Steward Partners, an employee-owned independent financial services firm, announced a strategic partnership with Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth, marking the largest wirehouse breakaway in the firm’s history and adding $2.4 billion in client assets to its platform through its M&A Channel.
Led by partners Scott Zelniker and Peter Dorfman, the 11-person team, including six advisors, brings more than 100 years of combined industry experience. The group will operate as Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth at Steward Partners and provides specialized services for business owners, multi-generational families, professional athletes, entertainers, women investors, and gaming and content creator clients.
The partnership strengthens Steward Partners’ presence across the Northeast Corridor with offices in New York City and Connecticut while expanding the firm’s footprint along Florida’s East and Gulf Coasts.
Steward Partners said the transaction highlights growing momentum among wirehouse teams seeking independent platforms that provide ownership opportunities and long-term succession planning capabilities. The firm’s Legacy Division is designed to help advisory teams maintain their brand identity while benefiting from the scale and operational support of a national organization.
Founded in 2013, Steward Partners has grown into one of the nation’s largest registered investment advisory firms. As of April 2026, the firm managed more than $52 billion in client assets and was ranked No. 9 on Barron’s 2025 Top 100 RIA Firms list.
KEY QUOTES:
“Over the course of my career, I have had the privilege of watching families grow across generations and finding a partner in Steward who shares that long-term vision made this decision clear. I started working with clients when their parents were the decision-makers. Now those clients are grandparents themselves, and we are working with their children and grandchildren. That continuity is not something you stumble into, it is something you build deliberately. The way we have constructed this team, with members ranging from their 20s to their 50s, is a direct reflection of that philosophy. We are not just managing wealth. We are positioning families for whatever comes next.”
Scott Zelniker, Partner And Wealth Advisor, Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth At Steward Partners
“We have had Steward Partners on our radar for nearly a decade, and what appealed to us then has only grown stronger. This was not the path of least resistance. We could have stayed in our seats at a wirehouse, ridden things out, and eventually retired. But that would have been a disservice to our clients and to the next generation of their families. The hybrid model, the employee-ownership structure, the investment Steward is making in its partners, it all pointed in one direction. Steward is building something that is meant to outlast all of us.”
Peter Dorfman, Partner And Wealth Advisor, Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth At Steward Partners
“Scott and Peter didn’t stumble into this decision. They spent years watching this industry change, evaluating their options, and waiting until the timing was right. That kind of discipline reflects exactly who they are as advisors. They are thoughtful, client-first, and unwilling to compromise. What they have built, a true multi-generational team covering some of the most complex and specialized segments in wealth management, is precisely what Steward was designed to support. We are proud they chose us in this strategic partnership, and we are committed to helping them take this to the next level.”
Scott Danner, Chief Growth Officer, Steward Partners
