Investment Professionals, Inc. Trust Services Offers Unique Appeal for Community Banks Core Strengths in Low-cost Investment Management, Financial Planning and Insurance Review

SAN ANTONIO, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- According to leading bank broker-dealer Investment Professionals, Inc. (IPI), community banks today have a unique opportunity to capitalize on changes in the financial services industry with enhanced service offerings and partnerships with industry leaders like IPI Trust Services. IPI Trust Services works with IPI's SB Value money management arm and Institutional Fixed Income desk to deploy a proven methodology for helping community institutions grow through its investment programs.

IPI has an 18-year record of commitment to community banks. According to President and Founder Scott Barnes, "IPI offers a truly unique value proposition for community financial institutions: low-cost investment management, an in-house fixed income trading platform for viewing the inventory of 300 dealers and over 20,000 fixed income securities, an unmatched open product platform and a solid 18-year compliance record. In addition, IPI is ranked No. 1 in Compliance Procedures by American Brokerage Consultants."

Catherine Trujillo, SB Value partner and Vice President in charge of IPI Trust Services, notes IPI Trust Services' additional strengths in customized financial planning and advanced insurance review combined with a focus on increasing the potential for trust deposit growth. She states, "Our business grew up building profitable investment programs for community banks – with IPI team members who also grew up in smaller community environments. This is how we've developed the insights, methods and relationships that have propelled IPI to a record of acclaim rivaling any bank broker-dealer in our industry."

Ms. Trujillo also notes IPI's record of delivering non-interest income for financial institution partners with assets in the range of $25 million to $500 million: the benchmark for collaborative programs for this group is 7% to 12%. At banks with $1+ billion in assets, IPI's non-interest income benchmark is over 2%.

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 American Brokerage Consultants' Studies of Bank Brokerage and Retail Investment Services over 12 years from 1997-2009, bank executives nationwide cast over 2,200 votes overwhelmingly in favor of IPI.(1) In 2008 IPI was voted the Most Highly Rated Bank Brokerage Firm in the country for an unprecedented fourth time. IPI is one of the fastest-growing companies in San Antonio(2) and has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for four years in a row.(3)

NO BANK GUARANTEE | NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE All Securities and Advisory Services offered through Investment Professionals, Inc. (IPI), a Registered Broker/Dealer & Registered Investment Advisor and member FINRA & SIPC. The investment services offered by IPI are in no way affiliated with or offered by the bank or credit union where IPI may maintain an office. IPI, or its affiliates, does not offer or provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your attorney and/or tax advisor for such services. The products offered by Investment Professionals, Inc. are not insured by the FDIC, the NCUA or any other agency of the government, are not deposits or other obligations for the bank or guaranteed by the bank and involve investment risks, including possible loss of principal amount invested. Source 1: 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, New York, NY. In the most recent 2008 study, a total of 2,024 banks offering retail investment programs were surveyed and 14.6% responded. ABC asked banks to rank their individual investment programs; responses were aggregated and compared against the results of all broker-dealers in the survey. Past ABC rankings may not be indicative of future rankings. Source 2: San Antonio Business Journal. Rankings based on three-year annual revenue growth rates of companies headquartered in greater San Antonio. Data analysis by an independent auditing firm. Source 3: 2009 study sponsored by the Texas Association of Business, TSCSHRM and Best Companies Group. Confidential survey and data analysis conducted by an independent research firm. © 2010 Investment Professionals, Inc.

SOURCE Investment Professionals, Inc.