Bank channel

Steven Wieting, managing director and U.S. economist in Citi Research, will be responsible for formulating investment strategies for the business and its clients around the world.

Banks may be about to endure yet another cyberattack by hacktivist groups.

M&T generated $546 million in wealth management income in 2012, nearly three times the $187 million it produced prior to the acquisition of the trust company powerhouse.

The new trust office in Wilmington will provide personal trust services for high-net-worth clients with more than $1 million in investable assets.

Elise Fortin, a former executive of Wells Fargo Private Bank, will be responsible for leading Umpqua Private Bank’s expansion in the Puget Sound region.

What drives the success of a bank program? Advisors who view it as an opportunity to grow their own business, says Paul Restante, program manager of Community Bank in upstate N.Y.

As a program manager at Citi Personal Wealth Management , Drue Anderson sees himself as an "advocate for greatness."

The most remarkable change that Leo Iaocabelli, president of ESL Federal Credit Union's investment program, has witnessed over the years is the change in the expectation investors have of financial advisors.

It was only in June 2011 that Investors Bank launched its investment program. But it's been tremendously successful so far, largely because of the support and backing of senior management, says Glenn Brodwater, vice president and director of retail investment services.

From the ball field to Sunday service, BNA's Mike Alef is an Everyman figure in the world of financial planning.

There are only a few dozen banks with assets of $20 billion to $350 billion. In this regulatory climate, these regional banks in the middle of the size spectrum look very much like the industry's new sweet spot.

LPL introduced a comprehensive support program last month for banks' licensed branch employees. The program will be offered in conjunction with Epic Platforms.

Webster Bank's push to expand its wealth management business is making a difference in the bank's financial performance.

Julie Castle, COO of the wealth management unit of Zions Bancorp., says her firm is primed for a growth spurt. "We could be 10 times the size we are today with 5 to 7 years," she says of the firm's projected AUM.

Program managers are in a difficult spot, but one with a lot of potential.

The biggest challenge this year for Mike Zito has been keeping his advisors focused and motivated during a very rapidly changing environment, He provides honest feedback, which he feels is one reason he sees very little attrition. He is focused on growth and is constantly evaluating Trustmark's footprint and looking for gaps and openings to add advisors.

In 2004, TowneBank hired the father-and-son team of Ken Wren Sr. and Jr. to operate the investment program. Since then, the younger Wren has not only maintained and grown his own practice, but also has successfully developed his branch, composed of a blend of traditional and fee-based advisors.

In three years, Britt Woods accomplished as much as many program managers achieve in an entire career. He built two new programs in Tennessee and Georgia from scratch, making each a top producer, and then turned around a failing program in Kentucky within a short period of time.

Doug Wicks runs the Kinecta program with an entrepreneurial spirit and allows his advisors to run their practices as their own business. He's there to help, though, as he has an open-door policy to address any issues they face. He was BIC's top program manager in last year's ranking, just one year in a consistent growth pattern in the competitive southern California market.

Kevin Walrath has helped Northwest Federal CU build a diversified wealth management program. And while it's come a long way, this is just the first stage of its evolution. The bank has committed to the advisory model and embraces a fiduciary responsibility toward clients. The bank owes its success to the trust that clients have in advisors.