Sanctuary Wealth Partner Firm Utilizes Enterprise Partner Program to Add Next-Gen Merrill Lynch Advisor

Mitch Benedon, CFP, joins Eclipse Private Wealth Management to upgrade all aspects of his practice

Eclipse Private Wealth was in the inaugural class of Sanctuary's Enterprise Partner Program, developed to support the inorganic growth efforts of its Partner Firms.

MIAMI, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanctuary Wealth (Sanctuary), providing elite financial advisors the freedom, flexibility, control and choice to thrive in an evolving industry, welcomes Mitch Benedon, CFP, as he joins Eclipse Private Wealth Management (Eclipse), one of Sanctuary's Partner Firms. Benedon, based in Princeton, New Jersey, has been a successful Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, where he built a $50 million book of business in his first five years as an advisor.

Eclipse is a highly sophisticated private wealth management firm offering in-depth financial planning and investment solutions to wealthy individuals and families. Alex Freedman established the firm with her father in 2024 after leaving Morgan Stanley.

"We are thrilled that Mitch has decided to join our firm as we embark on our strategic growth plan," said Alex Freedman. "I've known Mitch professionally for several years and have been impressed by his early success as well as his devotion to his clients. He will fit in perfectly with our culture at Eclipse."

Freedman continued, "We're grateful for the encouragement Sanctuary provided as we pursued this opportunity to expand our business. The firm's guidance, training and support through its Enterprise Partner Program helped us create a deal structure that benefits all parties. This will be the blueprint we will follow as we continue to add quality advisors like Mitch to achieve our growth goals."

Enterprise Partner Program

Sanctuary launched its Enterprise Partner Program late last year, complementing the capital it offers to partner firms to support their inorganic growth efforts and new advisors into established firms.

"Sanctuary is passionate about creating an environment where our partner firms can grow faster than they could anywhere else, through a range of opportunities including inorganic growth," said Vince Fertitta, President of Sanctuary Wealth. "Grounded in a rigorous educational curriculum, our program prepares partner firm leadership to confidently move from running their own businesses to building an enterprise through targeted M&A activities. We've spent the better part of a year educating custodians, recruiters and other centers of influence about the program, and all that goes into obtaining Sanctuary's designation. The feedback has been tremendous."

Advisors who complete this program earn Sanctuary's Enterprise Partner designation and are well-positioned to attract and secure meaningful inorganic growth opportunities. Accredited advisors can more readily access capital through Sanctuary's Strategic Capital Partnership, allowing them to compete with some of the largest enterprises in the industry to execute M&A deals and drive meaningful growth.

"Alex was one of the first to graduate from our Enterprise Partner Program, and the firm is already enjoying the results," said Michael Longley, Chief Growth Officer of Sanctuary Wealth. "After going through this exclusive program, Eclipse is equipped with the tools, resources and knowledge to drive meaningful growth in their practice. By tapping into our Strategic Capital Partnership, they are well on their way toward building lasting equity in their business and evolving their practice into an independent wealth management enterprise. Bringing Mitch over from Merrill is a great start."

Benedon began his career in wealth management as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch in 2019, quickly building his practice by helping clients identify and prioritize their most important goals. As a next-generation advisor, he specializes in helping his clients achieve multi-generational wealth. Benedon received his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious certifications that financial professionals can attain.

"I have been considering the move to independence for the past few years and was extremely impressed with Sanctuary," said Benedon. "When Alex approached me about joining Eclipse, the timing could not have been better. Everything I've seen at Sanctuary is an upgrade, from the resources to the planning software to the technology stack. I am encouraged to be an entrepreneur and do what is right for myself and my clients. I'm thrilled to be part of the Eclipse team as we build a future together."

About Sanctuary Wealth

Sanctuary Wealth (sanctuarywealth.com) is the advanced platform for elite advisors with the entrepreneurial spirit to build, own and create lasting equity in their practices while delivering clients the tailored service they deserve. It is committed to providing partner firms with unequaled freedom, flexibility, control and choice through an ecosystem of partnered independence that offers a complete technology and operations infrastructure, support from a community of like-minded advisors, the resources of invaluable affiliated businesses and a robust solutions platform. Sanctuary Wealth expanded its affiliation options by acquiring tru Independence (tru) in 2024, offering partner firms multiple models to best serve their unique needs.

Currently, the Sanctuary Wealth network includes more than 125 partner firms in 32 states nationwide, with over $50 billion in assets on platform. Sanctuary Wealth consists of the wholly owned subsidiaries: Sanctuary Advisors LLC, SEC-registered investment advisers, Sanctuary Securities, Inc., a FINRA member broker-dealer, as well as Sanctuary Alternative Holdings, Sanctuary Asset Management, Sanctuary Insurance Solutions, Sanctuary Global, Sanctuary Global Family Office and tru.

About Eclipse Private Wealth Management

Eclipse is an independent advisory firm committed to customized financial planning, comprehensive wealth and investment solutions, and highly personal service to help clients protect family wealth today and secure a brighter future for generations to come. For additional information, please visit: https://eclipseprivatewealthmanagement.com/.

*Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors (2017 – 2021, 2024), created by Barron's. Most recently received in 2024 based on data gathered from Oct 2022 to Sept 2023.

Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors (2018-2024), created by Forbes/SHOOK Research. Most recently received in 2024 based on data gathered from Jun 2022 to Jun 2023.

Forbes Best in State Wealth Management Teams (2023-2024), created by Forbes/SHOOK Research. Most recently received in 2024 based on data gathered from Mar 2022 to Mar 2023.

No fees were paid to be included in the above rankings or to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor's future performance. Your experience may vary.

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SOURCE Sanctuary Wealth