Tim Swartley of FIFS Capital Advisor Group recently attended Connect 2017 hosted by Cetera® Advisor Networks, aimed at bringing together advisors from across the country aspiring to work on their personal and professional development, network and, most importantly, expand their skill set to best serve the needs of their clients. This event, held at the beautiful Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland between July 13 and July 16, featured presentations from the Cetera executive team and some of the industry’s preeminent thought leaders.
“This conference is a fantastic opportunity to connect with my peers from around the country,” said Tim. “We heard some great presentations from Cetera Advisor Networks’ executive team, as well as other keynote speakers. I enjoy that each session is tailored to my learning objectives and level of knowledge in different areas of financial services, all of which inspire me to continue providing great service for my clients. One of the many highlights was an opportunity to demo Decipher, Cetera’s facial recognition software. It’s built to aid in the financial discovery process and helps uncover clients’ priorities. In the future, this technology will be available to my clients. I am thankful to be part of a firm that is investing in technology.”
Breakout sessions featured a line-up of knowledgeable and inspirational speakers that included:
- Salim Ismail, best-selling author of ‘Exponential Organizations’ and Founder and Chair of ExO Works presented
- A DOL Fiduciary Rule panel featuring: Dale Brown, CEO Financial Services Institute and executives from Cetera Financial Group
- An economic all-star panel featuring: Dr. David Kelly, Chief Global Strategist of J.P. Morgan Asset Management; Dr. Quincy Krosby, Chief Market Strategist, Prudential Annuities, and Craig Columbus, CEO, Columbus Macro
- Phil Buchanan, Chairman of the Board for Cannon Financial Institute
- Doris Kearns Goodwin, Presidential Historian and Pulitzer Prize Winning author
Tom Taylor, President of Cetera Advisor Networks, reflected on the conference by stating, “As we enter this post-DOL regulatory era, it is increasingly important to keep advisors and their clients engaged in the changing landscape, as well as providing them with the best opportunities to thrive in the modern financial world. Events like this help us create total alignment between the interests of advisors and their clients.”
Craig Markham, Cetera Advisor Network’s Senior Vice President of Advisor Experience, commented, “With all of the changes facing our industry, our Connect conference serves as the one source where our advisors can not only educate themselves to the impending changes, but also network with others to discover best practices.”
About Cetera® Advisor Networks
Cetera Advisor Networks LLC is an independent broker-dealer and registered investment adviser firm that utilizes a unique regional director model to support financial advisors through the entire life cycle of their business. As part of Cetera Financial Group, a leading network of independent retail broker-dealers, Cetera Advisor Networks is able to build and support regional teams through local service, regional offices and a national home office, facilitating the success of financial professionals.
Cetera Advisor Networks is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). For more information, see ceteraadvisornetworks.com.
About Cetera Financial Group
Cetera Financial Group ("Cetera") is a leading network of independent firms empowering the delivery of professional financial advice to individuals, families and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera 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.
Through its multiple distinct firms, Cetera offers independent and institutions-based advisors the benefits of a large, established broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving advisors and institutions in a way that is customized to their needs and aspirations. Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support and innovative technology. For more information, visit cetera.com.
* "Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Investment Services (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions), Cetera Financial Specialists, First Allied Securities, Girard Securities, and Summit Brokerage Services. All firms are members FINRA/SIPC.