Steward Partners Welcomes Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth in Strategic Partnership, Expanding Its Reach in the Northeast and Florida

Veteran team managing $2.4 billion in client assets brings specialized expertise across business owners, athletes and entertainers, and multi-generational families to Steward Partners' Legacy Channel

STAMFORD, Conn., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Steward Partners, a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm, today announced a strategic partnership with Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth, marking the largest wirehouse breakaway in its history and adding $2.4 billion in client assets to Steward Partners' platform in its M&A Channel. With this partnership, Steward Partners deepens its presence across the Northeast Corridor – with offices in New York City and Connecticut – and expands its footprint along Florida's East and Gulf Coasts.

Led by partners Scott Zelniker and Peter Dorfman, the 11-person team – six of which are advisors – brings more than 100 years of combined industry experience. The team, now operating as Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth at Steward Partners, represents the kind of sophisticated breakaway Steward Partners is built to attract bringing a fully integrated, multi-generational practice with deep specialization across complex client segments serving business owners navigating liquidity events, multi-generational families, and professional athletes and entertainers. The team also serves women in wealth and a growing gaming and content creator practice through a next-generation segment.

"Over the course of my career, I have had the privilege of watching families grow across generations and finding a partner in Steward who shares that long-term vision made this decision clear," said Scott Zelniker, Partner, Wealth Advisor, Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth at Steward Partners. "I started working with clients when their parents were the decision-makers. Now those clients are grandparents themselves, and we are working with their children and grandchildren. That continuity is not something you stumble into, it is something you build deliberately. The way we have constructed this team, with members ranging from their 20s to their 50s, is a direct reflection of that philosophy. We are not just managing wealth. We are positioning families for whatever comes next."

"We have had Steward Partners on our radar for nearly a decade, and what appealed to us then has only grown stronger," said Peter Dorfman, Partner, Wealth Advisor, Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth at Steward Partners. "This was not the path of least resistance. We could have stayed in our seats at a wirehouse, ridden things out, and eventually retired. But that would have been a disservice to our clients and to the next generation of their families. The hybrid model, the employee-ownership structure, the investment Steward is making in its partners—it all pointed in one direction. Steward is building something that is meant to outlast all of us."

"Scott and Peter didn't stumble into this decision," said Scott Danner, Chief Growth Officer at Steward Partners. "They spent years watching this industry change, evaluating their options, and waiting until the timing was right. That kind of discipline reflects exactly who they are as advisors. They are thoughtful, client-first, and unwilling to compromise. What they have built – a true multi-generational team covering some of the most complex and specialized segments in wealth management – is precisely what Steward was designed to support. We are proud they chose us in this strategic partnership, and we are committed to helping them take this to the next level."

Steward Partners' M&A Channel is designed to support established advisory teams seeking a long-term succession and continuity solution without sacrificing their brand or client relationships. The Legacy Division provides a flexible framework that allows advisors to maintain their identity while leveraging the scale, resources, and operational support of a national firm. It is an ideal path for advisors planning for generational transition, team succession, or strategic growth.

The Zelniker Dorfman Private Wealth partnership is the latest signal of significant breakaway momentum building at Steward Partners. Steward has attracted a growing roster of high-caliber wirehouse teams seeking the independence, ownership structure, and long-term infrastructure it uniquely offers. That momentum reflects both the strength of its platform and the continued industry-wide shift among top advisors away from traditional wirehouse constraints.

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 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 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors and 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams lists, underscoring the quality of client service delivered across the platform.

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. With its commitment to exceptional client service and forward-thinking partnerships, the firm was ranked as the #9 RIA in the country in Barron's Top 100 RIAs for the year 2025. Offering services such as comprehensive wealth planning, private banking, institutional consulting, and business solutions, the firm was responsible for over $52 billion in client assets as of April 2026.

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

About Baron's Top 100 RIAs
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.

About 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 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors
2026 – Source: Forbes.com - The 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: in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings, client impact, industry experience, client retention, review of best practices, credentials, compliance records and firm nominations, as well as quantitative factors including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion, as 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 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 6/30/2024 to 6/30/2025 and published by Forbes (April 7, 2026). For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com. 

About Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
2026 - Source: Forbes.com (award given 1/7/2026) - 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. Data for the award as of 3/31/2025.

Securities are offered through Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC ("SPIS"), registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC ("SPIA"), an SEC-registered investment adviser. SPIS, SPIA, and Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC are affiliates and collectively referred to as Steward Partners.

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SOURCE Steward Partners