Cetera exec steps aside

Barnaby Grist, executive vice president of wealth management at Cetera Financial Group Inc., will be leaving the firm in the coming months for personal reasons. Mr. Grist, 41, told InvestmentNews he needed to step aside to help care for his parents and his wife's parents. “I've got to put family first, as I've always told our employees they should do,” he said last Tuesday. “Our parents ... need our help, and I don't feel I can contribute to their lives and to the success of this company with a 100% commitment on both sides.”

TRANSITION PLAN

Mr. Grist said he's been working out a transition plan with Cetera chief executive Valerie Brown and that the company is looking for a replacement. “Certainly, I'll be here another three months,” he said. As head of wealth management at Cetera, Mr. Grist is responsible for the company's fee-based platform, product research, marketing support, brand development and practice management. In particular, he has been focused on creating an integrated platform for hybrid advisers. Mr. Grist was a big hire for Cetera in February 2010, when he left his position as senior managing director of strategic business development at The Charles Schwab Corp. Mr. Grist expects to return to the industry. “Even at Cetera, if they need me,” Mr. Grist said. “I'd love to come back here.” Mr. Grist said he remains an investor in Cetera. djamieson@investmentnews.com Twitter: @dvjamieson