Merit Financial Advisors Expands Executive Leadership Team with Strategic Hires & Launches Leadership Development Initiative
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026
Merit Financial Advisors, one of the nation’s fastest-growing independent wealth management firms, today announced the appointments of Doug Moore as Chief Financial Officer and Sarah Mouser, CFP® as Executive Vice President of Financial Planning. The strategic leadership additions underscore Merit’s continued investment in building a world-class executive leadership team designed to support the firm’s rapid growth, evolving advisor platform, and long-term vision for the future of wealth management.
In addition to the new hires, Merit also recently launched a comprehensive executive leadership development program in partnership with ClientWise, further reinforcing the firm’s commitment to investing in its people, leadership infrastructure, and scalable growth strategy.
“Merit has experienced tremendous momentum over the past several years, and we recognize that continued growth requires continued investment in exceptional leadership,” said Rick Kent, CEO of Merit Financial Advisors. “Doug and Sarah each bring deep expertise, strategic perspective, and a passion for building scalable organizations that prioritize both growth and culture. Their addition to our executive team reflects our commitment to building an enduring firm designed to support advisors, team members, and clients for decades to come.”
Moore joins Merit as CFO following more than four years at Edelman Financial Engines, where he most recently served as Head of Finance. In that role, he led financial planning and analysis, business partnership support, sponsor and lender relations, pricing strategy, and financial operations initiatives. Prior to Edelman, Moore served as CFO of Pyramus Global Advisors, a Fidelity Investments company, and also held CFO leadership roles at AAA Northeast.
At Merit, Moore will oversee the firm’s strategic financial operations including accounting, financial planning and analysis, decision support and financial data & analytics as the organization continues to scale both organically and through acquisitions.
“What attracted me to Merit was not only the firm’s impressive growth trajectory, but the way the organization has maintained its culture and client-first focus while scaling,” said Doug Moore. “Many firms are successful at acquisition growth or organic growth, but it’s rare to find an organization executing exceptionally well on both fronts simultaneously. Merit has built something special, and I’m excited to help support the next phase of growth by building the financial infrastructure and strategic support systems needed for the future.”
Mouser joins Merit as Executive Director of Financial Planning, a newly dedicated strategic leadership role focused on centralizing and scaling the firm’s financial planning capabilities across its growing national footprint. Over the past 15 years, Mouser has specialized in building centralized financial planning platforms, advisor support structures, and talent development programs designed to help advisory firms scale while maintaining a high-quality client experience.
Prior to joining Merit, Mouser was a Managing Director at Verdence Capital Advisors and spent more than a decade at Cassaday & Company, where she built and led a centralized financial planning department focused on career path development, subject matter expertise, advisor support, and mentorship.
At Merit, Mouser will focus on expanding the firm’s planning infrastructure, identifying and mentoring next-generation planning talent, evaluating planning technology, and developing scalable career pathways for financial planners and advisors across the organization.
“The opportunity to join Merit at this stage of growth was incredibly compelling,” said Sarah Mouser. “Merit is deeply committed to building a forward-thinking, advisor-focused organization that recognizes the importance of planning, mentorship, and long-term talent development. I’m especially excited about the opportunity to help create intentional career paths for planners and advisors while building a scalable planning platform that can evolve alongside the changing needs of clients and the profession.”
As part of its broader investment in leadership and organizational development, Merit recently launched a new executive leadership coaching and working-session program in partnership with respected coaching and development firm, ClientWise. The six-month initiative includes 27 executive leaders from across the organization and is designed to strengthen collaboration, leadership alignment, and long-term scalability.
The program includes in-person executive working sessions, virtual leadership workshops, and ongoing collaborative initiatives focused on solving key growth and operational challenges as Merit continues building what the firm describes as “the RIA of the future.”
“We believe investing in leadership development is just as important as investing in technology, acquisitions, or operational infrastructure,” said Kay Lynn Mayhue. “As we continue to grow, we want to ensure our leaders are equipped with the tools, frameworks, and collaborative mindset needed to support our advisors, teams, and clients at the highest level. This program represents another important step in building a sustainable and scalable firm for the future.”
Merit Financial Advisors has become one of the industry’s most active and respected growth firms, known for its client-centric culture, strategic acquisitions, and commitment to advisor development and innovation.
