HighTower Attracts $2.5B Graystone Consulting Team and Opens Scottsdale Office

CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HighTower, the first advisor owned national financial services company serving wealthy families and institutional clients, announces its first new team of 2012:  James Pupillo, a former Institutional and Family Wealth Director of Graystone Consulting at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, joined HighTower on January 20 as Managing Director and Partner.

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Barron's has named Mr. Pupillo to its list of Top 100 Advisors every year since 2006. In 2009, he was recognized as the No. 1 advisor in Arizona. A past president of the Association of Professional Investment Management Consultants (APIC) and the Institute for Investment Management Consultants (IIMC), Mr. Pupillo has exemplified leadership, ethics and a commitment to client service throughout his career.

"Jim has consistently been recognized as one of the leading advisors not only in Arizona, but throughout the country," said Mike Papedis, Executive Vice President of Business Development at HighTower. "We are thrilled to welcome Jim and his team to HighTower, where they will have a full suite of tools, services, research and support to deliver on their promise to put their clients' interests first."

Mr. Pupillo, CIMA®, CIMC®, has more than 25 years of financial industry experience advising both institutions and high net worth families. He is joined by Directors and Partners Brian Hein, CIMA®, CRPS®, and David Brasfield, CRPS®. Mr. Hein focuses on corporate benefit plans, serving for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Brasfield's specialty includes serving the complex financial planning needs of wealthy families. The team will operate from a newly opened Scottsdale, Ariz., office, leading HighTower's expansion into the Phoenix market.

"I looked at several vendor platforms to support us if we went completely independent, but none provided anything close to the comprehensive platform at HighTower," Mr. Pupillo said. "We joined HighTower because it represents the very best of breed solutions, supporting sophisticated independent advisors and harnessing the competitive power of Wall Street for the benefit of our clients."

For media inquiries, please contact Nicole Kalian Abbott at 973-850-7315 or [email protected].

About HighTower

HighTower is a national, advisor-owned financial services company serving high-net-worth and institutional clients. HighTower advisors are experienced investment professionals with large and established practices. As a dually-registered, multi-custodial firm, HighTower provides sophisticated investment solutions as well as an independent and unobstructed view of the markets. The company is headquartered in Chicago and maintains corporate centers in New York and San Francisco and offices around the country. See www.hightoweradvisors.com.

SOURCE HighTower