Self-Directed IRA and Business Financing Leader, Guidant Financial, Appoints Heidi Keele to Drive Marketing Strategy

BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Guidant Financial today announced the addition of Heidi Keele as VP of Marketing. Keele's appointment coincides with the company's 10^th year in business and its renewed commitment to empowering America's investors and entrepreneurs.  Guidant's core business helps individuals purchase alternative investments – such as real estate, franchises and small businesses – inside their retirement plan, without taking a taxable distribution. Guidant also provides SBA loans and unsecured financing services. Keele will help Guidant accelerate the tremendous growth enjoyed over the past 10 years by expanding awareness of its core business while developing adjacent and transformational opportunities. 

Keele, a seasoned marketing veteran who most recently ran Peridime, a Seattle-based marketing consultancy, was brought on to more broadly market what's largely considered an unknown option. Her charge at Guidant will be to better educate consumers of the opportunity self-directed IRAs, rollovers for business start-ups (ROBS) and traditional financing options present to investors and entrepreneurs.

Prior to Peridime, Keele was VP of Marketing and Entertainment Media Services at PlayNetwork, Inc., overseeing brand strategy, marketing and public relations.  Earlier, Keele drove mobile marketing programs for InfoSpace, Inc., and spent several years creating and driving programs for the developer marketing segment at Microsoft Corporation.

According to David Nilssen, CEO of Guidant Financial, "For a decade, Guidant has helped thousands of investors, new business and franchise owners obtain funding so they can create the life they want. As we embark on our 10^th year in business, we not only want to educate even more individuals about these options, especially in light of the economic downturn, but look to expand our portfolio of services to support our customers." Nilssen continued, "Heidi is a brilliant marketing strategist who will take our company much further, faster, and thus accelerate our impact."

Guidant Financial clients have invested nearly $3 billion into investments that have directly created over 7,000 businesses and 50,000 American jobs – and indirectly, tens of thousands more. In 2012, Inc. Magazine recognized Guidant Financial as the seventh greatest job creator in the revenue category in the Hire Power awards. In 2007, the company was ranked the sixth fastest-growing privately owned small business in Washington state, holding more top honors than any other industry provider, including national excellence awards from the Inc500, Small Business Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

About Guidant Financial
Guidant Financial helps people create the life they want through small business ownership. They are the premier provider of rollovers for business start-ups (ROBS). Guidant's services allow aspiring entrepreneurs the freedom to invest their existing IRA or 401(k) funds into a small business or franchise without taking a taxable distribution or getting a loan, in addition to offering traditional funding options such as SBA loans and unsecured credit. For more information on Small Business Financing, visit Guidant online at http://www.guidantfinancial.com, https://twitter.com/Guidant or http://www.facebook.com/guidantfinancial.

SOURCE Guidant Financial