AlphaCore Wealth Advisory Appoints Craig Cardwell as Chief Financial Officer

Former Corient Private Wealth CFO joins AlphaCore to support its strategic initiatives and position the firm for continued expansion and long-term scalability

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AlphaCore Wealth Advisory (AlphaCore), a leading independent wealth advisory firm, is expanding its executive leadership team with the appointment of Craig Cardwell as Chief Financial Officer.

Cardwell brings deep expertise in the financial infrastructure required to scale a wealth management firm and will ensure AlphaCore is well positioned for its next phase of growth. Joining AlphaCore from Corient Private Wealth, Cardwell served as Regional CFO and Partner, overseeing financial operations and CFO services for 36 partner firms. He played a key role in integrating independent advisory firms into the broader platform, while leading due diligence and integration planning for regional acquisitions. Prior to Corient, Cardwell held leadership roles at RGT Wealth Advisors, where he led strategic transactions and financial initiatives related to the firm’s expansion, partner succession planning, and ownership transition.

In his new role, Cardwell will work alongside the leadership team to ensure AlphaCore is positioned to execute on its acquisition program, strengthen its capital structure, and build the financial reporting infrastructure that will serve the firm at significantly greater scale. Cardwell will work closely with AlphaCore’s credit and equity partners and will establish the finance function as a strategic resource across the business, with a focus on building ahead of the firm’s growth rather than in response to it.

“AlphaCore is at an exciting period in its evolution,” said Cardwell. “The decisions we make today lay the groundwork for the firm’s future, shaping how we scale, strengthen our capabilities, and continue to deliver a premium client experience. I look forward to working alongside the talented team across AlphaCore as we continue to build on this momentum.”

Cardwell’s appointment comes amid a period of strategic expansion for AlphaCore, marked by the 2026 acquisitions of Elk River Wealth Management, Brave Family Advisors, Streamline Family Office, and Blue Rock Financial Group. These additions have expanded the firm’s national footprint and service offerings.

“As we have grown both organically and inorganically in recent years, we recognized the need for dedicated financial leadership to support us in accomplishing our goal to become a premier next-gen wealth management platform,” said Dick Pfister, founder and CEO of AlphaCore. “Our growth only matters if it makes us better for our clients, and with Craig’s financial acumen, AlphaCore’s strong leadership, and advisors focused on each client’s unique needs, we can ensure our growth translates into a more comprehensive and personalized client experience.”

Cardwell holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business and a bachelor's degree in finance from Baylor University. He also completed the “Succeeding as a Strategic CFO” program at Harvard Business School.

About AlphaCore Wealth Advisory
AlphaCore Wealth Advisory is an independent wealth advisory firm dedicated to helping clients build, preserve, and protect their wealth. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, with offices nationwide, AlphaCore takes a comprehensive approach to wealth planning and strives to deliver sophisticated investment management services by providing access to both traditional and alternative investments. Supported by in-house research, operational resources, and modern technology, AlphaCore advisors place clients’ goals at the center of every financial plan.

Learn more at www.alphacore.com