Partnership brings together two organizations committed to independence, innovation, and advisor-first service
FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Nov. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC, a respected independent financial services firm known for its strong advisor community and commitment to supporting financial professionals in serving the financial planning needs of clients, today announced a major strategic step by joining Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. (“Cambridge”) as a fully owned enterprise.
For decades, Dempsey Lord Smith has focused on helping financial professionals grow their businesses with independence, integrity, and personalized support. As the next chapter took shape, the firm’s leadership team came to a conclusion shared by many successful organizations in today’s financial services landscape: running a broker-dealer is no longer required to deliver exceptional advisor growth — or to sustain it at scale.
“Our mission has always been centered on helping advisors grow, and we realized we didn’t need to be a broker-dealer to keep doing that at a high level,” said Jerry Dempsey, Founder and CEO of Dempsey Lord Smith. “This partnership allows us to build on the strong community we’ve created while giving our advisors access to a deeper set of tools, technology, and services. Together with Cambridge, we can accelerate their growth far faster than if we continued building it alone.”
Approximately 75 financial professionals from Dempsey Lord Smith will join Cambridge through this partnership. Its leadership team will remain fully engaged and focused on advisor development — continuing the culture and values that have defined the firm from its founding.
“We’re honored to welcome Dempsey Lord Smith to Cambridge Nation,” said Jeff Vivacqua, President, Growth and Development at Cambridge. “They have built an exceptional advisor community and a legacy of growth that aligns perfectly with our values. Their decision to shift away from operating a broker-dealer allows them to put 100 percent of their effort into what matters most: advisor success. With access to Cambridge’s scale, resources, and technology, they are positioned for their strongest growth curve yet.”
The partnership brings together two organizations committed to independence, innovation, and advisor-first service. By blending Dempsey Lord Smith’s strong, relationship-driven culture with Cambridge’s extensive operational, technology, and service infrastructure, advisors will gain a robust platform to support the next stage of their business evolution.
About Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC
Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC is a wealth management and retirement planning firm focused on helping independent financial advisors provide excellent service to their clients. Founded in 2007, the firm offers objective financial advice, access to a wide array of investment products, and the highest levels of personal service. With more than 100 years of combined experience in financial planning, the firm’s management team uses sophisticated portfolio modeling technologies to support advisors and help clients reach their financial goals. Republic Capital Group and Williams Private Wealth Advisory & Consulting served as exclusive financial advisors to DLS. Learn more at DempseyLordSmith.com.
About Cambridge
Cambridge is a financial solutions firm focused on serving independent financial professionals and their clients while preserving its internal control. Cambridge offers a broad range of choices for independent financial professionals regarding solutions for advice, growth, technology, and independence. Cambridge’s national reach includes: Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. – a large corporate RIA; and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. – an independent broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, that is among the largest internally controlled independent broker-dealers in the country. Learn more at JoinCambridge.com.
Contact: Jeff Wulf, Senior Vice President, Cambridge: [email protected] or 800-777-6080
Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research., Inc., and Dempsey Lord Smith, both Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services through Dempsey Lord Smith and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., both Registered Investment Advisors. Cambridge markets securities and advisory services through Dempsey. Dempsey is owned and operated by Cambridge and its affiliates.
Republic Capital Group and Williams Private Wealth Advisory & Consulting are not associated with Cambridge.
SOURCE Cambridge
