Ex-Smith Barney Branch Manager Goes Independent with Raymond James OnWallStreet.com | Monday, December 14, 2009 After spending 28 years working at wirehouses, Glenn Fischer said he was ready for a change, but he certainly didn’t want to change everything. What’s more, he wanted to be bigger than everyone else in the independent channel. “After working at the wirehouses for my entire career, I thought that there must be a better way to do business,” he said. “The wirehouse environment provides a lot of products, services and resources that are difficult for the independent business model to compete with, but by working with Raymond James I am hoping to find a happy medium and be able to provide the best of both worlds.”
Investment News 20 of 2010 – Broker dealers: Paul Reilly Investment News | Monday, December 14, 2009 The Investment News 20 is a group of people who will have a big influence on the financial services industry in 2010. Advisers think Paul Reilly, who will take the reins of Raymond James Financial Inc. from chief executive Tom James this spring, has the background to keep the firm on the path of steady growth.
Raymond James adviser: ‘We owe it to our clients’ Tribune Business Weekly | Monday, December 07, 2009 A group of financial advisers from a giant national firm moved to Raymond James in September. The move reflects a national trend to smaller organizations by financial experts who deal mostly with individuals, says David Niswonger, an investment manager who had been with the other firm for 25 years. “We felt a growing distance between where they were going and how that impacted the individual client world we work in.”
RJ Advisor named to Hall of Fame for 2009 Research-Mag.com | Tuesday, December 01, 2009 RJFS’s Mark Smith has been recognized by Research Magazine in its annual Advisor Hall of Fame for 2009. Now in its 19th year, the hall has become a benchmark of excellence for financial advisors.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race for Financial Adviser Firms Wall St. Journal/FINS.com | Monday, November 09, 2009 Finance firms are hiring financial advisers and wealth managers in droves. Lack of exposure to toxic debt and solid financials is making Raymond James an appealing partner for both investors and advisers. “Last year, highly respected places saw their financial credibility being questioned,” said Chet Helck, COO of Raymond James. “That put a lot of financial advisers in mode of looking around, looking at their options. We didn’t have the exposure to subprime issues. We didn’t have to take government assistance.”
Raymond James Recruits 750-Plus Financial Advisors Research-Mag.com | Monday, November 09, 2009 Raymond James Financial says its two broker-dealers hired over 750 veteran financial advisors with more than $35 billion in assets and over $250 million in historical gross revenue in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009.
Raymond James Tops Boomer Market Advisor Boomer Market Advisor | Tuesday, November 03, 2009 Raymond James was named the 2009 Broker/Dealer Excellence Award winner in the Large Independent Broker/Dealer category for the second consecutive year.
Passing the Torch at Raymond James Florida Trend | Thursday, October 01, 2009 Leadership transitions are high-stakes affairs. In hiring his own replacement, Tom James has adopted a phased-in succession. As James prepares to pass the torch to Paul Reilly, he’s created a more gradual succession plan that takes into consideration the fact that Reilly hasn’t grown up in the company’s culture.
Raymond James Hiring Advisors to Offset Asset Losses Financial-Planning.com | Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Chet Helck, the chief operating officer of its private client group, said assets under management at Raymond James have declined at “less than half” of the global rate in the past year because the assets brought by the new advisors have helped offset losses. “We have had our most successful year in terms of attracting and retaining financial advisors,” he said.
Three High-Producing Advisor Teams Join Raymond James OnWallStreet.com | Monday, September 14, 2009 Three financial advisory teams, which had a combined $4.25 million in revenue, have joined the independent broker-dealer subsidiary of Raymond James Financial.
Career Moves: The Call of Independence Registered Rep | Thursday, September 03, 2009 Wirehouse reps are increasingly looking beyond Wall Street firms these days. The proportion of wirehouse advisors switching to another has fallen steadily over the past year, while the number going to independent b/ds and RIAs, as well as to regionals like Raymond James, has risen, according to data from Discovery.
60 Seconds with Paul Reilly Registered Rep | Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Reilly became president of RJF in May and will add CEO to his title when founder Tom James steps down next year after 41 years as chief executive. Registered Rep. talked with Reilly about his new role at the firm.
Getting Productive Registered Rep | Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Raymond James has begun hiring bigger and better quality advisors. “If we look at the last three or four years at Raymond James, we didn’t hire many large producers,” says Bill Van Law, senior vice president and director of business development at Raymond James Financial Services. “But that is a major focus now.”
Raymond James Nabs Wirehouse Refugees InvestmentNews.com | Friday, August 07, 2009 Raymond James Financial Inc. added 150 financial advisers in its fiscal third quarter, ended June 30, as part of what the company described in its earnings release as a continuing effort to “add producing personnel of all types aggressively.” “We expect this positive recruiting trend to continue for the rest of the year,” said Chet Helck, chief operating officer for Raymond James’ private-client group.
The Lure of Independence OnWallStreet.com | Friday, July 10, 2009 For 14 years, Jason DiLauro was the epitome of the Merrill Lynch financial advisor who was devoted to the firm. DiLauro says of Merrill, “I never ever imagined leaving there. I kind of considered myself the poster child for the firm.” No longer. Nearly three months ago, DiLauro picked up and left. He set himself up as an independent through Raymond James Financial Services four miles from his previous office. If he was once the poster child for Merrill, he is now the profile of the new independent financial advisor.
Stepping It Up Financial Advisor | Friday, June 05, 2009 There are many reasons why technology is an important factor in choosing a B-D (or evaluating your own): one of them is that the survival of B-D itself may depend on it, the second is that there is a trickle-down effect to you. Raymond James is hard at work delivering new and improved technology solutions to its representatives. According to Mike Shelly, VP of Technology Practice Management at Raymond James, all Raymond James advisors will have access to a “lite” reporting package through PNC/Albridge, similar to those offered by other B-Ds, at no charge.
Raymond James has been named best full-service broker in SmartMoney’s June 2009 issue SmartMoney.com | Tuesday, May 19, 2009 A repeat winner from last year, St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Raymond James knocks out the competition in two categories: customer satisfaction and brokerage statements. The 47-year-old Raymond James, which took on more than 300 new brokers last year, says it’s also scooping up new customers from full-service outfits with riskier balance sheets and uncertain futures.
Raymond James Recruits Million Dollar Producers from Goldman, Citi, and Merrill OnWallStreet.com | Monday, May 04, 2009 “In these turbulent times in particular, financial professionals are looking for the stability a conservatively managed firm like Raymond James provides, yet one that allows them the independence to manage their own practice while putting clients’ interest first,” said Bill Van Law, national director of business development.
Raymond James Euphoric Over Recruiting Research | Wednesday, April 01, 2009 Given the prevalence of chaos in the marketplace, economy and on Wall Street, CEO Tom James says, many advisors have been contacting Raymond James about a possible affiliation. “We can’t see the FAs who are calling, because we don’t have enough time for such a large number of meetings.”
Raymond James, Jeffries Keep Their Focus TheStreet.com | Thursday, March 19, 2009 These shops have kept their focus on the difficult but necessary regimen of blocking and tackling that originally made Wall Street great.
Raymond James predicts record recruiting year InvestmentNews | Thursday, March 05, 2009 Advisers from wirehouses feel let down, explained Jim Fulp, executive vice president and managing director at Raymond James. “They really feel betrayed. They are angry. They’re looking for a place where they can once again relax and say, ‘I don’t have to worry about the company.’”
The CEO patriot pledge: just say no to more layoffs cnbc.com | Wednesday, February 11, 2009 CNBC’s “On the Money” highlights Raymond James’ CEO as an example for other CEOs. Tom James’ base salary was less than 20 times the amount of the lowest paid worker at his company. As compared with the average CEO salary, which is 262 times that of the lowest paid worker.
David Macchia Interviews: Tom James Research | Sunday, February 01, 2009 Raymond James Chairman and CEO share his perspectives on the recent economic crisis and the benefits of the firm’s conservative operating philosophy.
How volatility breeds opportunity Fortune.com | Tuesday, January 06, 2009 You’ll have to forgive Jeffrey Saut if he savors 2008 a little longer than the rest of us. For in a year during which the S&P 500 fell a stunning 38.5%, venerable investment banks crumbled, and 401(k) plans from Tacoma to Tampa were vaporized, the chief strategist at Raymond James was one of those few market gurus with a legitimate claim on the four sweetest words in the Wall Street vocabulary: “I told you so.”
The Power Players On Wall Street | Thursday, January 01, 2009 Tom James was featured, along with Ken Lewis, James Dimon and others, as one of On Wall Street’s “Power Players”.
Debriefing Tom James Forbes | Friday, December 12, 2008 Raymond James CEO sounds off on the term “bailout,” government regulation and lessons learned over his career. To see a video of the full interview with Tom James on Intelligent Investing with Steve Forbes, please visit forbes.com.
Raymond James Upbeat about Recruiting ResearchMag.com | Monday, December 01, 2008 For many broker-dealer firms, 2008 is a year to forget. But that’s not the case for Raymond James. “This will probably be the most successful recruiting year ever in terms of the momentum and pace we’ve seen in the candidates meeting with us in all channels,” says Raymond James Financial President and COO Chet Helck.
Raymond James Expands (scroll down when story loads) The Wall Street Journal | Sunday, November 30, 2008 Raymond James Financial Inc. is expanding amid other firms’ travails. While many of its peers are laying off workers in a bid to weather the credit crisis, the St. Petersburg, Fla., company is looking to boost its market share by snagging brokers, traders and bankers from these troubled firms. In an October conference call, Chief Executive Tom James said Raymond James had 5,045 financial advisers as of the end of September, up from 4,758 a year earlier.
Raymond James’ CEO scoops Entrepreneur Award Banking Times - UK | Wednesday, November 19, 2008 Thomas A. James, the chairman and chief executive officer of Raymond James Financial, Inc., enjoyed his night at the Ernst & Young awards.
Tech-savvy indies a draw for some advisers InvestmentNews | Monday, November 03, 2008 Joe Amalfitano left New York-based Smith Barney in March to go independent and said that technology support was one of the key reasons he chose to affiliate with Raymond James. “When I got over here I was shocked how comparable, if not superior, Raymond ---James’ technology was to that of Smith Barney,” he said
2008 Broker/Dealer Excellence Awards Boomer Market Advisor | Saturday, November 01, 2008 Advisors are extremely impressed with the house that Tom (James) built. “If I were to leave my current b/d, I’d take a hard look at Raymond James” is a phrase we constantly hear
Raymond James CEO says firm gaining from crunch Reuters | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 It may not have the biggest household name, but regional brokerage Raymond James Financial Inc is now one of Wall Street’s largest independent securities firms and among the industry’s top performers.
Catching up with... Dick Averitt Investment Advisor | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 Raymond James Financial Services’s (RJFS) national conference, in Washington in late August, drew an impressive 968 advisors.
Wall St. woes don’t worry smaller firms InvestmentNews | Sunday, September 28, 2008 ”The rest of the world is being reeled back into the kinds of conservative business decision making that we’ve always used,“ said Chet B. Helck, president and chief operating officer of Raymond James Financial Inc.
Wirehouse Brokers Want Out InvestmentNews | Monday, September 22, 2008 Mr. Helck stressed that Raymond James, which has 4,716 brokers and advisers across various business channels, is seeing interest from advisers with a variety of firms, not just Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. "The more this dislocation occurs, the more it really validates our business model," he said.
Raymond James Grabs Two Top Teams On Wall Street | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Brokers formerly with Merrill and UBS make the move to Raymond James.
Solomon's firm kicks it up a notch Columbus Ledger-Enquirer | Tuesday, September 09, 2008 But Murray Solomon has more than 500 clients with which he can share the recent news that the firm for which he works, Raymond James Financial Services.
The Other Surprise in Tampa Bay Barrons | Monday, August 25, 2008 Raymond James had a top showing in Barron's most recent ranking of brokers' stock recommendations. Read more about the results in this article.
For the twelve months ended June 30th 2008, Raymond James recommended61 securities through its Focus List. Of these 28 advanced and 33 declined. Performance includes dividends and a 1% trading commission on additions and deletions. The Focus List returned -2.9% during this period, whereas the S&P 500 returned -13.1%. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.Individual results will vary and an investor would incur commissions (and interest charges if transacted in a margin account) to transact these recommendations. A complete record of all Focus List recommendations during this period is available upon request.The results presented should not and cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.The market value of securities fluctuates and investors may incur profits or losses.
Raymond James & Associates (RJA) makes a NASDAQ market in the shares of Pharmaceutical Product Development. RJA co-managed a follow-on offering of WLT shares in June 2008. The returns for Continental Resources were extraordinary and not likely to be duplicated in the future. The closing prices on Friday August 29, 2008 for the stocks recommended by Raymond James which were mentioned in the article were: CLR $50.17; PPDI $40.80; WLT $93.80.
Raymond James Nabs $3 Million Team from Smith Barney Financial Planning | Thursday, August 14, 2008 Geegan says the small firm culture at Raymond James persuaded them to make the move. “We saw it as a way to get back to our roots. Bigger is not necessarily better,” he says.
Raymond James tops client satisfaction rankings Reuters | Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Read more about the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM in this article.
Raymond James profit up 2 pct, commissions rise Reuters | Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Raymond James reported a 2 percent increase in quarterly profit on Tuesday. Read more about the third quarter earnings in this article.
A Stock and a Hard Place Florida Trend | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 St. Petersburg brokerage Raymond James had virtually no exposure to the subprime mortgage market. Chairman and CEO Tom James elaborates in this article.
Breaking Free On Wall Street | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 Now that their golden handcuffs of wirehouses aren't so arresting, more advisors will be looking to go independent. On Wall Street profiles two advisors who made the move to the Raymond James Independent Contractor division.
Financial stocks we love CNN Money | Friday, May 02, 2008 Raymond James is one of just six firms -- and the only brokerage -- to make this list of stocks expected to perform well despite the troubled financial climate.
Top 50 Independent B/D Advisors Registered Rep | Tuesday, January 01, 2008 19 Raymond James Advisors -- more than any other firm -- placed on the Registered Rep Top Independent B/D Advisors List
Leader of the Band Research Magazine | Tuesday, January 01, 2008 Jeff Oster’s financial career gives him the freedom and business know-how to be a player in the entertainment arena.
CEO Tom James Provides Subprime Perspective PBS Nightly Business Report | Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Tom James appeared on the PBS Nightly Business Report Tuesday, December 18. In the interview he discussed the subprime industry meltdown, how Raymond James fared and the firm's commitment to staying independent.
2007 Advisor Hall of Fame: Van Pearcy Research Magazine | Saturday, December 01, 2007 Since joining Raymond James, Pearcy’s asset base has more than tripled - a result he attributes in large measure to a team approach that encompasses his own in-house team [including his wife, Donna, a vice president] and insurance, tax and estate planning specialists allied with Raymond James.
Migration Time Investment Advisor | Sunday, November 11, 2007 Not only are advisors changing firms, but also many who do so are going over to the investment advisory side of the business. “The volume of [resumes we receive] increases in the fall, winter, and spring,” says Bill Van Law, laughing because as senior VP of business development at Raymond James Financial Services, he’s based at the company’s headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida. But it seems that interest from representatives from wirehouses has spiked.
America’s Top 100 Independent Advisors Registered Rep | Sunday, November 11, 2007 There are close to 90,000 independent broker/dealer reps in the industry, more than any other channel. Here are the Top 100 ranked by assets under management. 6 Malcolm A. Makin; 7 Gerard A. Klingman; 11 Van Pearcy; 15 Mark Smith; 25 David Tanner; 31 Charles Morris; 32 Sherri Stephens; 33 Judith A. McGee; 35 Carl Stuart; 38 Stephen W. Johnson; 48 Daniel Gavin; 50 John Moore; 67 Todd Sanford; 69 Marilyn Gunther; 76 Robert Bjork; 78 Kalita Blessing; 81 Craig Noel; 82 Robby D. Harfst; 83 Scott A. Wigren; 93 Nancy K. Caton
Recruits in the Driver’s Seat Registered Rep | Thursday, November 01, 2007 At Raymond James, the number of advisors recruited so far this year is already about 80 percent ahead of where it was last year
How to Swim Upstream Registered Rep | Monday, October 01, 2007 Raymond James advisors Kalita Blessing and Greg Ghodsi discuss their growth in high net worth clients along with Chip Bauder of Raymond James Wealth Solutions department.
Women Making Impact at Raymond James Financial Advisor | Friday, September 28, 2007 Tracey Longo reports from the 13th Annual Raymond James Women’s Symposium
Raymond James Attracts 71, Adds ’07-’08 Bonuses Research Magazine | Saturday, September 01, 2007 During the second quarter of 2007, Raymond James Private Client Group recruited 71 new financial advisors, with 40 joining its employee channel - Raymond James & Associates - from 18 firms, such as A.G. Edwards, Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch
Independent-Broker Dealer Round Table: Transcript InvestmentNews | Monday, August 20, 2007 Raymond James Financial Services’ Bill Van Law participated in a candid round table discussion of issues affecting independent broker/dealers.
Raymond James unit gives bonuses to big producers InvestmentNews | Monday, June 18, 2007 In an effort to charge up its top registered representatives and financial advisers, Raymond James Financial Services Inc. is giving bonuses to its biggest-producing brokers.
Wachovia deal lifts Raymond James, other brokers SmartMoney.com | Friday, June 01, 2007 Following Wachovia/A.G. Edwards announcement, speculation about Raymond James as takeover target, put to rest by Chairman & CEO Tom James.
Raymond James: Company Committed To Staying Independent The Wall Street Journal | Thursday, May 31, 2007 NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Raymond James Financial Inc.’s (RJF) chief executive said the firm remains committed to staying independent in the wake of a merger announced by rival A.G. Edwards Inc. (AGE).
Raymond James recruits recruiters InvestmentNews | Monday, May 14, 2007 Raymond James Financial Services Inc. is adding major clout to its recruiting effort, bringing on board half a dozen recruiters, including two top executives from rival independent-contractor firms, investmentnews.com reported Friday.
Customer Service Champs BusinessWeek | Monday, March 05, 2007 Raymond James earns top honors for anticipating and exceeding client needs.
FP50: On the Cutting Edge Financial Planning | Thursday, June 01, 2006 Four broker-dealers have found success by creating their own unique business models.
New VA requirements for Raymond James InvestmentNews.com | Friday, May 05, 2006 Raymond James Financial Inc. has created new requirements for the variable annuities the firm’s nearly 5,000 employee and independent-contractor registered representatives sell, the company announced today.
Raymond James Gets Results Investment Advisor | Friday, September 01, 2006 Could lower costs be next for variable annuities?
Raymond James names new recruiting chief InvestmentNews.com | Tuesday, September 12, 2006 Raymond James Financial Services Inc. of St. Petersburg has settled at last on a new head of recruiting, reaching out to its sister firm, employee broker-dealer Raymond James & Associates Inc., to make its pick.
Testing the Glass Ceiling Financial Planning | Monday, October 30, 2006 Women are working to raise their numbers—and their profile—in financial planning.
Hearing Women Reps Roar On Wall Street | Wednesday, November 01, 2006 There were very few men present at the two big industry conferences devoted to women that recently took place: the 2006 Raymond James Women’s Symposium and Deutsche Bank’s Women on Wall Street.
HALL OF FAME – Malcolm A. Makin ResearchMag.com | Friday, December 01, 2006 At the start of his career, Mal Makin worried about being “found out.” In fact, long before he even had a secretary, Makin dressed well and outfitted his office in nice furniture so that he would appear successful.
Women’s Work Financial Advisor | Friday, December 01, 2006 For the first time since becoming an advisor 15 years earlier, she realized that her survival meant dramatically changing the way she was running her advisory practice or quitting entirely.
