Mesirow Financial acquires LeafHouse Financial

Mesirow, an independent financial services firm headquartered in Chicago, has confirmed the acquisition of the advisory business of LeafHouse Financial Advisors, a division of LeafHouse Financial Group. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition will incorporate LeafHouse's FlexFiduciary and InvestBuild lines, enhancing Mesirow's capabilities in the retirement plan industry.

Alongside this acquisition, Mesirow will make a strategic investment in LeafHouse Financial Services to bolster its ongoing technology development. Following the completion of the deal, LeafHouse's advisory operations will integrate into Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions, a key player in fiduciary programs with nearly two decades of market presence. This move is expected to elevate Mesirow's service offering by leveraging LeafHouse's robust distribution network and customized retirement plan solutions.

Ketan Shah, Mesirow's Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel, emphasized the strategic alignment and growth prospects offered by LeafHouse's inclusion. The merger aims to combine LeafHouse’s advisor-focused methodology with Mesirow’s institutional scale and technological resources, establishing a comprehensive platform for retirement services. This combined effort is designed to enhance service delivery for advisors, plan sponsors, and institutional clients, thereby strengthening Mesirow's market position in fiduciary services.

Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions serves approximately 10,000 financial advisors and manages $115.2 billion in assets. The acquisition is projected to boost these assets to around $138 billion post-transaction. The move places Mesirow in a stronger competitive position, enhancing its scale and distribution reach while reinforcing its commitment to fiduciary excellence.

As LeafHouse Financial Services refocuses on its core competencies in technology development, the partnership with Mesirow is seen as mutually beneficial. Todd Kading, President and CEO of LeafHouse, remarked that the separation allows both organizations to concentrate on their areas of expertise. The transaction underscores a strategic focus on innovation and growth in the financial services sector, with Mesirow poised to integrate LeafHouse's capabilities effectively into its broader offerings in the coming months.