Products June 5, 2008

Invesco PowerShares To List Two NASDAQ ETFs

Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC will list two new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

Reported by

The PowerShares NASDAQ-100 BuyWrite Portfolio (ticker: PQBW) and PowerShares Nasdaq Internet Portfolio (ticker: PNQI) are expected to begin trading June 12, a press release said.

“The PowerShares NASDAQ-100 BuyWrite Portfolio provides a convenient, lower cost way for investors to access a covered call strategy on the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ,” said Bruce Bond, president and CEO of Invesco PowerShares, in the release. “Investors may use this product to complement the PowerShares QQQ in their portfolios.’

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The NASDAQ-100 BuyWrite Portfolio is based on the CBOE NASDAQ-100 BuyWrite Index. The index measures the total rate of return of an NASDAQ-100 covered call strategy, which consists of holding a portfolio indexed to the NASDAQ-100, and selling a succession of one-month at-the-money NASDAQ-100 call options. The index assumes that call options are written on the third Friday of each month, held until their expiration, and exercised options are settled in cash, Invesco says.

The PowerShares Nasdaq Internet Portfolio is based on the NASDAQ Internet Index—designed to track the performance of the largest and most liquid U.S.-listed companies engaged in Internet-related business. Invesco says the modified market capitalization index is rebalanced quarterly.

More information is available at www.invescopowershares.com.

Deals & People June 5, 2008

NRP Brings on Director of Member Firm Services

Debbie Vince, formerly of 401(k) Producer Services, has taken on a newly created role of director of member firm services at National Retirement Partners (NRP).

Reported by

Ellie Behling and Alison Cooke

In her new role, Vince told PLANADVISER.com she is responsible for overseeing NRP’s Advisory Service Team, the communication of strategic initiatives to the company’s member firms, and development of adviser training processes, marketing tools, and services.

“We are very excited to have Debbie on board to manage our adviser service operation. Her experience on the provider side at Principal and with an adviser practice at 401(k) Producer Services combined with her stellar reputation makes her a perfect fit for NRP,’ Dick Darian, NRP executive vice president and chief marketing officer, told PLANADVISER.com.

“Her focus will be simple: listen to what our talented adviser practices want and provide them with great support to help them be successful,’ Darian explained.

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In her new role, Vince will report to Darian, who reportedly was the one who brought her into the San Juan Capistrano, California-based firm. Vince will oversee four relationship managers who service the company’s advisers. “I will be developing training processes to keep advisers up to speed on the tools and services that are available to them and how they can successfully integrate these into their business models,’ Vince said.

“We are very excited to have Debbie on board and I am thrilled to have someone with her experience to help with the marketing efforts,” commented Sharon Beachamp, marketing director, with whom Vince will be working with to create additional marketing collateral advisers can use when prospecting.

401(k) Producer Services

At 401(k) Producer Services, an affiliate of 401(k) Advisors, Vince was director, client service, a position through which she was charged with assisting advisers through the sales process.

401(k) Producer Services will not be replacing her, said Nick Della Vedova, president of 401(k) Producer Services, to PLANADVISER.com. “401(k) Producer Services has been moving in a different direction that is part of an overall plan that has been in development for almost two years,’ he said. “The execution phase will begin within 90 days.’

The firm has plans in the works to roll out “an even higher level and more focused “best practices’ hands-on training curriculum,” Della Vedova said. “This evolution is in the best interests of our customers and our organization.“

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