SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading bank broker-dealer Investment Professionals, Inc. (IPI) today announced the hiring of Robert L. Bohli, formerly a Group Vice President with Ameriprise Financial, as Senior Vice President of Advice and Planning. Mr. Bohli's success in building Ameriprise's retail business in Texas is related to his advocacy of comprehensive financial planning as espoused by the Colorado-based College for Financial Planning. This model seeks to maximize client benefit by bringing insurance, investments, retirement and estate planning and tax planning into one plan. The all-important goal is to eliminate gaps that can leave families under-prepared and under-protected.

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Bohli has two mandates: He will work closely with financial consultants in IPI's on-site bank brokerage programs on using this model to enhance results for banks and their customers. His experience bringing together the financial consultant, banker, insurance agent, CPA and attorney to collaborate in the client's best interest reinforces a key IPI method for growing programs through referrals. At the same time, Bohli will oversee financial consultants in IPI's retail division.

According to Bohli, "IPI has grown ROE about 30% year-over-year since 1992 - and we see the focus on comprehensive financial planning as central to the firm's growth going forward. What's impressive is that IPI has been able to sustain high growth levels while maintaining high service levels - and improving them, even during difficult market cycles. That says a lot about the ability of this team to execute and why I was motivated to vigorously pursue this opportunity."

Bohli continues: "But it's not just about growth. Our financial consultants will be rewarded based on how well they serve clients - and that means quality advice and quality relationships. I want to ensure we're doing everything possible to help clients reach their goals in the areas of college funding, retirement, asset protection and more."

To position IPI for further growth, Bohli is recruiting market leaders and financial consultants who share his commitment to this type of comprehensive, long-term planning - not people who are commission driven. According to Founder and President Scott Barnes, "It's really pretty simple. This value-added, wealth management approach is clearly best for clients. At the same time, it's the key to developing a loyal client base who will be a revenue source for the long term."

Bohli was attracted to IPI because of the firm's compelling value propositions for financial consultants and clients alike: the firm's most knowledgeable subject matter professionals collaborate to give solid advice to clients, an open product platform, outstanding marketing support and a lean management structure that enables very attractive advisor payouts. Says Bohli, "I'm finding that this unique combination of attributes is helping to attract highly qualified talent who want to contribute to what promises to be a successful growth strategy for IPI. People can see how IPI's entrepreneurial culture generates positive energy and great outcomes and they want to be a part of it."

Bohli is recruiting three types of people he feels have the most potential for helping IPI realize its vision: experienced producers; insurance agents who want to expand their product and advice offering and increase their revenue stream with fee-based planning; and career changers with 10+ years of work experience who are well respected in the community.

IPI is the only bank broker-dealer to have earned four No. 1 rankings in American Brokerage Consultants' leading industry survey of 2,200 bank executives over 13 years. IPI was named Most Highly Rated Bank Brokerage Firm in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2001. IPI was also ranked No. 1 in financial consultant Quality of Training for the third year in a row, as well as No. 1 in Customer Service - in all, IPI was ranked No. 1 in 13 of 22 categories. For eight years running, the San Antonio Business Journal named IPI one of the 50 fastest growing companies on its "Fast Track Companies" list.( )IPI has also been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for three years in a row.(1)

Founded in 1992, IPI is a private, Texas-based investment and insurance brokerage and asset management firm with $4.2 billion under management and 45,000 clients nationwide. IPI currently manages bank investment programs at more than 125 financial institutions with assets in the range of $35 million to over $7 billion. The firm's retail branches are in San Antonio, The Woodlands and Clear Lake, Texas.

(1) Texas Monthly Magazine, 2009, 2008, 2007

    Contact:  Sarah Pequano
              +1-210-582-2841
              sarah.pequano@invpro.com

SOURCE Investment Professionals, Inc.