Cetera Financial Group Launches Consolidated Educational Platform with Kick-Off of Inaugural Network-Wide Wealth Management University Event

LOS ANGELES, April 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group (Cetera), a leading network of independent broker-dealer firms, today announced the rollout of its centralized, network-wide wealth management educational platform with its inaugural Wealth Management University signature event to participants across all 11 broker-dealer firms within Cetera. The event, attended by over 200 top producing advisors from across the Cetera network and representing $10 billion in client assets, kicked off on Sunday, April 19^th at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, GA, and will run through Wednesday, April 22^nd.

Cetera Financial Group has made the new Wealth Management University, which encompasses a broad spectrum of learning events, programs, tools and resources, a centerpiece of its consolidated advisor-training educational platform. Created in collaboration with Cannon Financial Institute, one of the leading professional development firms serving the financial services industry, Wealth Management University's intensive curriculum is designed to help advisors develop their wealth management skills, strengthen engagement with clients and grow their businesses.

Adam Antoniades, President, Cetera Financial Group, commented, "The rollout of Cetera Financial Group's educational platform through the first-ever network-wide Wealth Management University event represents our latest innovative approach in bringing the best resources from across the Cetera network to all of our member firms. The Wealth Management University event demonstrates our commitment to enhancing advisor skills, and highlights the numerious programs and tools we offer to all our advisors who aspire to the highest levels of professional achievement and success."

Brett Harrison, Executive Vice President of Advisor Growth at Cetera Financial Group and Chief Executive Officer of Cetera Advisors LLC, said, "We are pleased with the positive response that our Wealth Management University event has received from our advisors thus far. In particular, advisors have expressed their enthusiasm for the continued education focus of this sold-out event that also includes a special educational bonus grant to attendees. These educational bonus grants substantially reduce the costs of obtaining top industry credentials for advisors, while at the same time demonstrating Cetera's support of our advisors' ongoing professional development and business growth."

Under the theme "Growth in Action," the curriculum's core elements focus on wealth management, business planning, differentiation and marketing.  The keynote address was delivered by Michael Kitces, Partner of Pinnacle Advisory Group, who spoke on "The Future of Financial Planning in the Digital Age," exploring some of the radical changes that financial planning will undergo in the coming decade. Breakout and classroom sessions are being led by some of the financial industry's most knowledgeable experts in their fields.

In addition to providing more than 200 of Cetera's top producing advisors an opportunity to learn, network and share best practices, Wealth Management University features three distinct instructional tracks that are designed to enable advisors to attain specialized professional certifications, as well as to deliver additional training for those who have advanced beyond these certification levels. The three curriculum tracks include:

• Certified Wealth Strategist®. The Certified Wealth Strategist (or CWS®) curriculum is focused on helping advisors create and grow practices that attract and retain high-net-worth clients and on enabling advisors to competently and confidently serve the needs of this specific clientele. 
• Certified Retirement Counselor®. The Certified Retirement Counselor (or CRC®) curriculum is designed to teach advisors to address the challenges facing today's retirees. Focused on a middle-market clientele, the CRC program helps advisors assist clients with retirement planning and income management issues, in both private and government retirement plans.
• Masters Curriculum. For advisors who have completed CWS or CRC training or attained a similar level of achievement, the Masters Curriculum will feature two separate programs:  The first, Financial Planning, will present a step-by-step focus on creating and delivering the financial planning experience in a way that allows for scale and efficiency. The second track, "Passion Prospecting," presents a modern pathway for creating client relationships and growing a business using techniques that are professional, effective and highly enjoyable.

Wealth Management University will again convene from August 31 to September 1, 2015 and from October 19 to 22, 2015 at the University of Texas in Austin, TX.  In addition, Cetera Financial Group's Wealth Management Summit will meet in Chicago between June 11 to 13, 2015. In addition, four Wealth Management Workshops, each convening over a day and a half, will meet during the fall in various locations across the United States.

About Cetera Financial Group
Cetera Financial Group is the retail investment advice platform of RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP). It is comprised of eleven firms – four legacy Cetera-branded firms (Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Investment Services, marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions, and Cetera Financial Specialists) along with First Allied Securities, Investors Capital, J.P. Turner and Company, The Legend Group, Summit Brokerage and recently acquired VSR Financial Services and Girard Securities. The platform is the second largest independent financial advisor network in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions. Cetera Financial Group delivers award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, and innovative technology to over 9,500 independent financial professionals and over 600 financial institutions nationwide. Through its distinct firms, Cetera Financial Group offers the benefits of a large, established and well-capitalized broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving independent and institutions-based financial advisors in a way that is customized to their unique needs and aspirations. Cetera Financial Group is committed to helping advisors grow their businesses and strengthen their relationships with clients. For more information, visit www.ceterafinancialgroup.com.  

About RCS Capital
RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP) is a full-service investment firm expressly focused on the individual retail investor. With operating subsidiaries including retail advice services, wholesale distribution, investment banking, capital markets, investment research, investment management and crowdfunding, RCS Capital's business is designed to capitalize, support, grow and maximize value for the investment programs it distributes and the independent advisors and clients it serves. Additional information about RCS Capital can be found on its website at www.rcscapital.com. RCS Capital may disseminate information about itself, including the results of its operations and financial information, via social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Important Notice
The statements in this press release include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Cetera Financial Group and members of its management team, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based, and generally are identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "seeks," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "should," "look forward" or similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements due to certain factors. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in RCS Capital's filings with the SEC, which are available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and none of Cetera Financial Group nor RCS Capital undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.

Media Contacts:

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Haven Tower Group
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Matthew Griffes
Haven Tower Group
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SOURCE Cetera Financial Group