Deals & People July 31, 2012

TD Ameritrade Institutional Names Managing Director of Marketing

In her new role, Kate Healy is in charge of increasing the firm's awareness among 4,000 registered investment advisers (RIAs).
 
Reported by

To deepen TD Ameritrade’s relationships with the 4,000 RIAs who custody with the firm, Healy will develop marketing strategies and oversee and execute programs—including the firm’s website, social media and advertising efforts.

Healy joined TD Ameritrade in 2008, most recently serving as a director of marketing responsible for promoting the firm’s technology and investment products offerings. She will continue to lead the TD Ameritrade Institutional’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, which supports the professional development of women advisers and assists RIAs market to women investors.

Never miss a story — sign up for PLANADVISER newsletters to keep up on the latest retirement plan adviser news.

Before joining the firm, Healy served as vice president of individual retirement account (IRA) product strategy at Merrill Lynch, and has spent more than 20 years in a variety of financial services roles.

“Kate has demonstrated great leadership and passion for the RIA industry and is committed to helping advisers market their fiduciary advantage to investors,” said Tom Nally, president, TD Ameritrade Institutional. “Kate is a true leader in her field. Her strong relationships in the industry will continue to provide our firm with a deep understanding of what advisers need to help drive asset growth and run better businesses.”

She replaces Paul Zettl, who was recently named managing director of retail and social media marketing for TD Ameritrade Inc.

Healy earned her bachelor’s in economics from Rutgers College and has completed the Securities Industry Institute program, sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) at the Wharton School of Business.

Data & Research July 31, 2012

Unpredictable Market Conditions Challenge Advisers

Most advisers (95%) believe their investment strategies will help clients meet retirement income needs, despite the challenges of managing volatility and generating sufficient income for current retirees.
Reported by

“The current low-interest-rate, high-volatility environment makes it difficult for investors to achieve their retirement goals,” said John T. Hailer, president and chief executive officer of NGAM – The Americas and Asia, whose firm released a survey today. “It’s encouraging that so many advisers believe they have the tools and strategies to help clients navigate these challenges, but most advisers know there’s still a long way to go, in terms of building more durable portfolios.”

Client Concerns  

Never miss a story — sign up for PLANADVISER newsletters to keep up on the latest retirement plan adviser news.

The majority of advisers (81%) say clients continue to be concerned about the long-term durability of their assets, including meeting their retirement income goals, outliving their assets (81%) and continuing declines in value of the real estate they own (59%).

“Americans are no longer in denial about real estate values, and they recognize how this impacts their financial well-being, particularly in retirement,” said Hailer. “When real estate values decline, as they have during the past several years, this has a dramatic impact on financing retirement, and Americans realize that.”

Market Volatility Raises the Stakes for Advisers  

Four in five advisers (81%) also reported that it will be difficult to effectively manage volatility risk for those in retirement, with four in 10 (41%) saying it was “extremely difficult.”

But advisers are confident over the long term. “Advisers recognize they have the tools to build portfolios that can weather market volatility,” said Hailer. “The challenge lies in educating clients about the need to make smarter use of traditional asset classes and embrace alternative investments, commodities, hedged equities and other investments that can reduce risk in a portfolio.

“The survey findings underscore the importance of advisers and other financial professionals providing their clients with the information and tools they need to make sound decisions about their personal savings objectives, risk tolerances and retirement goals.”

Advisers Oppose Scaling Back 401(k) Incentives  

In the area of public policy, 81% of advisers oppose proposals in Washington to scale back retirement savings incentives for 401(k) plans.

The survey, which was conducted in March, is based on online responses from 163 advisers at 150 advisory firms that collectively manage about $670 billion in assets.

«