Daytona Beach-based, female-led firm brings $180 million in client assets and specialized retirement expertise to Maridea’s growing national platform

Maridea Wealth Management (“Maridea”) today announced the acquisition of Ashford Investment Advisors, a Daytona Beach, Florida-based wealth management firm with approximately $180 million in assets under advisement and management. The transaction marks Maridea’s first practice in the state of Florida and continues the firm’s strategy of partnering with entrepreneurial advisors who share its commitment to client-first service and disciplined investment management. Republic Capital Group, an Investment Banking firm, served as exclusive advisor to Ashford Investment Advisors.

Ashford Investment Advisors is led by owner and lead advisor Kathleen Dulko, who purchased the firm from its founders — her parents, Mike and Sue Walsh — and has carried their legacy forward as her own. Under Kathleen’s leadership, Ashford has deepened the relationships and reputation her parents first built in the Daytona Beach community, growing into one of the area’s most trusted independent practices for traditional wealth management and retirement management services.

“Joining Maridea was the clearest path to giving our clients more — more depth, more capabilities, and more continuity for the years ahead,” said Kathleen Dulko, owner of Ashford Investment Advisors. “My parents built this firm on the principle that retirement planning has to be done with both rigor and humanity. Maridea understands both. Maridea’s deep in-house talent, entrepreneurial culture, and fast-paced environment fit my ambitions for this practice — to keep growing it and to bring meaningfully more capabilities to our clients in the years ahead.”

Ashford’s clients will continue to work with the same advisor team in the same Daytona Beach office and will gain access to Maridea’s proprietary tax services, expanded investment research capabilities, and broader planning infrastructure.

“Kathleen is exactly the kind of advisor and entrepreneur we want more of in this industry,” said Mier Wang, Founder and CEO of Maridea. “Maridea is going to keep partnering with high-quality independent practices, and that means being honest that our industry needs more women advisors, more women entrepreneurs, and more female-led firms. Kathleen has built something exceptional in Daytona Beach, and we’re proud to have her as our first advisor in Florida.”

About Maridea Wealth Management

Maridea Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment advisor providing integrated financial, investment, tax, and business-advisory services to individuals, families, and business owners nationwide. With eight offices and more than 50 professionals managing approximately $1 billion in assets, Maridea delivers a comprehensive wealth-management experience built around long-term relationships, thoughtful planning, and high-touch service.

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