SOURCE Steward Partners

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Steward Partners, an employee-owned independent financial services firm specializing in comprehensive wealth management solutions, today announced the addition of a new team of seasoned wealth managers in Macon, Georgia. The group collectively brings approximately $630 million in client assets to the Steward Partners' platform.

The team of advisors joining Steward Partners includes:

  • David Lucas, Partner, Senior Vice President, Wealth Manager
  • Kevin Watson, Partner, Managing Director, Wealth Manager
  • Chris Durham, Partner, Managing Director, Wealth Manager

In addition to the three partners, the practice will include three Client Associate Managers (CAMs), further strengthening the firm's delivery of personalized, goal-driven financial planning and investment solutions for clients in Central Georgia.

"We're excited to welcome this outstanding team to Steward Partners," said Jason Bourgo, President of Strategic Growth – East Region at Steward Partners. "Kevin, Chris, David, and their colleagues have built an exceptional practice rooted in trust, experience, and long-term relationships. Their entrepreneurial mindset and dedication to doing what's right for clients make them a natural fit for our firm, and we're thrilled to support their next chapter of growth."

The team officially joined Steward Partners on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, and will continue serving clients from their Macon office.

"Joining Steward Partners represents an exciting milestone for our team and, more importantly, for our clients," said Kevin Watson, Partner, Managing Director, Wealth Manager. "The firm's independence, collaborative culture, and robust platform give us greater flexibility and resources to enhance the level of advice and service we provide. We're energized by the partnership and confident it positions us to better support our clients for years to come."

Steward Partners continues to attract established advisory teams seeking independence, equity ownership, and a client-first environment without sacrificing institutional-grade resources. The firm's continued expansion reflects its commitment to empowering advisors while delivering customized wealth management solutions nationwide.

Since its launch in 2013, Steward Partners has solidified its place as one of the industry's fastest-growing and most influential RIA firms. The firm was recently recognized with a #9 ranking on the 2025 Barron's Top 100 RIA Firms list, up from its #18 ranking in 2024. Additionally, Steward Partners was named a 2025 Thrivent Employer of Choice by InvestmentNews, reflecting the firm's commitment to fostering a collaborative, partner-driven culture.  Several Steward Partners advisors and teams were also honored on Forbes | SHOOK's 2025 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors and Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams lists, underscoring the quality of client service delivered across the platform. Please visit Important Disclosures at www.stewardpartners.com for more information regarding these awards.

About Steward Partners
Representing some of the U.S.'s top advisors, Steward Partners is a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm that offers wealth management solutions for families, businesses, and multigenerational investors. Established in 2013, the firm fosters a positive, transparent culture of camaraderie and excellence that has fueled its substantial growth in a highly competitive industry. Offering services such as comprehensive wealth planning, private banking, institutional consulting, and business solutions, the firm was responsible for nearly $50 billion in client assets as of December 2025.

To learn more about Steward Partners, visit www.stewardpartners.com.

About Barron's Top 100 RIA Firms

2024-2025 - Source: Barrons.com. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved. Participation in this ranking is by invitation only and limited to firms that meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Barron's selected firms that manage 2% or more of the total assets of all ranking applicants. This year, that creates a threshold of $70 billion in assets. Participating firms were evaluated and ranked on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, including: assets overseen by the firm, revenue generated by the firm, level of technology spending, number of clients, size of staff, diversity across staff, and placement of a succession plan. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Steward Partners nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Barron's is not affiliated with Steward Partners.

InvestmentNews: Thrivent Employer of Choice
2025 – The Thrivent Employer of Choice award recognizes a multi-office advisor network, brokerage, or fund provider's commitment to building a workplace that recognizes excellence and supports career growth for all. This award recognizes the company that has earned the reputation to be called an employer of choice within the wealth management and financial planning industry. Nominations by employees, partners, peers, and clients are welcome. Employers are selected based on objective criteria including: must have more than 50 employees within the U.S. and be in the wealth management industry, demonstrates unique employee value proposition (e.g. business development support, marketing support, education, training, philanthropy), defined workplace brand and culture to foster growth for employees, innovative approach to employee recruitment, retention, talent management, learning & development, mitigating employer-related risks, managing changes within the business (i.e. digitalization, customer expectations, compliance), and exemplary reputation within the industry. Data was compiled from 2024. Award Finalists announced June 24, 2025. Steward Partners nor its affiliates paid a fee to InvestmentNews in exchange for the ranking.

About Forbes | SHOOK
Forbes  Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
2025 - Source: Forbes.com - ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Neither Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC nor its Wealth Managers pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2023 to 6/30/2024 and was released on 4/8/2025. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com. 

About Forbes | SHOOK
Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
2025 - Source: Forbes.com -ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Neither Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC nor its Wealth Managers pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com.

Media Contact:
Zach Allegretti
JConnelly
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