Merrill Lynch appointed Nelson Chai as executive vice president and chief financial officer of the company. Prior to joining Merrill, Chai served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of NYSE Euronext, and its predecessor company...

Registered Rep.: Why would a wirehouse rep want to leave his firm and join yours? Arthur F. Grant: Representatives of Cadaret, Grant can take personal credit, rather than crediting their employer for their own success. RR: Other than your own, of...

Registered Rep.: Why write a book on a magazine list? And how much money do you have to have to make it on the Forbes list? Peter Bernstein: The amount of net worth you have to have to be on the list has increased at a pretty healthy rate over the...

Registered Rep.: Why would a wirehouse rep want to leave his firm and join yours? Stever McWhorter: For the resources to profitably grow your business while providing your clients with unbiased financial solutions and exceptional service. RR...

Registered Rep: Technology that's had the greatest impact on your business? Paula Dorian Gray: Pareto Client Management System, which allows us to provide high-touch service and be proactive. RR: Plans for retirement? PDG: I do not anticipate...

You won't find your ultra-high-net-worth clients trolling MySpace for dirt on their neighbors, or petitioning plebs to buy their private jets on Facebook. No, the wealthy want the same exclusivity online as they do at the country club. And so, not...

Registered Rep.: Why would a wirehouse rep want to leave his firm and join yours? J. Andrew Kalbaugh: When wirehouse reps work with our firm, they expand the range of products they can offer clients. Our technology gives our representatives...

Let's review three irrefutable truths: The affluent do not like sales people. Too many veteran advisors have neglected their sales skills. Advisors possessing high-level sales skills can take affluent clients from anybody. Although few would...

Hedge-fund manager Louis Moore Bacon of Moore Capital Management, LLC, just set a new record for the highest price every paid for a piece of residential real estate in the U.S. For $175 million, Bacon purchased 171,400-acre Trinchera Ranch in...

Smart decisions are based on more than government statistics, agency reports, news releases, interest rates and stock quotes. We've selected a few fascinating statistics below that illuminate the markets, the world of financial services and big...