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John Wilder Spears

GRADIENT SECURITIES
Grand Rapids, MI
·CRD# 7919526·2 years experience

Professional Summary

John Wilder Spears, who also goes by John Spears, is a registered financial advisor currently at GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. John is registered as an IAR (Investment Advisor Representative) and RR (Registered Representative) and started their career in finance in 2024. John has worked at 3 firms and has passed the Series 66, Series 7TO and SIE exams.

At a Glance

Advisory Accounts Only

Fiduciary Standard

Fee Structure

Account Minimum

Active Clients

Fiduciary Standard

Fee Structure

Account Minimum

Active Clients

Other Aliases

John Spears

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Videos & Posts

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Contact Information

This advisor has not claimed their profile yet, so there is no contact information to display at this time.

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Disclosures are events reported to regulators, such as customer disputes, regulatory actions, employment separations, or financial events. Some are resolved, denied, or contested — a disclosure is not a verdict. We recommend asking an advisor directly about any disclosure on their record.

Disclosures on record.

Disclosures can be potential red flags, including customer disputes, regulatory fines, employer terminations, bankruptcies, judgments, liens, or certain criminal activities. Check for any disclosures as part of your thorough research when choosing an advisor.

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Years of Experience

2 years in the financial services industry

Current & Past Employments

GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC·CRD# 127701
RIA
BD
346 Wealthy St Se, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
May 21, 2025 - Present
GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC·CRD# 127701
RIA
BD
346 Wealthy St Se, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
May 21, 2025 - Present
LPL ENTERPRISE, LLC·CRD# 8733
RIA
Troy, MI
November 26, 2024 - May 14, 2025
LPL ENTERPRISE, LLC·CRD# 8733
BD
Troy, MI
November 14, 2024 - May 14, 2025
PRUCO SECURITIES, LLC.·CRD# 5685
BD
Troy, MI
July 12, 2024 - November 14, 2024

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Current Firm

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GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC

GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC | SYM CAPITAL SECURITIES, LLC | GRADIENT WEALTH MANAGEMENT

CRD#: 127701 / SEC#: 801-80807, 8-66032
RIA
Registered Investment Advisory firm - SEC (1/8/2015 Approved)
BD
Broker-Dealer Firm Regulated by FINRA (Kansas City district office)

Contact Information

Main Address

4105 Lexington Avenue Suite 380, Arden Hills, MN 55126

Mailing Address

4105 Lexington Avenue Suite 380, Arden Hills, MN 55126

Phone Number

(866) 991-1539

Established

Delaware since 04/09/2003

Firm Type

Limited Liability Company

Fiscal Year End

December

Firm Size

Small

# of Employees

67

SEC notice filing (51 States and Territories)

Registered to provide investment advisory services in 51 US states and territories.

FINRA licenses (51 States and Territories)

Registered to provide investment advisory services in 51 US states and territories.

Documents

Customer Relationship Summary (CRS / SEC)Customer Relationship Summary (CRS / FINRA)Latest Form ADV

Part 2 Brochures

GWM ADV PART 2A & 2B (4/13/2026)

Direct owners and executive officers

NamePositionCRD#
MERAKI PRIVATE EQUITY, LLCOWNER—
JOCHUM, JAMIE LEEFINOP4459768
NELSON, ROBERT SCOTTPRESIDENT & ELECTED MANAGER4237080
REMME, BRIAN ANDREWCHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER3103459

Regulatory Assets Under Management

Total Number of Accounts

5,848

AUM (Assets Under Management)

$607,877,168

Disclosures

Regulatory Event

1

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Other business activities

Outside business activity is any business or activity undertaken by an advisor that is outside the scope of their relationship with their firm (e.g., consulting services, real estate, freelance work, teaching, etc.). Investors should stay informed about these activities to ensure no conflicts of interest.

Beach Boys, LLC is the name of the business. It is NOT investment-related. The address for the business is 800 Broadway Ave NW, Grand Rapids MI 49504. It is a lakeside construction business focused on building steps for properties that need beach access. I am the Client Relationship Manager, I began talks to informally start the business in 2020 and started it formally in August 2022. At this point in time I devote around 2 hours a month to this business, with no hours conducted during securities trading hours. My duties include responding to emails regarding client questions.

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Primary Firm SEC Registration

This SEC-registered firm can serve clients nationwide. Some states may require the firm to submit a notice filing if the firm has more than 5 clients or a physical office there. You can view these state-level filings under the section titled "State Registrations and Notice Filings".
GS
GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC

GRADIENT SECURITIES, LLC | SYM CAPITAL SECURITIES, LLC | GRADIENT WEALTH MANAGEMENT

CRD#: 127701 / SEC#: 801-80807, 8-66032
RIA
Registered Investment Advisory firm - SEC (1/8/2015 Approved)
BD
Broker-Dealer Firm Regulated by FINRA (Kansas City district office)

State Registrations and Notice Filings

Listed states reflect where the advisor is authorized to serve clients under state regulations.
IAR
means the advisor is registered as an Investment Advisor Representative in this state and is authorized to provide investment advice to clients there.
RR
indicates the advisor is registered as a Registered Representative in this state, allowing securities offerings such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds through a broker-dealer.
RR
Michigan
(5/21/2025)
IAR
Michigan
(5/21/2025)

Don't see your state listed? The advisor may still be able to work with you under the federal De Minimis Rule, which allows up to five investment advisory clients in a state without registration. Some states, like TX, LA, NE, and NH, may still require registration or notice filing. Contact the advisor or their firm to confirm their investment advisory availability in your state.Note:This rule does not apply to broker-dealer activity.

Exams

Financial professionals may take different exams throughout their careers based on the types of services they provide and roles they perform.

Series 66 — Uniform Combined State Law Examination

Passed Oct 2024About the Series 66 exam

Series 7TO — General Securities Representative Examination

Passed Jul 2024About the Series 7TO exam

SIE — Securities Industry Essentials Examination

Passed May 2024About the SIE exam
FINRA
SRO Registrations

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CRS (Client Relationship Summary) - RIA

Click below to view John Wilder Spears's CRS (Customer Relationship Summary).

CRS (Customer Relationship Summary)

CRS (Client Relationship Summary) - BD

Click below to view John Wilder Spears's CRS (Customer Relationship Summary).

CRS (Customer Relationship Summary)

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