Dave Wahlen

VP, Strategic Partnerships at Merit Financial Advisors

Speaker

As a Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Merit, David is responsible for finding potential new acquisition deals, building relationships with M&A consultants and investment bankers, and working with Merit’s Executive Leadership Team to smooth the onboarding process for joining firms. David’s deep industry knowledge and collaborative approach will be essential as the firm continues to grow. In his previous role as Director, Strategic Growth at CAPTRUST, David was heavily involved with advisor recruiting, partnering with industry bankers and consultants, and leading the sourcing and integration of over 50 acquired firms since 2018. Before that, David was a senior regional associate at Hatteras Funds responsible for business development and investor relations of alternative investment strategies. He has worked in the financial services industry since 2014. He is an active member in various industry study groups focused on next-generation leadership and M&A, and is frequently tapped to speak on M&A-related conference panels and podcasts. For the first ten years of his career, David worked at global sports and entertainment agencies Octagon and IMG Worldwide, focusing on corporate and athlete partnerships with international bluechip brands. David has double-majors in Finance and Sports Marketing from the John F. Welch School of Business at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, where he was a four-year varsity football player. When not at work, David enjoys running, golf, the occasional Seinfeld or Office re-run, and spending time with his two children, Pace and Mack, and his wife, Joanna. He is also an Eagle Scout.