Economy

Small and mid-sized firms look to maintain momentum from 2012 by offering more services and leveraging social media.

Wells Fargo financial advisor John Handley, number 37 on On Wall Street’s list, remembers getting that very first client and the cadre of business relationships he’s had for years.

“My number one objective is to grow revenues from the private bank and help to make it an even greater contributor to the growth of Webster Bank,” said Daniel FitzPatrick, the new head of the business.

For Pedro Marti, who nabs the number 38 slot on On Wall Street’s 2012 list, serving as a financial advisor at Wells Fargo is the perfect blend of financial analysis and personal interaction.

Celebrating its two-year anniversary with an announcement of its 11-figure status, New York-based Dynasty Financial Partners aims to separate itself from the myriad of firms offering services to registered investment advisors.

Wells Fargo financial advisor Matthew Fryar, who ranks number 39 on On Wall Street’s 2012 list, says providing personalized services has meant a heavy emphasis on looming tax changes.

With over 1,000 broker-dealers to choose from, how does an advisor navigate the choices, know where to go, and know where to be looking in the first place?

For employees at the biggest Wall Street banks, 2012 brought a humbling post-crisis reality of job cuts, lower pay and tarnished reputations. For investors, it was a happier story.

Barclays has brought on directors in New York and San Francisco.

In a round of fall hiring, the firm added eight advisors with a total of $6.4 million in production.

Three industry veterans with 80 years combined experience have joined Raymond James in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Financial crises will not be a suitable excuse for oversight in suitability according to the regulator’s decision against Merrill Lynch.

Grabbing a top executive from one of the world's premier technology companies, LPL Financial has nabbed a top technology officer from Dell Inc. to help lead the independent broker-dealer's technology effort.

Raymond James will be instrumental in helping the program transition to fee-based business from transaction-based business.

Many Americans are in the dark about stock market performance in 2012, according to an Edward Jones survey.

Two teams with over $1 million in production have joined Merrill Lynch in St. Paul, Minn., and Ithaca, N.Y.

A little more than a year after launching Retirement Ready, a retirement income program for its advisors, John Hancock Financial Network today announced the launch of a new iPad application and updates to the program.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has refocused on growing fee-based and banking business and boosting client retention.

Beverly Hills Financial Planners, Informative Financial Services, and Ranker-Hanshaw Wealth Management are the newest firms to join Royal Alliance, which has nearly 2,000 affiliated independent financial advisors.

Determined to keep its 48-year-old firm’s “small, hometown feel,” Investors Security of Suffolk, Va., has decided to drop its own broker-dealer and affiliate with Securities America.