KENT V. PEARCE, a Managing Director - Senior Financial Advisor and founder of The Pearce Group, along with his associates, form one of the Merrill's most distinguished Personal and Corporate Wealth Management Teams.

The Pearce Group was recently named to the FORBES “Top 100 Private Wealth Teams in America” list for 2022. (Published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022), as well as being the #1 Ranked Wealth Management Team in the State of Maryland on the FORBES "Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams" list for 2023 (Published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022). The Pearce Group, which consists of 14 industry professionals and approximately 250 years of combined experience, utilizes the resources of one of the world’s largest full-service investment firms with a personalized and thorough approach to customized wealth management. 

Working with a select number of clients, Kent’s wealth management group has consistently set a standard to offer strategic personalized investment advice, and guidance as well as customized financial strategies to affluent individuals and families, corporate executives, business owners, foundations, endowments, private & public companies, and professional athletes & entertainers. 

Over the course of Kent’s entire 28+ year career with Merrill, he has been recognized as one of America’s leading financial advisors. In 2021 and 2022 Kent was named among the Top 50 wealth advisors on Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” list with his most recent ranking of #39 nationally in 2022 (published annually August 24. Rankings based on data as of March 31 prior year). In addition, Kent was ranked by Forbes as the #1 Financial Advisor in Maryland for 2020-2021 on the “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” list (published annually Jan- April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.) 

Kent has also been recognized by BARRON'S on the “Top 100 Financial Advisors” ranking through 2020-2022 (Published annually March - April. Rankings based on data as of December 31 of prior year.) and the BARRON'S Top 1,200 Financial Advisors list from 2012 through 2022 (published annually in Feb-March. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year). Lastly, Kent was the recipient of Merrill's prestigious David Brady Award (2018) recognizing him for his devoted commitment to his clients, colleagues and community best represented through character and integrity. 

Kent presently serves as a member of the CEO Club of Baltimore, the Living Classrooms Foundation Board of Directors and is also a founding member of Merrill's highly acclaimed National AGN (Advisor Growth Network) Board.  Kent has also previously served as a member of the University of Maryland St. Joseph’s Medical Center Foundation Board, as well as the President’s Advisory Board at McDaniel College.  Kent received a MBA degree from Mount Saint Mary's University in Financial Management, as well as a BA degree from McDaniel College with a dual concentration in Economics and Finance.

Named to the Forbes “America's Top Wealth Advisors" list in 2022.*​

*Source: The Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Aug - Oct. Rankings based on data as of Mar 31 - June 30 of current year.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. America’s Top Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on inperson, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of best practices, 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 Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

Named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list in 2022.* 

*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published on April 7, 2022. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2021.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: 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. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

Named to the Barron's "Top 100 Financial Advisors" list in 2022.*  

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors” list, published annually Mar – April. Rankings based on data as of December 31 of prior year. 

The Barron’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years financial services experience and who have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. Quantitative and qualitative measures used to determine the advisor rankings include: client assets, return on assets, client satisfaction/retention, compliance records, and community involvement, among others. Rankings are based on the opinions of Barron’s and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s does not receive compensation from advisors, participating firms and their affiliates, or the media in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s is a trademark
of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.


Named to the Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” list in 2022.*

*Source: The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State” list, published annually in Feb-March. Rankings based on data as of September 30 of prior year.  

The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years financial services experience and who have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. This is a list of the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Other quantitative and qualitative measures include assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Years prior to 2014, this Barron's list consisted of 1,000 advisors.

Named to the Financial Times "400 Top Financial Advisers" (FT 400) list in 2020.*

*Source: Financial Times “400 Top Financial Advisers” list, published annually Mar - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year.

The Financial Times “400 Top Financial Advisers” (FT 400) list is an independent listing produced annually by Ignites Research, a division of Money-Media, Inc., on behalf of the Financial Times. The FT 400 is based on data gathered from advisers, broker-dealer home offices, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. The listing reflects each adviser’s status in six primary areas: assets under management (AUM), asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials and online accessibility. This award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and is not indicative of this adviser’s future performance. Neither the brokerages nor the advisers pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 400. Rankings and recognition from the Financial Times are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the adviser. All rights reserved.

*Bank of America Corporation’s David Brady Community Service Award is named for David Brady, a Merrill financial advisor who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He was highly respected for putting the client first and giving back to his community. The award that bears his name was created in 2007 and seeks to honor individuals within Bank of America Corporation Global Wealth & Investment Management who continue to emulate David’s ethos.


Named to the 2022 Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" list as a member of the Pearce Group

*Source: The Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" list, published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, 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 Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client's experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.


Named to the 2022 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list as a member of the Pearce Group

*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list, published on January 12, 2023. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC.  Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, 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 Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client's experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results.  Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC

 

Karl has been with Merrill since 1998 and prior to that with Morgan Stanley and Dean Witter. Karl is a Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor and Portfolio Manager with The Pearce Group, recently named to the FORBES “Top 100 Private Wealth Teams in America” list for 2022. (Published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022).  His Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation was earned in conjunction with the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania/Investments & Wealth Institute™.  He is also a Retirement Benefits Consultant as well as a member of a specialized group of Merrill Financial Advisors registered with the Firm’s Defined Contribution Investment Consulting (DCIC) platform. He is a member of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) and certified as a CPFA.  Karl also has extensive experience in an  earlier career in the Real estate Industry. Karl attended Boston University, received his BA degree from College of Atlantic and has also worked for The Smithsonian Institution as a Researcher.


*Bank of America Merrill Lynch is a marketing name for the Retirement Services business of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp”). Banking activities may be performed by wholly owned banking affiliates of BofA Corp, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Brokerage services may be performed by wholly owned brokerage affiliates of BofA Corp, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a registered broker-dealer and member SIPC.

Named to the 2022 Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" list
Published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.*
*Source: The Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" list, published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, 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 Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client's experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results.  Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

See the External Top Advisor Recognition Disclosure Language 2022​ for abbreviated disclosures for email signatures, electronic materials and Advisor Social Media program

Jeremy Kober is a First Vice President – Wealth Management Advisor with The Pearce Group at Merrill which was recently named to the FORBES “Top 100 Private Wealth Teams in America” list for 2022. (Published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022).  Jeremy focus on the investment approach for the team, coordinates client's personal planning with their other professional advisers and uses analytical tools that include cash flow analysis, net worth analysis and customized investment planning to help client's experience how their financial decisions can impact their future.  Jeremy has been in the investment industry since 2001 and has been with Merrill since 2010.  Jeremy is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.  Additionally, Jeremy earned his C(k)P® designation from The Retirement Advisor University in collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education and his Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) designation from the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts and is also a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor™, CPFA™ sponsored by the National Association of Plan Advisors.  Jeremy holds a bachelor's degree from McDaniel College.


*Bank of America Merrill Lynch is a marketing name for the Retirement Services business of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp”). Banking activities may be performed by wholly owned banking affiliates of BofA Corp, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Brokerage services may be performed by wholly owned brokerage affiliates of BofA Corp, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a registered broker-dealer and member SIPC.


Named to the 2022 Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" list

Published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.*
*Source: The Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" list, published on November 8, 2022. Rankings based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “America's Top Wealth Management Teams Private Wealth" ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team's best practices, 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 Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client's experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results. SHOOK's research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and team, and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client's experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results.  Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.