Morgan Stanley has recruited five new advisors from Wachovia Securities, just weeks before the division is scheduled to officially become “Wells Fargo Advisors.”

Jeffrey Ockwood joined Morgan Stanley’s office in North Dallas, Texas on Thursday April 16. In the past 12 months at Wachovia he generated $1.2 million on client assets of $91 million. Ockwood started with Prudential Securities nine years ago, according to FINRA filings. Prudential entered into a joint venture with Wachovia in 2003.

The following day, April 17, James Routhier left Wachovia to join Morgan’s branch in Morristown, N.J. He previously generated over $1 million on client assets of $71 million. Routhier joined First Union Capital Markets Corp. in 1995. First Union subsequently merged with Wachovia in 2001.

Meanwhile, Gary Perl, Bill Shell and Sandra Duggan left Wachovia to join Morgan Stanley in Northern Colorado. The team previously oversaw $190 million in client assets and generated $1.6 million in fees and commissions. The team members were all AG Edwards brokers prior to its takeover by Wachovia in 2007. Perl spent nine years at AG Edwards/Wachovia, according to FINRA filings. Shell was there 14 years and Duggan, 16 years.

Toby Richey, a Texas-based recruiter, says that a number of Wachovia advisors are tired of going through mergers and are seeking a more stable environment. “These (the Perl team) were AG Edwards guys. That very down-home regional firm was swallowed by a bank and is now being swallowed by another bank,” he says.

The same week, Wells Fargo also lost a big producing team to Morgan Stanley. Chris Corona, Scott Holmes and Jeff Oetman joined Morgan’s San Luis Obispo, Calif., office on April 13. The team previously oversaw $188 million in client assets and generated over $2 million in fees and commissions. Corona spent nearly 15 years and Oetman spent 11 years at Wells Fargo.