Investment Professionals, Inc. 2010 National Sales Conference Highlights Firm's Strengths in Training, Marketing and Technology

SAN ANTONIO, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- At its 2010 National Sales Conference held in early February, leading bank broker-dealer Investment Professionals, Inc. (IPI) displayed its strengths in training and marketing and technology support that have kept the firm at the forefront of its industry.  At the conference, financial consultants attended sessions hosted by experts in retirement, financial and estate planning, private asset management, real estate, fixed income, midcap stocks and other topics relevant to helping consultants help clients make better financial decisions.

IPI's mission is to boost the bottom lines of financial institutions by helping their customers prepare for a more secure financial future. IPI generates revenue from start-up and replacement investment programs – and helps institutions capture their share of the significant wealth transfer to baby boomer heirs for the next 20 years.

IPI has been ranked No. 1 in Quality of Training by American Brokerage Consultants (ABC) for three years in a row. The consistently high marks IPI earns for bank investment program training is linked to the substantial resources the firm allocates to this key function: In year one IPI spends as much as $32,000 on average on start-up, training and development of new financial consultants in the firm's proven approach to helping clients and growing production.(1)

IPI financial consultants and sales managers are supported by quality ongoing training and professional development resources in a range of formats. The bank broker-dealer publishes an annual calendar and supplements it in response to market events such as the turmoil in late 2008 and 2009. During this period, IPI enhanced its efforts to support stakeholders in stark contrast to many competitor bank broker-dealers. IPI principals and senior executives traveled to almost all of IPI's bank investment program sites and met with bank executives, boards of directors, financial consultants and bank customers to personally provide investment advice.  

According to Jay McAnelly, IPI Executive Vice President and National Sales Manager, "Unlike many bank broker-dealers, in tough times our principals and financial consultants redouble our efforts to communicate with clients and partners. We are always available by telephone, email and in person to address the hard questions others may try to avoid."

Early in 2009, IPI also conducted multiple advanced trainings around the country on fixed income, insurance and financial planning – areas that have become of particular interest to clients and prospects. And in May and June of 2009 the bank broker-dealer conducted three special eight-week-long Spring Trainings via conference and WebEx. Participating financial consultants were grouped based on skill set, experience, production level and tenure in their financial institutions. The quality and timeliness of the content deployed in this series resulted in a production increase of over 263% for key groups.

According to IPI Director of Marketing John Evans, "Our marketing initiatives are tested and refined to a science, which often produces results far above the industry average. If a tactic we're testing does not drive at least 400% ROI within three months, we go back to the drawing board. Our approach is about building turnkey marketing programs, testing them and coaching financial consultants for maximum effectiveness in increasing referrals, closing new clients and maintaining relationships."

IPI continues to surpass its bank broker-dealer competitors in Marketing Effectiveness, Marketing Expertise, Marketing Materials and Marketing Scope. IPI was ranked No. 1 in all four marketing categories in ABC's 2008 survey (published 2009) of 261 bankers nationwide.  

Jay McAnelly also cites IPI's unparalleled financial consultant training, support from IPI subject matter and practice management experts and 360 degree dedicated operations support as factors that enable IPI consultants to provide the type of service and solutions demanded by higher-net-worth individuals and business clients.  

About Investment Professionals, Inc.

Founded in 1992, IPI is a private, Texas-based investment and insurance brokerage and asset management firm with $4.2 billion under management and 45,000 clients nationwide. IPI is a leading provider of on-site bank investment programs and currently partners with more than 125 financial institutions with assets in the range of $35 million to over $7 billion. The firm's retail branches are in San Antonio and Houston, Texas, in The Woodlands and Clear Lake.

In seven ABC Studies of Bank Brokerage and Retail Investment Services over 13 years from 1997-2009, bank executives nationwide cast over 2,200 votes overwhelmingly in favor of IPI. In the ABC study published in 2009 IPI was voted the Most Highly Rated Bank Brokerage Firm in the country for an unprecedented fourth time.(2) IPI is one of the fastest-growing companies in San Antonio and has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for three years in a row.(3)

(1)Source:  IPI analysis of 2004 IPI financial consultant hires comparing change in production through 2007.

(2)Source:  1997 through 2008 national “Studies of Bank Brokerage and Retail Investment Services” conducted by American Brokerage Consultants (ABC), St. Petersburg, FL., and Bank Investment Consultant Magazine (BIC), New York, NY. In the most recent 2008 national study, a total of 2,024 banks offering retail investment programs were surveyed. A total of 14.6% of the banks who were surveyed responded to the 2008 survey. Individual banks were asked to rank their specific investment program in the ABC survey; responder results were aggregated and compared against the results of all brokers dealers in the survey. Past ranking performance may not be indicative of future ranking performance. IPI has been honored with the #1 ranking in three out of the most recent four surveys conducted by ABC. NO BANK GUARANTEE | NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE

(3)Texas Monthly Magazine, 2009, 2008, 2007

Press Contact: John Evans, +1-210-582-2799, [email protected]

SOURCE Investment Professionals, Inc.