Advisor Group Advances Growth Strategy With Appointment Of Kristen Kimmell As Executive Vice President, Business Development

PHOENIX, July 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, today announced the significant advancement of its growth strategy with the appointment of Kristen Kimmell as the company's new Executive Vice President, Business Development. In this role, Ms. Kimmell will integrate and lead recruiting, transitions and onboarding for Advisor Group's network of firms, encompassing FSC Securities, Royal Alliance Associates, SagePoint Financial, Securities America, Triad Advisors and Woodbury Financial Services. 

Ms. Kimmell will report directly to Greg Cornick, President, Advice & Wealth Management, and partner closely with Erinn Ford, Executive Vice President, Advisor Engagement; Susan Theder, Chief Marketing Officer; as well as the presidents of the firms that make up the Advisor Group network.

Mr. Cornick said, "We are thrilled to welcome a senior industry leader of Kristen's caliber to Advisor Group. Kristen's expertise and passion for a digitally enabled approach to organic growth will enable Advisor Group to deliver the best possible transition experience to financial advisors, clients and their teams, while significantly reducing the time spent on the process. She is driven by a sincere desire to help financial advisors achieve their maximum potential and brings empathy and a personalized level of attention to every stage of the recruiting lifecycle."

"The wealth management industry is continually changing and growing, with business models evolving and creating opportunities for firms to adapt and broaden the segments they serve," continued Mr. Cornick. "As we move forward as an enterprise, Kristen's experience working with financial advisors across the affiliation spectrum will accelerate the expansion of our traditional business development approaches to attract and serve financial advisors coming from both within and outside of the independent channel."

A seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience, Ms. Kimmell comes to Advisor Group from RBC Wealth Management, where she served in multiple senior leadership roles, most recently as Head of Advisor Recruiting and Field Marketing for the company's U.S. operations. Additionally, under her leadership as the co-executive sponsor of RBC Wealth Management's Women's Association of Financial Advisors, the organization doubled the number of women in field leadership roles.

Expansion and Transformation of Recruiting

Ms. Kimmell's appointment is part of Advisor Group's broader strategy for expanding its reach to attract a wider cross-section of the financial advisor community, including sophisticated ensemble and enterprise firms, bank advisors, wirehouse breakaways and hybrid professionals. 

In addition to overseeing Advisor Group's business development, transitions and onboarding functions, Ms. Kimmell will also manage the company's third-party recruiters, with the goal of deepening engagement with existing recruiters and forming new relationships.

Ms. Kimmell said, "I'm excited to join Advisor Group, one of the largest, fastest-growing independent wealth management firms in the industry. From the outset of my discussions, I was impressed with the leadership team and their focus on putting the voice of the client first and ensuring the needs of financial advisors drive the investments and areas of focus for the company."

"When you couple Advisor Group's commitment to delivering an exceptional advisor experience with its extensive investments in technology, talent and advisor growth resources, it's clear that the company has an incredibly powerful platform, and I'm excited to tell that story more broadly to the financial advisor community."

An End-to-End Exceptional Experience

Central to Ms. Kimmell's efforts will be the creation of an end-to-end service experience that is designed to deliver on the following:

• Closely aligning the recruiting, transitions and onboarding process for financial advisors, their staff and their clients to deliver an enhanced, frictionless experience
• Digitizing the recruiting process by integrating the company's eQuipt digital account opening and client management platform with a newly launched technology initiative that will significantly streamline and shorten the end-to-end experience, starting from a recruit's first introduction and continuing through their ongoing operations on the platform
• Developing a highly repeatable, consistent approach to business development efforts across the Advisor Group network, while infusing a high degree of emotional intelligence and the need for personalization and customization

Mr. Cornick concluded, "The decision to move to a new firm typically evokes feelings of uncertainty and stress for most financial advisors. With the addition of Kristen to our leadership team, we have an opportunity to change the paradigm and make transitioning to Advisor Group part of a positive and efficient experience that is the starting point of a personally and professionally fulfilling journey."

About Advisor Group

Advisor Group, Inc. is the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, serving approximately 10,100 financial professionals and overseeing over $475 billion in client assets. The firm is mission-driven to support the strategic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial professionals and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through the firms: FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Triad Advisors, LLC, and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and members of FINRA and SIPC. Securities are offered through Securities America, Inc., a broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Arbor Point Advisors, LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., and Triad Hybrid Solutions, LLC, registered investment advisers. Advisory programs offered by FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., are sponsored by VISION2020 Wealth Management Corp., an affiliated registered investment adviser. Advisor Group, Inc. is an affiliate of these firms. 20 E. Thomas Rd., Ste. 2000, Phoenix, AZ, 85012. 866.481.0379.

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SOURCE Advisor Group