Chicago-based HighTower has marked its expansion into the Phoenix market with a trio of appointments to be based within its new Arizona office.

James Pupillo, who joined the firm last week, has been named as managing director and partner. Pupillo is a former institutional and family wealth director of Graystone Consulting at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, as well as president of the Association of Professional Investment Management Consultants and the Institute for Investment Management Consultants.

The remaining hires are that of directors and partners Brian Hein and David Brasfield, who will work alongside Pupillo in each of their new roles, the firm said in a statement. 

Hein's expertise surrounds corporate benefit plans and serving for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, while Brasfield's specializes in serving the financial planning needs of wealthy families, the firm said.

In other recent hires, HighTower recruited Ann Reider as managing director for the Midwest territory toward the end of last year, to be based at the Chicago headquarters.