Merit Financial Advisors Announces Leadership Evolution to Support Next Phase of Growth

ATLANTA, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Merit Financial Advisors ("Merit"), a national wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals and families, today announced a planned evolution of its executive leadership team designed to support the firm's continued growth and long-term strategy. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Rick Kent will transition to Executive Chairman, Kay Lynn Mayhue will become Chief Executive Officer and Zach Mersberger will become President effective Jan 1, 2027.

The transition builds on a leadership partnership between Kent and Mayhue that dates back to 2017. For nearly a decade, the two have worked closely to shape Merit's strategy, culture and growth, helping guide the firm through a period of significant expansion and establish it as a leading national wealth management organization.

Mayhue's appointment as CEO represents a natural next step in that evolution. Having served as a financial advisor and business owner and experienced M&A as both a buyer and seller of advisory firms, she brings a firsthand understanding of the opportunities and complexities associated with growing and scaling a wealth management business. Her perspective has resonated with many advisors who have chosen to join Merit and gives her a unique vantage point from which to lead the firm's next stage of growth.

"Kay Lynn and I have spent nearly a decade building Merit together around a shared set of values and a common vision for what this firm could become," said Kent. "What started as a $2 billion organization in 2017, has grown into a national wealth management firm approaching $33 billion, and Kay Lynn has been instrumental every step of the way. She understands our advisors, our clients, our people and our culture, and she is exceptionally well positioned to lead Merit into its next chapter."

Kent and Mayhue's long-standing alignment around culture, advisor support and client service will provide continuity as leadership responsibilities evolve.

"This is a natural transition because Rick and I share the same values and the same belief about how Merit should grow," said Mayhue. "Growth is not simply about getting bigger. It is about creating more opportunity for advisors and team members, delivering more value to clients and making sure the culture and experience that made the firm successful remain strong as the organization scales."

Mayhue's own experience has shaped how she thinks about those challenges.

"I have sat in the advisor's chair, built a business, bought businesses and made the decision to sell a business," Mayhue said. "Each of those experiences gives you a different perspective on what growth really requires. There are financial and strategic considerations, but there are also questions about people, clients, values, legacy and what the next chapter should look like. Those realities are always part of the conversation at Merit."

Building on a Period of Significant Growth

Mayhue assumes the CEO role following several years of significant expansion for Merit. As of Sept 12th, 2026, Merit has over $32B in AUA/AUM, employs over 500 team members, has completed over 62 acquisitions, and operates out of over 70 offices across the country.  

As CEO, Mayhue will focus on continuing to scale Merit while strengthening the infrastructure, leadership and advisor support required to sustain that growth.

"The opportunity ahead is significant," Mayhue said. "We want to continue attracting outstanding advisors and firms, accelerate organic growth and expand the capabilities we can deliver across the organization. At the same time, we have to be intentional about scale. Our goal is to make sure growth creates more support for advisors, a stronger experience for clients and meaningful opportunities for our people."

Kent's move to Executive Chairman represents an evolution of his role. He will remain actively engaged in the firm, with an increased focus on long-term strategy, organic growth, culture, leadership development and other areas critical to its future.

"Part of building an enduring organization is creating the leadership capacity for the firm to continue evolving," Kent said. "I am incredibly proud of what we have built, but I am equally excited about what comes next. This structure allows me to remain deeply involved in Merit while giving Kay Lynn and the broader leadership team greater opportunity to lead the firm forward."

The transition also reflects a philosophy Merit frequently discusses with advisors and firm owners considering their own futures: effective succession planning begins long before a transition becomes necessary.

"Succession shouldn't begin when someone is ready to leave," Kent said. "It begins years earlier by developing great people, giving them meaningful responsibility and building an organization that can thrive for generations. We talk about those issues every day with advisors and firms considering their futures. We believe we should hold ourselves to that same standard."

Strengthening Merit's Leadership Bench

As Merit prepares for its next phase, the firm is also expanding responsibilities across its executive team, creating greater leadership capacity, alignment and accountability throughout the organization.

Mersberger's appointment as President is one example of that approach. A second-generation wealth advisor, Mersberger joined Merit with his brother nearly three years ago through their firm's partnership with Merit and subsequently assumed broader leadership responsibilities across the organization. As President, he will focus on enterprise execution and alignment, helping ensure Merit's strategy translates effectively across its growing network of advisors, teams and offices.

"Joining Merit gave us the opportunity to continue building what we had created while also contributing to something much larger," said Mersberger. "That entrepreneurial mindset remains important to me. As President, I want to make sure that as Merit grows, we continue listening to our advisors, supporting our teams and translating our strategy into an exceptional experience for clients and partners."

Mersberger's progression also reflects Merit's commitment to identifying talented leaders within the firms that join the organization and creating opportunities for them to have an impact across the broader enterprise.

In addition, Brian Andrew, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, will add the title of Chief Strategy Officer, broadening his responsibilities across enterprise strategy while continuing to lead Merit's investment function.

Chrissy Lee, Merit's Chief Operating Officer, will assume the additional title of Chief Enterprise Officer, expanding her responsibilities around operational excellence and execution across the organization.

Alex Hansen, Chief Advisor Success Officer, will also take on expanded leadership responsibilities across advisor success, organic growth and wealth solutions.

Together, the expanded leadership structure reinforces the depth of the leadership bench Merit has intentionally developed as the firm has grown.

"Merit's success has always been about having talented people who believe in where we are going and understand how we want to get there," Mayhue said. "We have an exceptional leadership team, and I am excited about the opportunity to work with them as we continue building the next chapter of Merit."

About Merit Financial Advisors

Merit Financial Group, LLC, doing business as Merit Financial Advisors ("Merit"), is a national wealth management firm that supports both the independent broker-dealer and RIA models. Merit exists to enrich the lives of those they serve, and its mission is to revolutionize the client experience by building the wealth management firm of the future. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Merit has over 70 offices throughout the U.S. and manages approximately $32.92 billion in assets as of Sept 12, 2026, including $25.6B billion in advisory assets, $2.5 billion in brokerage assets, $3.02 billion in employer plans, and $1.8 billion in ESOP assets. For more information, please visit www.meritfinancialadvisors.com. Investment advice offered through Merit Financial Group, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser.

About Constellation Wealth Capital

Constellation Wealth Capital (CWC) is an alternative asset management platform dedicated to the wealth management sector. CWC provides flexible, long-term capital solutions and strategic advisory support to scaled wealth management platforms, leveraging deep industry expertise and an extensive network of relationships to help partner firms accelerate growth and create long-term value. Learn more at www.constellationwealthcapital.com.

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SOURCE Merit Financial Advisors