The latest moves in the North American wealth management industry.

Diversified Trust
Diversified Trust, the wealth management firm with offices throughout the Southeast and over $6.5 billion of assets under management, has appointed Michael Gragnani to its Atlanta office as a principal, responsible for business development and client service.

Prior to this role, Gragnani served as principal and senior wealth advisor at Bessemer Trust for nearly a decade, advising high net worth individuals and families throughout the Southeast. Previously, he was a vice president with SunTrust Bank Private Wealth Management. 

Gragnani is on the board of directors of Covenant Community and is a member of the strategic planning committee for All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta.

Wymer Brownlee
Wymer Brownlee, the wealth management firm, has appointed Shawn Bean as tax advisor, Deanna Conway as tax coordinator, and Trey Whitley as financial strategist. 

The trio work from the firm’s Oklahoma City office at Portland and Memorial – one of the firm’s five Oklahoma locations. 

Bean received his undergraduate degree and Master of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma.

Conway will support Wymer Brownlee’s advisors as a tax coordinator, serving as the client liaison, maintaining updated client databases and processing tax returns and other financial statements. Conway previously worked for Conoco as a senior title analyst.

As a financial strategist, Whitley prepares analyses for wealth management issues ranging from estate planning and insurance to debt management, tax planning and other financial strategies. Whitley earned his undergraduate degree in physical education and athletic training from Oklahoma State University and holds an MBA from the University of Central Oklahoma and MS in Energy Management from Oklahoma City University. 

The hirings follow Wymer Brownlee’s announcement late last year it was expanding its business, with a focus on the Oklahoma City market in 2018.

Stroock
The private client arm of US law firm Stroock has appointed Sharon B Soloff as special counsel, working in its New York offices. She previously worked at Withers Bergman.

Soloff brings a diverse practice acting on behalf of individuals and families in domestic and international gift, estate and tax planning, including business succession plans and complex family law agreements.

She also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries on trust and estate matters, and counsels clients in navigating federal estate and gift tax audits. Soloff is a vice-chair of the Tax Committee of Trusts and Estates Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Shakespeare Wealth Management
Wisconsin-based Shakespeare Wealth Management has appointed Nick Ziarek as a financial planner to its operation . 

Ziarek has around 15 years' experience in the wealth management sector. He will also serve as Shakespeare’s investment committee.

He serves on the board of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of Wisconsin and has volunteered with the local CFA Society of Milwaukee.