50 Top Women in Wealth Management for 2010

Selected by an advisory board of distinguished women involved in the wealth management business, the list of the 50 Top Women in Wealth Management for 2010 includes the most influential, powerful, inspiring women in wealth management today.

Members of this impressive list were selected by the Top Women in Wealth Advisory Board. Some key members of this board are:

>> Jennifer Connelly, founder and CEO of JCPR, Inc., a financial services public relations firm.

>> Mindy Diamond, CEO and president, Diamond Consultants, a financial services recruiting firm.

>> Sheryl Garrett, founder of the Garrett Planning Network, Inc.

>> Gail Graham, executive vice president, Fidelity Institutional

>> Deena Katz, associate professor at Texas Tech University, and partner at Evensky & Katz

>> Ranji Nagaswami, former chief investment officer, AllianceBernstein

>> Kim Wright-Violich, president of Schwab Charitable

As selected by the board, the list aims to honor and celebrate women who epitomize the profession of wealth management. Members of the list are being recognized for their integrity, longevity, knowledge, community, energy, enthusiasm, entrepreneurship and encouragement of other women in the industry, rather than for the size of their financial practice or business.

Among the many women of note on the list are Sallie Krawcheck,president of Bank of America Global Wealth & Investment Management, ; Jessica Bebliowicz, chairman, president and CEO of National Financial Partners; and Margaret Starner, senior vice president of financial planning with Raymond James & Associates.

These 50 women are their clients’ advocates and their colleagues’ mentors. They contribute to the common good, excel in academia, have wealth management practices, and run firms, regulatory and legislative bodies.

They come from the broker-dealer, RIA, family office, private banking worlds and also encompass leaders from other parts of the financial-services universe, as well as forward thinkers who inspire by their innovation and excellence.

We hope you will enjoy reading about these illustrious women and learning more as we continue to add profiles of these honorees and articles about our survey findings throughout the year in a special area dedicated to Women in Wealth Management on WealthManagerWeb.com.

A View from the Top: Sallie Krawcheck

Currently president of Bank of America Global Wealth & Investment Management, Krawcheck is upbeat about her role as a leader in financial services:

“Our great opportunity is in our ability to emerge from the financial crisis as a better organization for our clients – be they individuals, companies, or foundations. We’re looking not just at what we do for them, but how we do it. Are we making their lives simpler or more complicated? Are we being clear and transparent? Would they be willing to refer their friends and family to us?

“I believe I benefit from my perspective as a former analyst and competitor. Over the long run, the most successful organizations will be those that can leverage their full global resources for clients – from checking to investment banking and from Mumbai to Manhattan – while making it easy for the client to take advantage of these resources.

“Bank of America’s growth philosophy has been to acquire skills, capabilities and businesses that matter most to clients. No one — and I mean no one — can match us when it comes to meeting client needs on so many levels. With all these capabilities, our job now is to knit the businesses together in such a way that we become indispensable to clients.”

Catherine Ayers-Rigsby Managing Director, CFA Ceros Financial Services, Inc. Rockville MD

Patricia C. Besser Managing Director, Senior Wealth Advisor U.S.Trust, Bank of America Chicago IL

Jessica M. Bibliowicz Chairman, President and CEO National Financial Partners Corp. New York NY

Phyllis C. Borzi Assistant Secretary of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration Washington DC

Patricia C. Brennan President Key Financial West Chester PA

Mary Erdoes CEO, Asset Management JPMorgan New York NY

Carrie Coghill-Kuntz President D. B. Root & Company Pittsburgh PA

Gail Cohen Vice Chairman and General Trust Counsel; Director Fiduciary Trust Company International New York NY

Denise Voigt Crawford Securities Commissioner Texas State Securities Board Austin TX

Marilyn B. Capelli Dimitroff President Capelli Financial Services, Inc. Bloomfield Hills MI

Sheila Dorman SVP, Chief Operating Officer Northern Trust Securities Inc. Chicago IL

Coventry Edwards-Pitt Managing Director, Sr. Client Advisor Ballentine Finn Waltham MA Wolfeboro NH

Linda J. Fitz Principal, Co-Founder Aspiriant San Francisco CA

Tamar Frankel Professor of Law Boston University School of Law Boston MA

Sara Hamilton Founder and CEO FOX Family Office Exchange Chicago IL