Trends in 2015 for RIAs

John Phoenix of EnvestNet and Brian Hamburger of MarketCounsel discuss the trends they expect for 2015 including "robo-advisors", break-away brokers and the rise of technology platform as a service.

Todd Clarke of CLS Investments, LLC and Eric Clarke of Orion Advisor Services discuss the threats financial advisors face, the needs of educated investors and how advisors can continue to succeed in a changing marketplace.

Elliot Weissbluth of HighTower Advisors leads a panel of leading internet-based advisors, Betterment’s Jon Stein and CircleBlack’s John Michel, as well as industry contrarian, Joe Duran of United Capital Financial Advisors. The group will examine the “robo-advisor” landscape and answer the simplest of questions: friend or foe?

Eliot Spitzer discusses the role of the SEC and the effects of potential regulations.

Mark Tibergien of Pershing Advisor Solutions and Shirl Penney of Dynasty Financial Partners discuss independent advisories as entrepreneurial opportunity in today's market.

Harvey Pitt and Skip Schweiss discuss the needs of investors, regulation and the fiduciary standard.

Highlights from the MarketCounsel Summit 2014 in Las Vegas

In a sea of advisor rankings offered by such well known media outlets including Barron's, CNBC and Financial Times as well as a variety of trade publications, commonalities appear. However, the paths that each have taken to get there are unique. While past performance is not always indicative of future results in investing, enduring strong businesses are suggestive of strong insight and practices. Barron's Managing Director, Sterling Shea, assembles some of the country's most recognized financial advisors, Grant Rawdin (Wescott Financial Advisory Group), Steve Lockshin (Convergent), and Brent Brodeski (Savant Capital Management) to discuss what the future holds for their businesses.

Corey Kupfer (Hamburger Law Firm) will sit down with Lenny Chang (Co-Founder and Managing Director of Focus Financial Partners), Elizabeth Nezvold (Managing Partner of Silver Lane Advisors), and Dan Seivert ( CEO and Managing Partner of Echelon Partners), to discuss the levers available and mindset required to get deals consummated for investment advisers. Whether it’s inorganic growth, implementation of a succession plan, a business combination, or an outright purchase/sale, all present challenges that each of these panelists have helped numerous advisers overcome.

Heads of all three of the largest US custodians will be together on the stage to have a candid conversation about the opportunities and threats that lie ahead for independent RIAs. They will debate their roles and value proposition in supporting independent advisers, including where they are committing resources.

Why should the strategic acquirers have all the fun?
Raising capital is important to your business too- but it’s no secret that access to it is more difficult. Traditional banks don’t (generally) understand the advisory business and private lenders and investors are more cautious and have upped their standards- and the cost of their capital. What are the options?
The panel, moderated by Paul Lally of Gladstone Associates will discuss current market trends in capital sourcing and present two options for access. Joining Paul will be Phil Green, CFO of Brinker Capital, a $17.5 Billion RIA who strategically deploys capital to advisory firms to fund acquisitions and Steve Smits, General Manager of Live Oak Bank, a leading provider of business loans to independent business people in niche industries.

A curriculum comprised of the top 3 regulatory issues effecting the growth trajectory of independent advisers. Brian Hamburger will moderate former New York Governor and Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and former SEC Commissioner Harvey Pitt, while TD Ameritrade's Managing Director of Advisor Advocacy & Industry Affairs will provide his color commentary on these important issues.

Rise of State Securities Regulators

Who Should Be Examining Advisers

Fiduciary or not Fiduciary

Editors from prominent financial industry press outlets will experience a reversal of the norm as they find themselves being interviewed and having to look back on what contributed to the popularity and importance of the industry’s biggest news stories of 2014.

Orion’s Jud Mackrill and Riskalyze’s Aaron Klein team up to show how traditional advisors can compete with robo and other technology-driven advisers by creating an online advisory channel that provides an integrated solution to drive next-generation client service and compliance oversight into their business.