Here is a round-up of the latest personnel moves from the North American wealth management sector.

Thurston Springer Financial
Thurston Springer Financial, the Indiana-based investment advisor and broker-dealer, said today that Paul Murans had joined the firm from UBS as an advisor to high net worth clients.

He has nearly two decades' experience in advising wealthy clients. 

Armory Group
Asset manager Armory Group has appointed James Duplessie as senior principal, the firm said in a statement.

Duplessie will work with Nick Tell, Armory's co-founder and portfolio manager, to help identify, evaluate and execute on distressed investment opportunities in the middle market. James will also help oversee Armory's other investment strategies which includes discounted high yield bonds and leveraged loans for middle market companies.

He has over 25 years of experience investing in middle market distressed companies. He began his investing career in the early 1990's with O'Connor & Associates. He later co-founded Epic Asset Management to focus on investing in middle market distressed companies. Epic was acquired in 2008 by Citigroup, where Duplessie served as head of distressed debt strategies. Most recently, he led the distressed debt team for Napier Park Global Capital.

RBC Wealth Management
RBC Wealth Management has continued its massive recruitment policy across the US by hiring the Hendershot-Frederiksen Group to its Dallas office and the Hobgood Peatross Investment Group to its Raleigh, North Carolina office, the firm said in a statement.

The Hendershot-Frederiksen Group is comprised of Paul Hendershot, senior vice president and financial advisor, who joins with seven years of industry experience, and Carsten Frederikson, senior vice president and financial advisor, who has eight years of experience.  The team manages approximately $140 million in assets under administration and join from Morgan Stanley.

The Hobgood Peatross Investment Group is comprised of Alfred Hobgood III, senior vice president and financial advisor, who has 34 years of experience; Alfred Hobgood IV, vice president and financial advisor, who joins with 16 years of experience; Harrison Peatross, vice president and financial advisor, who has 31 years of industry experience; and Nancy Winborne, registered client associate. 

The HPI Group manages approximately $182 million in client assets and joins RBC from Wells Fargo Advisors.

SDIRA Wealth
Chicago-based SDIRA Wealth, a firm which provides investment firms and financial advisors with retirement solutions for their client’s portfolios, has hired educator and consultant Elle Maroutsos to head up new accounts, the firm said in a statement.

Maroutsos will help financial advisors adjust to tax reforms, as financial advisors look to make adjustments to preserve and continue growing wealth. She is also a point of contact for the firm’s new clients with its emerging Wealth Advisor Partnerships.

She holds a MBA from Northwestern University, a Master’s Degree in education from Trinity University and is the founder of an international language consultancy.