North Canton, Ohio-based team adds $481 million in assets to Steward Partners
Steward Partners, a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm, announced today the acquisition of Longbridge Wealth Advisors, adding $481 million in assets to Steward Partners' platform in its Legacy Division.
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By bringing on Longbridge Wealth Advisors, Steward Partners deepens its reach in Ohio with a new foothold in North Canton. Led by partners Jack Elgin and Neven Zelich, the ten-person team includes three additional advisors and brings a strong track record of client-focused financial planning, particularly for individuals at or nearing retirement.
“With more than 20 years working side by side, Neven and I have always been grounded in delivering thoughtful financial planning and a high level of personal care to every client we serve,” said Jack Elgin, Partner, Managing Director, Financial Advisor at Longbridge Wealth Advisors. “Our team's approach has always centered around helping clients navigate their path with clarity. In Steward Partners, we saw a like-minded firm that shares our commitment to long-term relationships, high standards, and doing right by the people we serve.”
“We're excited to officially welcome the Longbridge team to Steward Partners,” said Scott Danner, EVP & Head of Legacy at Steward Partners. “From the beginning, it was clear they were the right cultural fit-they share our values, our client-first mindset, and our vision for long-term growth. Their strong reputation and deep relationships in the greater Ohio market make them a natural extension of our footprint in the region, and we're confident they'll play a key role in helping us scale with integrity.”
“Joining Steward Partners felt like a natural evolution for our team, as we were looking for the right long-term fit that supports what we do best: serving clients,” said Neven Zelich, Partner, Managing Director, Financial Advisor at Longbridge Wealth Advisors. “What stood out most was their employee-owned model, collaborative culture, and how intentional they are about protecting that culture. We're excited to gain the support that Steward provides so we can spend more time doing what we love-helping clients plan for their future.”
Steward Partners' Legacy Division is designed to support established advisory teams seeking a long-term succession and continuity solution without sacrificing their brand or client relationships. The Legacy Division provides a flexible framework that allows advisors to maintain their identity while leveraging the scale, resources, and operational support of a national firm. It's an ideal path for advisors planning for retirement, team transitions, or strategic growth.
Since its launch in 2013, Steward Partners has solidified its place as one of the industry's fastest-growing and most influential RIA firms. The firm was recentlylisted 28th on Financial Advisor Magazine's 2025 Top RIA and RIA Discretionary and Non-Discretionary AUM Rankings and was named as a 2025 Excellence Awardee for InvestmentNews' Thrivent Employer of Choice, as well as recognized on Washington Business Journal's 2025 Best Places to Work List and USA TODAY's Best Financial Advisory Firms 2025 list. Additionally, in 2025 several Steward Partners advisors and teams were honored on Forbes | SHOOK's 2025 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors and Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams lists, underscoring the firm's commitment to delivering exceptional client outcomes through collaborative, team-based service. Additionally, many advisors earned a spot on InvestmentNews' Top Financial Advisors in the USA list and celebrated its fifth consecutive appearance on Barron's latest Top 100 RIA Firms list, securing an impressive 18th ranking. These achievements reflect Steward Partners' continued momentum, client-first culture, and dedication to excellence in wealth management.
About Steward PartnersRepresenting some of the U.S.'s top advisors, Steward Partners is a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm that offers wealth management solutions for families, businesses, and multigenerational investors. Established in 2013, the firm fosters a positive, transparent culture of camaraderie and excellence that has fueled its substantial growth in a highly competitive industry. With its commitment to exceptional client service and forward-thinking partnerships, the firm was ranked as the #18 RIA in the country in Barron's Top 100 RIAs for the year 2024. Offering services such as comprehensive wealth planning, private banking, institutional consulting, and business solutions, the firm was responsible for over$44 billionin client assets as ofJuly 2025.
To learn more about Steward Partners, visitwww.stewardpartners.com.
About Financial Advisor Magazine's 2025 Top RIA and RIA Discretionary and Non-Discretionary AUM RankingsThe Financial Advisor Magazine 2025 RIA Ranking recognizes independent registered investment advisory firms that demonstrate growth, scale, and consistent service delivery across a range of metrics. Rankings are based on year-end data collected through a voluntary survey, focusing on firm size, service offerings, and operational trends. Key indicators include increases in discretionary and nondiscretionary assets under management, client relationships, and assets under advisement not captured on a firm's ADV. Additional factors such as staffing levels, multi-custodial capabilities, and business model evolution also inform the ranking. Neither Steward Partners nor its Wealth Managers pays a fee to Financial Advisor Magazine in exchange for the rating
About the Washington Business Journal's Best Places to WorkThe Washington Business Journal's Best Places to Work program honors the top employers in theGreater Washingtonarea that are creating exceptional workplace cultures. Rankings are determined exclusively by employee feedback gathered through an independent survey conducted by Quantum Market Research. The survey measures employee engagement and satisfaction across key areas such as leadership, culture, communication, and benefits. Companies that make the list are recognized for their ability to foster a work environment where people feel valued, supported, and motivated to succeed. This award is not awarded based on investment advisory services rendered. This ranking is not indicative of any advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Steward Partners nor its affiliates paid a fee to Washington Business Journal in exchange for the ranking.
AboutUSAToday andStatista Best Financial Advisory FirmsUSATODAY and Statista selected the Best Financial Advisory Firms in 2025 based on two dimensions: recommendations by clients and peers and a firm's growth of Assets under Management (AUM). The recommendations were collected via an independent survey sent to over 30,000 individuals. The development of AUM was analyzed in both the short- and long-term based on publicly available data (Short-term AUM development was calculated over a twelve-month period fromJanuary 2024toJanuary 2025, while long-term development spanned a five-year period from 2020 to 2025). In the consideration for the top 500 RIA firms, recommendations had a weight of 20% while the development of AUM had a weight of 80% (short-term and long-term growth were weighted 30/70) to derive the final score. Steward Partners nor its affiliates paid a fee toUSAToday or Statista in exchange for the ranking.
About Forbes | SHOOK2025Forbes Best-in-State Wealth AdvisorsForbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Neither Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC nor its Wealth Managers pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information, seewww.SHOOKresearch.com
About Forbes | SHOOK2025Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management TeamsData provided by SHOOK®Research, LLC. Data as of3/31/24Source: Forbes.com (January, 2025).Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please seewww.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.
AboutBarron's Top 100 RIA FirmsSteward Partners has been recognized from 2020-2024. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved. Participation in this ranking is by invitation only and limited to firms that meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Barron's selected firms that manage 2% or more of the total assets of all ranking applicants. This year, that creates a threshold of$70 billionin assets. Participating firms were evaluated and ranked on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, including: assets overseen by the firm, revenue generated by the firm, level of technology spending, number of clients, size of staff, diversity across staff, and placement of a succession plan. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Steward Partners nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Barron's is not affiliated with Steward Partners.
AboutInvestmentNews' Top Financial Advisors in theUSATo compile the second annual Top Advisors list, InvestmentNews first solicited nominations from advisors, industry professionals, and clients. Only advisors nominated were eligible for the list. All information on the nominees had to be verified by their compliance team before it could be accepted. The final list was determined based on each advisor's weighted ranking in overall AUM, AUM growth, and client growth (betweenAugust 2023andAugust 2024). The InvestmentNews team assigned a ranking to each advisor in each category and then calculated a combined score to determine the advisor's final placement on the 2025 Top Advisors list. Neither Steward Partners nor its affiliates paid a fee to InvestmentNews in exchange for the ranking.
Securities are offered through Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC (“SPIS”), registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC (“SPIA”), an SEC-registered investment adviser. SPIS, SPIA, and Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC are affiliates and collectively referred to as Steward Partners.
Media Contact:Zach AllegrettiJConnellyzallegrettiii@jconnelly.com973-850-7341
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