Raymond James: $300 Million Team From UBS Joins

By Amit Chowdhry • Mar 25, 2024

According to John Simmons, Raymond James’ California regional director, financial advisors Steven Hocking, CFP, Jennifer Hocking, CRPSTM, C(k)P, and Ryan Mueller, C(k)P, have joined Raymond James & Associates (RJA), the firm’s employee advisor channel.

Based out of Irvine, California, the advisors operate as THG Retirement Solutions of Raymond James and are joined by senior client service associate Jennifer Uy and service and marketing specialist Karla Castro. This group specializes in financial planning and wealth management for corporate retirement plans, business owners, and individuals preparing for retirement or living in retirement. They have previously managed over $300 million in client assets at UBS.

With over two decades in the financial services industry, Steven has extensive experience in the retirement planning space. And he recently spent 15 years at UBS and previously held positions at Merrill Lynch and Farmers Financial Solutions. Steven graduated from California State University, Fullerton College of Business and Economics, and is a Certified Financial Planner professional.

With a background in HR, Jennifer started her career in financial services in 2002 with Toyota Financial Services. And she joined UBS as an advisor in 2015. Jennifer earned her MBA in business from California State University, Fullerton and attained the Certified 401(k) Professional and Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist professional designations.

Mueller brings nearly a decade of financial services experience to the firm. He previously managed operations at a boutique insurance brokerage before joining UBS as an advisor in 2018. And Muller earned an MBA from California State University, Fullerton College of Business and Economics, and holds the Certified 401(k) Professional designation.

KEY QUOTES:

“Raymond James stands out in the financial services industry for its client-first approach—a philosophy that resonates deeply with us. In my 25 years within this industry, it is rare to encounter a firm that not only pledges to prioritize client interests but also consistently acts on this commitment,” said Steven. “The firm’s record of stability and resilience assures us that we have a reliable partner backing up our fiduciary standard of care, capable of supporting our clients through various market conditions without taking outsized risks.”

– Steven Hocking

“It became apparent to our team that to meet the long-term goals of our clients, we had to make a strategic decision driven by two primary considerations, each centered around our core mission: to deliver a quality experience for our clients and their employees and to uphold our fiduciary responsibilities with integrity.”

– Jennifer Hocking

“Access to a comprehensive suite of technology, tools and resources for our clients was of the utmost importance. This move has allowed us to enhance our service model by providing expanded communication channels and offerings for our clients using top-of-the-line technology resources.”

– Ryan Mueller

“Empowering advisors with essential tools and resources to prioritize their clients while advancing their business is paramount at Raymond James. This value proposition strongly resonates with highly skilled advisor teams and often yields significant benefits for their practice. We’re thrilled to extend a warm welcome to this talented team as we intensify our efforts to expand our footprint in the California market.”

– John Simmons