Securities America Recruits All-Female Advisor Group with $446M in Client Assets
November 16 2017 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Financial Focus attracted by culture that supports independent
hybrid RIAs
Securities America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg
Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA),
announced today that Financial Focus has joined its independent
advisory and brokerage platform.
Carlsbad, California-based Financial Focus is an independent
hybrid registered investment adviser (RIA) firm with $446 million
in client advisory and brokerage assets and four advisors.
Financial Focus was founded by women advisors to support the
financial planning needs of women clients across all ages, with
more than 50 percent of the firm's business driven by fee-based
advisory services.
“We knew we wanted a partner that was friendly to independent
RIAs,” said Barbara Williams, co-founder of Financial Focus. “That
was an absolute. We wanted a firm that wasn't too large and had an
appreciation for the mission of supporting women clients across the
country. Securities America is known for its support of true
independence among advisors and respects our business model.”
Williams and Gloria Foote founded Financial Focus in 1984.
Although their firm works with businesses and couples, they quickly
established a focus on women clients. For seven years, the two
wrote a weekly Sunday column in the local paper on finance. For
more than 20 years, they taught a community college class on the
basics of financial planning for women. Many of their female
clients have come to them through life crisis events like divorce
or death and from family members and outside professionals.
For more about Securities America
“We wanted a partner who respects our culture,” Williams said.
“We fall in love with our clients. By nature, it’s who we are. We
go above and beyond ordinary advisor-client relationships. We’ve
led clients’ funerals and guided them into nursing homes. We have
so many third-generation clients.”
“At Securities America we empower our women advisors through
educational resources, conferences and networking events tailored
just for them,” said Janine Wertheim, senior vice president and
chief marketing officer for Securities America, and president of
Securities America Advisors. “We also have one of the highest
percentages of female licensed representatives in the country.
Financial Focus will find a strong, supportive community of women
advisors who really get what they do and why they do it.”
For more about Securities Women Advisors Connect
Three years ago, the Financial Focus partners decided to ensure
the firm’s future with a carefully thought out succession plan. “We
wanted a woman advisor, a smart go-getter,” Williams said. After a
careful survey of candidates, they brought on Kate Hewell.
“Kate is a perfect complement to us,” she said. “She added a
fresh perspective to the investment advisory side.”
Financial Focus designs individualized financial plans for
clients, for any stage of life, Williams said. “Our clients always
say to us, ‘You make things simple and so easy to understand.’ We
like to say we design for peace of mind.”
“Securities America has been helping independent RIAs like
Financial Focus thrive for more than 30 years,” said Gregg Johnson,
executive vice president of branch office development and
acquisitions. “We have the industry-leading resources and
supportive community they need to take care of their clients today
and into the future.”
About Securities AmericaSecurities America, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc.
(NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA), is one of the nation’s largest
independent advisory and brokerage firm with more than 2,200
independent advisors and nearly $72 billion in client assets.
Securities offered through Securities America, Inc., member
FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Financial Focus LLC.
Financial Focus LLC is a separate entity from Securities
America.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171116005027/en/
For Securities America:Haven Tower GroupJulius Buchanan /
Jessica Caris424-652-6520, ext. 114 or 104jbuchanan@haventower.com
or jcaris@haventower.comRelated Links:
https://www.securitiesamerica.com
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