Morgan Stanley Vet Joins Hilliard Lyons

Hilliard Lyons has brought on Robert G. Bernardin, a 30-year industry veteran from Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, as a senior vice president in their Evansville, Indiana, office.

Alan Newman, senior vice president and regional manager for the Hilliard Lyon’s three Midwest offices said that he has known Bernardin for several years and felt he would be a good fit for the firm.

“Our community is a great community but not overly large and so you bump into people and rob and I have been acquaintances for a good number of years,” he said. “I know his family and I know his personality and stature in the community and I’ve always held him in high esteem.”

Bernardin began his career at Citigroup in 1982 before merging into Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in 2009, according to public records filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

The team in Evansville has been in the process of transferring over the $300 million that Bernardin managed.

“We put in a lot of hours this weekend and I think we’re making great progress,” Newman said. “It takes time.”

Newman says that the Louisville, Ky.-based firm has hired three associate-level professionals so far in 2012 in the Midwest but is not looking to meet any specific recruitment goals.

In September, the firm recruited another former wirehouse advisor, Drew Becker, from Merrill Lynch.