Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

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Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

LPL Financial Welcomes Skyward Financial

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LPL Financial LLC announced today that the advisors of Skyward Financial have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) platform. They reported serving approximately $700 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets* and join LPL from Wedbush Securities.

Based in Houston, Skyward Financial was founded and is led by Matthew Houston, Lynn Houston and Ross Stripling. The team of six advisors have over 200 years of combined experience and takes a collaborative approach to helping clients establish their financial plans. They believe that educating, guiding and understanding their clients leads to their vision of achieving greater financial freedom. Most of their clients are business owners and retirees, but they also work with Major League Baseball players and are looking to expand their base of college athletes.

“We believe that people need to be comfortable with what they own and understand why they own certain things. There is very close collaboration at the beginning of the relationship and we take the time to understand the client's full financial picture to craft strategies that reflect their unique needs,” said Matthew Houston. “Our clients hire us for our expertise and direct access to senior advisors with decades of experience.”

Why Skyward Financial chose LPL

Seeking enhanced service experiences and a more robust technology platform, the Skyward Financial team, which includes Carlie Clayton, Jerry Axelrod, Lisa Marcelli, CFP®, CDFA®, Mike Hamilton, Valencia Linton and Vice President of Operations, Steven Phan, transitioned to LPL to scale their client-focused financial support.

“The standout benefit for us was LPL’s robust technology. As a historically regional firm, we realized our technology couldn’t keep up, and our younger clients were seeking something that better suited their needs,” said Houston. “Through LPL, we gain all the tools of a Wall Street firm without actually being one, and still maintaining our independence, including our own branding and image.”

Scott Posner, Managing Director, Business Development, said, “We welcome the Skyward Financial team to LPL. As their partner, we are committed to delivering innovative technology, integrated platforms and strategic resources to help them seamlessly run their practice and provide an elevated client experience. We look forward to supporting the team in this next chapter of their business.”

Related

Advisors, learn how LPL Financial can help take your business to the next level.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace, LPL supports over 29,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,100 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $1.9 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 7 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Skyward Financial and LPL Financial are separate entities.

Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.

We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

*Value approximated based on asset and holding details provided to LPL from end of year, 2024.

Media Contact: 
Media.relations@LPLFinancial.com 

Tracking #785547


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