ING U.S. announced today that its registered broker-dealer, ING Financial Partners, will convene its fifth annual Women’s Advisory Network Forum May 13-15, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. Over 120 female financial professionals affiliated with ING Financial Partners will gather to expand their professional skills and network among peers and industry leaders. Women representatives affiliated with ING Financial Partners have increased their new business by 130 percent from 2009 to 2012, according to company reports.
“Our long-standing commitment to the success of women in the financial planning industry is entirely validated by the strong business results of our female representatives,” said Bonnie Reed, vice president of ING Financial Partners’ business development. “I am proud that our women’s network has such strong momentum. Through the year-round activities of the Women’s Advisory Network, women share their success stories, connect in an all-female environment and gain new ideas and connections to grow their businesses and help serve their clients.”
Women in the financial planning industry are poised for success and increased prominence. According to industry estimates1, only between 22 and 30 percent of the current financial advisor pool are women. This underscores that there is promising growth potential for more women to enter the industry.
With many Boomer-aged financial advisors close to their own retirements, female advisors can help fill the expertise gap that is emerging in the field. Now more than ever before, clients – men and women alike - need holistic financial advice and guidance to achieve greater retirement readiness.
The goal of the ING Financial Partners’ Women’s Forum is to help female professionals who are new to the industry find their footing while providing a venue for more seasoned financial advisors to network and expand their businesses. In addition to industry experts on practice management, marketing, retirement income and divorce planning, the Forum will feature Cathy Weatherford, President and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), to deliver a keynote address focused on how women financial advisors can help empower their female clients.
“Women are key players in the future of the financial planning industry,” commented Weatherford. “This Women’s Forum event helps ensure that women stay in the industry and reach their full potential.”
The ING Women’s Advisory Network was established in 2005 to support the needs of women financial professionals affiliated with ING Financial Partners. The Network provides ongoing training, mentorship, networking, learning activities and the annual Women’s Advisory Network Forum, which is celebrating its fifth year in 2013.
As a leading provider of financial products and services dedicated to a client-centered philosophy, ING Financial Partners offers a comprehensive array of financial services and products, including life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, advisory programs, alternative investments, institutional investment management, annuities, financial planning and more. For more information on ING Financial Partners, visit http://ingfp.com.
1 2011 U.S. Department of Labor and Cerulli Associates data
Press inquiries:
Maggie Dietrich
ING U.S.
Office: 860.580.2699
Cell: 860.335.7528
About ING
ING U.S., which plans to rebrand in the future as Voya Financial, constitutes the U.S.-based retirement, investment and insurance businesses of Netherlands-based ING Groep N.V. Through the ING U.S. family of companies, we serve the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers with a comprehensive array of products and services, including retirement plans, IRA rollovers and transfers, stable value, institutional investment management, mutual funds, alternative investments, life insurance, employee benefits, fixed and indexed annuities and financial planning. Our dedicated workforce of more than 7,000 employees is focused on ING U.S.’s mission to guide Americans on their journey to greater retirement readiness and to help make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family and one institution at a time. For more information, visit http://ing.us.