Merion Wealth Partners an advisor owned, independent wealth
management firm debuted this week with offices in Farmington, Connecticut and
Lehigh Valley and Berwyn, Pennsylvania.

Merion operates as a platform for independent registered
investment advisors and breakaway wirehouse advisors. It is actively recruiting
seasoned advisors who cater to affluent and high net worth families.  

“Our strength in the areas of asset management, risk
management and estate plan design allows advisors to compete against larger,
less flexible firms,” Bob Andres, founding partner and chief investment
officer, said in a statement.

Merion has more than $250 million under management and
expects upcoming deals will boost that figure to $1 billion towards the end of
the first quarter in 2011.

“Our model provides advisors with the flexibility to partner
with the firm through several arrangements including regional launch
partnerships, affiliations or full scale mergers and acquisitions,” Paul
Beideman, chairman and chief executive said.

Andres was formerly chief strategist at the Portfolio
Management Consultants division of Envestnet. He also co-founded asset manager
Martindale Andres & Associates and served as president of Merrill Lynch
Mortgage Capital Corp.

Previously Beideman was chief executive of Associated Bank
in Wisconsin. He also spent 14 years at Mellon Financial.