Advisor Group Announces Successful Conclusion Of Its 14th Annual W Forum Event In Los Angeles For Women Advisors And Assistants

PHOENIX, Feb. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, one of the nation's largest networks of independent wealth management firms, comprising FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, SagePoint Financial and Woodbury Financial, today announced the successful conclusion of its 14th annual W Forum conference for women advisors and assistants. Nearly 400 attendees participated in the industry-leading event, which was held from Feb. 10 to Feb. 12 at the JW Marriott L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Advisor Group President and CEO Jamie Price said, "I believe that it is crucial for firms to both increase the number of women financial professionals in the wealth management industry, and to provide them with robust support and opportunities to achieve lasting success. I am thrilled at the momentum we have developed through the W Forum and our Women Forward initiative, and I look forward to doing all I can to help our female advisors succeed in the years to come."

W Forum is part of Advisor Group's Women Forward initiative, which aims to transform the financial advice industry into an environment in which women lead and flourish. The theme of this year's event was Make Your Wave, which is the culmination of a trilogy of themes that began with the 2018 theme Focus Your Power and the 2019 theme Stretch Yourself. W Forum 2020 empowered women advisors and assistants affiliated with Advisor Group firms through a diverse array of networking opportunities and in-depth educational training to support their long-term career growth.

W Forum has distinguished itself as an event that consistently brings together leading female advisors from across Advisor Group's network, and which strengthens those advisors' ability to achieve further success. 2020 W Forum attendees saw AUM growth of 59% in 2019, exceeding the already-strong average 2019 AUM growth for advisors across the entire firm.

W FORUM VISIONARIES

The event also featured the 2^nd annual edition of the W Forum Visionaries series, consisting of five TED Talk-style presentations by leading women advisors affiliated with Advisor Group firms. The Visionaries worked with experienced coaches to help hone their presentations, which were recorded and will be posted as episodes of the W Pulse, a podcast produced as part of the Women Forward initiative. Each Visionary also designated an innovative philanthropy to support, with each organization receiving a contribution from Advisor Group.

The 2020 Visionaries included:

• Clare Ciervo of McVittie Financial Advisors in Auburndale, Massachusetts, presented 'How To Meet Your Future Self' and supported the charity World Ocean School
  
  
• Cortney Heykoop of Clover Leaf Wealth Strategies in Leesburg, Virginia, presented 'The Special Needs Market: A Growing Demographic Requiring a Unique Approach to Financial Planning' and supported the charity Service Dogs of Virginia
  
  
• Rhonda Kerkhoff of Focus Financial in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, presented 'Believe Your Beliefs, Doubt Your Doubts' and supported the charity LINC Redwood County
  
  
• Megan Kinworthy of Tutschulte Financial Planning in Chesterfield, Missouri, presented 'Preparing the Clients of Tomorrow' and supported the charity CASA of Jefferson County
  
  
• Alice Tang of BPG Wealth Management in Clackamas, Oregon, presented 'Your Network Is Your Prosperity' and supported the charity Women's Center for Leadership

W Forum keynote speaker and nationally celebrated classical pianist Jade Simmons also took the stage to delight and inspire attendees. Jade, whose genre-bending performances range from Rachmaninoff to rap, has performed at the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court and the South by Southwest Festival.

In addition to a special interactive session to help attendees prepare for Reg BI, the conference featured a morning yoga session and more than 20 educational breakouts to choose from. Discussions included peer-led sessions by top female advisors on how to move prospects to clients and using the financial planning process to uncover client solutions. Other topics included using personal stories to connect with prospective clients; navigating Social Security and Medicare; adding alpha through insured solutions; and more.

Advisor Group's Women Forward Mentorship Program connects mentees with mentors who provide tangible, one-on-one guidance about how to advance in the wealth management industry. W Forum 2020 provided two sessions dedicated to the mentorship program.

Susan Theder, Chief Marketing Officer of Advisor Group, said, "The W Forum has done a phenomenal job of building on the enthusiasm and energy our women professionals bring to the event each year, with sessions and offerings dedicated to helping women build their businesses by offering financial solutions that improve the lives of clients. W Forum 2020 provided a powerful demonstration of how women affiliated with our firms can achieve lasting, meaningful success by breaking the status quo."

Christina Nash, a member of the Women Forward Advisory Board and the founder and CEO of Knox Grove Financial, a Royal Alliance-affiliated practice in Pennington, NJ, said, "As someone who is closely involved with Women Forward, I'm so proud of the commitment Advisor Group has made to champion the advancement of female professionals, and to make the W Forum a can't-miss event every year. From the Visionaries series to the interactive discussion sessions, the enthusiasm at this year's event has been truly inspiring. It's also been energizing to see my female peers benefit from the experiences and insights each of us brings to this conference, and to feel part of such a vibrant and supportive community."

About Advisor Group
Advisor Group, Inc. is one of the nation's largest networks of independent financial advisors serving over 7,000 advisors and overseeing $271 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, the firm is mission-driven to support the heroic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients, offering securities and investment advisory services through its subsidiaries FSC Securities Corp., Royal Alliance Associates Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc. and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., as broker/dealers, registered investment advisors and members of FINRA and SIPC. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial advisors and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com

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SOURCE Advisor Group