Securities America 2014 Connect! Educates and Inspires

La Vista, NE, July 29, 2014 --(PR.com)-- More than 1,100 advisors, assistants and industry experts gathered in San Francisco June 20-23 for Securities America’s Connect! annual conference which provided over 80 educational sessions. Securities America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS). From opening keynote Condoleezza Rice to closing speaker Captain Richard Phillips, Connect! delivered powerfudl content for independent financial advisors at all stages of their practice development.

Rice, who served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, covered a broad range of topics in her 30-minute presentation. “We are the most philanthropic people on the face of the earth. It is responsibility that undergirds this sense of obligation to do good things,” she said.

On Saturday, the conference took an innovative approach to communicating with Next Gen investors with a live interactive panel. Panelists gave their reactions to prerecorded financial advisor messages through instant response dial technology, which allowed the audience to see the panelists’ reactions.

Securities America addressed the other side of the equation – the need for more Next Gen advisors in the industry to meet demand as Boomer advisors retire – with an afternoon workshop specifically for advisors under 40 years of age.

“I learned a lot about the opportunities other Next Gen advisors are capitalizing on and got some valuable practice management solutions to incorporate into my practice, whether helping us locate a potential seller, matching us up to a senior advisor through succession planning or teaching us tips to facilitate our own organic growth,” said advisor Nick Skrabo. “I think Securities America has a long-term focus and knows we are the future of the business.”

In addition to addressing the needs of Next Gen clients and advisors, Securities America brought to the conference a retirement concept different from the traditional brochure pictures of leisure. The 6th annual Super Women’s Summit Luncheon during Connect! featured former New York Times columnist Marci Alboher and Anne Greenwood, former managing director for Morgan Stanley. Now with Encore.org, the two discussed the trend of older Americans opting for a second career that combines personal meaning, continued income and social impact.

Advisors can play a key role in helping Americans plan and fund their second chapters of life, Greenwood said.

“The concept of encore careers gives advisors the opportunity to do well with their business and do good with their clients,” she said. "Advisors can connect with clients in a deeper way, which results in more assets and more clients."

Advisors were also presented with technology updates. Topics included a review of the recently enhanced Vault solution and a preview of the New Business Solutions that are currently in pilot designed to replace existing New Account Setup and New Business Processing systems. The discussion provided advisors in attendance the opportunity to learn how these tools increase efficiency and make it easier than ever to conduct business.

As the kick-off to its 30th Anniversary Charitable Campaign, Securities America hosted an Alex’s Lemonade Stand at Connect!, inviting attendees to join the battle against childhood cancer by drinking some lemonade and donating to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. The firm’s $10,000 corporate donation, combined with donations from conference attendees, raised $51,216 for the foundation. Securities America plans to extend the campaign through July to advisors and employees who did not attend Connect!