Johnson Financial Group (JFG) recently announced they have signed an agreement to acquire The Appleton Group, a registered investment advisor with $210 million in assets under management (AUM) based in Appleton, Wisconsin, at the end of this month.
Launched in 2002 by Mark Scheffler, the Appleton Group is a fee-only and independent financial advisor serving private clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, non-profit endowments, and financial institutions.
Scheffler – who is deeply involved in the Appleton community and has built a following for his Three Minute Trend Talk podcast – will continue to serve clients and be a leader within JFG’s Appleton office. And JFG’s registered investment advisor, Johnson Wealth, has $9.5 billion in assets under management and is ranked 58th in the country according to Financial Advisor magazine’s 2023 report.
The firm has completed several acquisitions and remains actively looking for additional opportunities. And DeVoe & Company supported Johnson Financial Group in this deal.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re excited to welcome The Appleton Group clients and employees to our firm. This reflects our commitment to building and expanding our banking and wealth business in Wisconsin by investing in our people, our footprint, our technology and our communities.”
— Jim Popp, CEO of Johnson Financial Group
“Mark Scheffler and the six employees of the Appleton Group share our values and our culture of serving our clients, our employees and our communities. This acquisition will expand our footprint in the Northeast and complement other recent efforts to build our presence in Milwaukee, Madison and Appleton. We’re looking forward to having this highly engaged and talented team join JFG.”
— Brian Andrew, Chief Investment Officer and President of Johnson Wealth
“We’re proud to become part of the largest independent RIA in the state. Johnson Financial Group offers the investment products, technology and service our clients expect. In fact, our clients will experience a seamless transition as our planning and investment cultures greatly align.”
— Mark Scheffler
