning, and “robust” technology services to high-net-worth individuals.
- World Insurance Associates has acquired Madisonville, LA-based Lighthouse Insurance Agency, officially on March 1. Lighthouse Insurance Agency specializes in providing personal lines insurance for small and medium-sized businesses and large commercial properties. The organization also provides various insurance plans, including homeowners’ and auto insurance, restaurants, doctors’ offices, engineers, contractors, and condominium associations. Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla served as legal counsel, and TAG Consulting Services advised World on the transaction. Satin and Lee Law P.C. provided legal counsel, and Sica Fletcher advised Lighthouse. Additional terms for the transaction were not disclosed.
- RealPage, an AI-backed software platform provider for real estate companies, has acquired Rexera, an agentic AI platform for real estate operations. The acquisition would integrate Rexera’s agentic AI capabilities and RealPage’s HomeWiseDocs, HOA platform to create a nationwide platform that would aim to deliver real estate transactions and operations services to title agents, lenders, escrow officers, and ultimately the buyers and sellers.
- Cornerstone Bank, a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp, and MHC, has agreed to merge with Athol Savings Bank to expand rt to expand Cornerstone’s presence into the North Central Massachusetts region. Following the merger, ASB will operate as a division of Cornerstone Bank and will maintain its name and its current five branch locations. ASB staff will continue to remain at the bank throughout the transition. In a leadership transition, Daniel Zona, president and CEO of ASB, will assume the role of president of Cornerstone Bank, succeeding Randal Webber, who will be retiring. The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. Luse Gorman, P.C. served as legal counsel and Piper, Sandler & Co. served as the financial advisor for Cornerstone Bank. Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. served as legal counsel for ASB.
- MapLight Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, has raised $372.5 million in its Series D funding round. The funding was co-led by Forbion, a venture capital firm, and the life sciences division at Goldman Sachs Alternatives. New investor, Sanofi, participated in the latest round, while accounts were advised by T. Rowe Price Investment Management, and Avego BioScience Capital. Exisiting investors, Novo Holdings, 5AM Ventures, and Blue Owl Healthcare Opportunities also participated in the funding round. The financing will go towards the examination of potential indications for ML-007C-MA, MapLight’s lead program, as well as the enhancement of other clinical and preclinical pipeline programs.
- Cover Whale Insurance Solutions, an insurance technology firm that specializes in providing insurance for commercial auto, has raised $40 million in equity from Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital. The equity will enable Cover Whale to promote various investments in its technology platform, analytics, and product offerings, driving increased growth and profitability. During the first half of the year, Cover Whale has $133 million in gross written premiums and is on track for a full-year target of $277 million.
- Los Angeles-based Skyline Investors, a private capital firm focusing on investments to bolster local economies, has raised $125 million in its closing round of its inaugural fund. The funding was led by Skyline’s managing partners Jeremy May and Kevin Tom. The fund, dubbed Skyline Investors Fund I, is aimed at providing creative capital solutions to underrepresented, high-potential businesses in the micromarket, including healthcare, consumer and business services, technology, and domestic manufacturing.
- Ramp, a financial operations platform, has raised $500 million in its Series E-2 funding round. The capital bolsters the platform’s valuation to $22.5 billion. The latest funding round was led by ICONIQ. Existing investors from the firm’s Series E funding round in June, including Founders Fund, D1 Capital Partners, GIC, Coatue, Avenir Growth, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, Sands Capital, 8VC, Lux Capital, Altimeter, Definition Capital, 137 Ventures, General Catalyst, and Stripes, have also participated in the latest round. New investors for the Series E-2 round include Sutter Hill Ventures, Lightspeed Ventures, T. Rowe Price Associates, Google Ventures, Emerson Collective, Operator Collective, and Pinegrove Capital Partners. Following its Series E-2 funding, Ramp has raised $1.9 billion in equity financing.