The first two wealth advisors based in Atlanta are announced by the firm.

Rockefeller Capital Management has appointed its first private wealth advisors to join RCM’s new Atlanta office.

The advisors are Justin Ryan and Tom Epperson, and they oversee $1.4 billion and $800 million of assets, respectively. The duo were previously managing directors at UBS Private Wealth Management.

“Justin and Tom are two of Atlanta’s top private wealth professionals and trusted advisors to a number of the area’s most successful families,” Gregory J Fleming, president and chief executive of the firm, said.

Prior to his new role, Ryan spent nearly 10 years with UBS Private Wealth Management in Atlanta as an MD, senior portfolio manager and Pinnacle Council member working with clients on investment strategy, asset allocation, risk management and alternative investment selection. Before UBS, Ryan spent almost six years with Smith Barney’s private client division in Atlanta. He started his career in 1999 with PwC’s Financial Advisory Services division in Atlanta, and also spent more than three years in San Francisco with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, now part of Credit Suisse. 

Epperson was at UBS for a decade, where he held the title of MD, private wealth advisor and Pinnacle Council member. Epperson joined UBS in 2008 from Lehman Brothers, where he started his career in wealth management in 1998. He also worked as a director of business development at United States Surgical Corporation from 1991-1998.

More than a year ago, Rockefeller Financial Services, alongside Fleming, a banking and investment veteran (ex-Morgan Stanley), said it was launching Rockefeller Capital Management. The new organization concentrates on wealth management, asset management and strategic advisory. Previously, Fleming was president of Morgan Stanley Wealth and Asset Management and, before that, the president of Merrill Lynch.

Viking Global Investors LP is backing RCM through an investment by one of its investment funds.

The firm recently announced its moves to open a presence in Florida, part of a number of wealth management houses expanding into the Sunshine State.