Hilliard Lyons cuts ribbon for new growth, sees results from new strategy

Hilliard Lyons has overhauled its growth strategy — and after a year, it’s starting to see results.

The firm hired 20 new brokers and opened a couple new markets in the recent fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, according to Alan Newman, the director of private wealth at Hilliard Lyons.

“It’s been a year of transition, a year of change,” says Newman, who joined the leadership team about 15 months ago. Historically, the firm only recruited about 10 or 15 brokers a year, he says.

Hilliard Lyons also streamlined its leadership structure, joined the Broker Protocol, redesigned its logo and marketing strategy and recently hired a new external public relations agency in order to help get the firm’s name out.

“I took a look and felt as though we needed, perhaps, some fresh energy,” Newman says.

Most recently, the firm opened a new office space in Asheville, North Carolina, in order to accommodate the branch as it expands, according to Newman.

Six advisors, who managed $390 million in client assets, have joined the firm in Asheville this year, most of whom were once affiliated with Oppenheimer. Now Hilliard’s Asheville location has seven wealth advisors and four client service associates, according to the firm. The new office, which is in a remodeled bank, will be able to better accommodate the teams and its future growth, according to Newman.

Now, Newman is turning his eyes to next year's objectives.

“I would like to see 2019 be a year where we can digest what we’ve taken on and change and continue to grow and expand on the really wonderful momentum we were able to jumpstart,” he says.

As for the numbers, Newman says the firm has decided against setting numeric goals for the next fiscal year.

“We recruit the right fit — the revenue will follow,” he says.