Tampa, FL – December 2025 — Independent Financial Partners (IFP) has added a five-advisor team overseeing more than $700 million in client assets from Commonwealth Financial Network, with CenterBridge Planning Group joining the Tampa-based firm in one of IFP’s largest single-team transitions to date.
CenterBridge — led by Jeff McCabe, Pat Mahardy, Joe Lazzaro, Brent Schleicher and Andy Burr — serves clients throughout Upstate New York and across the country from offices in Syracuse and Lockport/Buffalo. The team offers comprehensive financial planning, retirement and estate strategies, investment management, insurance solutions and business and tax planning.
The advisors said the search for a new platform intensified as the industry landscape evolved, prompting them to evaluate options that better aligned with how they want to build their practice. According to the team, IFP’s open-architecture environment and flexibility were decisive factors in the move. “What set IFP apart was the freedom to customize our technology and maintain multi-custodian access without added fees or constraints. That level of flexibility is essential to serving clients the way we believe is best.”
They also pointed to the firm’s culture, leadership accessibility, and long-term alignment as meaningful differentiators. The team noted that IFP’s newly launched Project 3.14 — a value-participation program that allows advisors to share in the proceeds of any future sale or recapitalization of the firm — reinforced IFP’s advisor-first philosophy. “Just as important, IFP gives us direct access to firm leadership and a culture where advisors are truly heard. When you combine that with a program like Project 3.14, which directly aligns our long-term success with the firm’s future transaction outcomes, the independence, support, and responsiveness made the decision straightforward for our team.”
“We spent a great deal of time with the CenterBridge team as they evaluated their options, and it quickly became clear how aligned we were,” said Bill Hamm, CEO of Independent Financial Partners. “Their experience coming from a firm that was acquired by a larger organization was a powerful reminder of what advisors often lose during those transitions. In many ways, CenterBridge was part of the inspiration behind Project 3.14 — our commitment to ensuring that advisors share in the value they help create if IFP ever pursues a future sale or recapitalization. They’re exactly the type of sophisticated, client-focused advisory business we built this platform for. Our open-architecture model, direct access to leadership, and boutique service structure are designed to support teams with bespoke needs like CenterBridge, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to IFP.”
The addition of CenterBridge continues IFP’s broader effort to attract high-performing independent advisors seeking greater flexibility, technology choice, multi-custodian access and direct engagement with senior leadership.
About CenterBridge Planning Group
CenterBridge Planning Group is an independent wealth management and financial planning firm serving clients across Upstate New York and nationwide. With offices in Syracuse and Lockport/Buffalo, the firm provides comprehensive services including retirement and estate planning, investment management, insurance and wealth preservation strategies, tax-efficient planning and business advisory services. Learn more at www.centerbridgeplanning.com.
About Independent Financial Partners (IFP)
Independent Financial Partners (IFP) is a nationwide financial-services platform supporting independent advisors across a variety of business models. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, IFP provides advisors with an open-architecture infrastructure, multi-custodian access, technology-agnostic workflows, and boutique-level, white-glove support. The firm’s advisor-first model empowers advisors to design, grow and operate their businesses on their own terms while benefiting from institutional-grade resources and direct access to senior leadership. Learn more at www.ifpartners.com.
