Founders Michael and Kimberly Papedis bring decades of experience working with some of the largest and most successful RIAs nationwide. At Fusion Financial Partners, they lead a top-notch team with expertise in all aspects of RIAs, advisory and fintech—ensuring that breakaway advisors have the tools and support to succeed.
CEO & Co-Founder
Mike Papedis is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fusion Financial Partners, the nationally recognized consultancy that designs, builds, and accelerates RIAs. Since launching Fusion in 2017, Mike has helped breakaway advisors, family offices, broker-dealers, national enterprises, insurance organizations, and trust companies with a combined AUM of over $50 billion move to independence. With nearly three decades of leadership in the RIA industry, Mike has facilitated more than $300 billion in client assets transition firms, transform firm direction, or enter independence. His firm, Fusion, is widely known for its sophisticated “master builder” model—combining transition project management, growth strategy, recruiting, M&A/capital solutions, and fintech architecture into one seamless platform for elite advisors and firms.
Under Mike’s leadership, Fusion has built a reputation as the go-to strategic partner for breakaway teams, family offices, and established RIAs seeking transformational growth. Signature innovations include the Fusion Advisor Academy, a curriculum that educates advisors on independence, custodian/broker-dealer selection, financial projections, and technology design, and Fusion BlackOps, a confidential program that has guided over $40 billion in assets into independence. Fusion also played a pivotal role in building the Thrivent Advisor Network, which grew to $12 billion in AUM and was named Innovator of the Year by WealthManagement.com in 2022.
Beyond Fusion, Mike co-founded Wingman Strategic Partners, an insurance platform designed for RIAs to diversify revenue and expand enterprise value. He also co-founded FusionNetix, a cybersecurity and IT management firm for wealth managers, sold in 2022.
Mike’s career spans nearly three decades in wealth management. Prior to founding Fusion, he was Managing Director and Head of Business Development at HighTower Advisors, where he launched and led multiple new business lines, including RIA acquisitions, platform affiliation, and the W-2 partnership channel—overseeing over 70 acquisitions totaling $80 billion in AUM. Earlier, he held senior roles at Fidelity Clearing & Custody and TD Ameritrade Institutional, consistently ranking as a top performer in custody and recruiting for RIAs.
A frequent industry speaker and media contributor, Mike has appeared in publications such as Barron’s, WealthManagement.com, Citywire, InvestmentNews, and ThinkAdvisor, where he provides commentary on advisor independence, M&A, and the evolving RIA ecosystem.
Mike grew up in Des Moines and then Minneapolis. He earned his B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Iowa and relocated to Chicago. Today, he spends time between his Southern California and Southeast Florida home and is passionate about building businesses that redefine the future of wealth management.
President & Co-Founder
Kimberly Papedis is the President and Co-Founder of Fusion Financial Partners, the nationally recognized consultancy that designs and builds RIAs. Since joining Fusion in 2018, Kimberly worked to effectuate over $50 billion in AUM transition to independence. With more than two decades of leadership in the independent wealth management industry, Kimberly has helped hundreds of advisors, national platform firms, family offices insurance organizations, and broker-dealers with a combined AUM exceeding $300 billion in AUM, transition to independence, scale their businesses and build lasting enterprise value.
At Fusion, Kimberly leads corporate strategy and strategic partnerships. Her ability to translate complex business, recruiting, and platform decisions into clear, actionable pathways has made her one of the most trusted voices in advisor independence. She partners closely with elite advisory teams, breakaway wirehouse advisors, and enterprise firms to guide every aspect of their transformation – from financial analysis and deal construction to growth, culture, and leadership design. Kimberly also was Head of Business Development and Corporate Strategy, Executive in Residence, Thrivent Advisor Network, leading the development of a start-up national platform, business development team hires, organizational design, and pipeline development resulting in nearly 30 teams and AUM exceeding $12 billion within 24 months. During her post, Thrivent Advisor Network was nationally recognized and named Innovator of the Year by WealthManagement.com in 2022.
Before founding Fusion, Kimberly held senior executive roles at HighTower Advisors, where she rose to Head of National Business Development and Platform Strategy, helping build and scale the firm’s RIA platform through record-setting recruiting years and a private equity transaction with T.H. Lee Partners. Prior to HighTower, she served as Vice President at Raymond James Financial Services and later, led the Western Division for Branch Development and Recruiting for Wells Fargo Advisors (FiNet) .
Kimberly began her career as a financial advisor at AIG after earning her B.S. in Business with a minor in Economics from Colorado State University. In 2001, she obtained her Certified Financial Planner™ designation. She then launched her own firm in an IBD channel and subsequently sold her book. Her experience as advisor, business owner and executive gives her a rare 360° perspective—understanding not only the business mechanics but the personal motivations that drive advisors toward independence.
A frequent industry speaker and media contributor, Kimberly regularly appears as speaker and panelist at major industry conferences such as FutureProof, Advyzon, MarketCounsel Summit, and other impactful advisor gatherings.
Growing up in Chicago and Colorado, Kimberly is done with the snow and now spends time between homes in both San Diego and Fort Lauderdale.
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