MIAMI, Oct. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA) ("Ladenburg"), a publicly-traded diversified financial services company, together with its independent broker-dealer subsidiaries Securities America, Inc., Triad Advisors, Inc., Investacorp, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., and Securities Service Network, Inc., today announced the successful conclusion of its sixth annual Ladenburg Institute of Women & Finance Symposium.  The annual event, held this year at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay on October 2^nd and 3^rd, welcomed 160 attendees to hear from industry thought leaders, exchange best practices, expand professional networks and develop strategies for continued business growth.

Founded in 2012, Ladenburg's Institute of Women & Finance (the "Institute") has become a leading force in the independent retail financial advice industry for supporting the entry of more female advisors into the profession, and promoting the strength and success of their businesses by offering targeted practice management and business development programs, together with mentoring opportunities for younger women advisors through its LIFT Mentoring Program.  The Institute's invitation-only annual Symposium brought together top women advisors from Ladenburg's independent advisory and brokerage firms to recognize excellence in financial advice and explore industry opportunities.

"With female retail investors playing a significant and growing role each year in our economy as professional wage earners, business owners and financial decision makers, there's never been a better time for female advisors to build their businesses by delivering comprehensive financial planning and advice that includes supporting the expanding needs of female clients," said Jaime Desmond, COO of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management. "As client expectations and regulatory requirements increase, it's crucial for industry firms to bring more women into the profession and position them to successfully grow their practices by tapping into their ability to effectively connect with, and serve, women clients across the country. We're proud of everything Ladenburg and the Ladenburg Institute of Women & Finance continue to accomplish each year in empowering women advisors to capture new opportunities, build lasting businesses and bring more female professionals across the age spectrum into the financial advice industry."

As part of the event, senior leaders of Ladenburg congratulated the management teams of its broker-dealer subsidiaries for leading the industry in successfully increasing the number of women advisors in the financial advice space.  Ladenburg cited an article published on June 25, 2017 by a leading industry media outlet, Financial Planning magazine, which noted that three of Ladenburg's broker-dealer affiliates are amongst the industry leaders in percentage of female advisors: Triad Advisors with 30.5% female advisors, Securities America with 29.4% and KMS Financial Services with 27.7%.

Richard Lampen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ladenburg, added: "We're extremely proud of the ongoing growth of the Ladenburg Institute of Women & Finance and its annual Symposium, which has become a highly-anticipated event in our industry, for both our home office teams and the advisors we serve.  Our commitment to the Institute's mission of bringing more female professionals into the financial advisor community and providing them with everything they need to succeed is part of our company's DNA.  We look forward to continuing to build this vibrant community of successful and accomplished women advisors at Ladenburg, and to supporting their ability to deliver an exceptional service experience to their clients in the years ahead."

Over the course of the two-day Symposium, featured speakers shared their insights on how shifts in client expectations, demographics and technology are positioning female advisors to address new markets and expand their practices.  The event speakers and presenters also provided fresh ideas on the impact of these broader changes on financial planning strategies, money and relationships, team dynamics and the overall market outlook.

Highlights included:

• Betsy Myers, author and founding director of the Center for Women & Business at Bentley University, discussing how to navigate difficult business situations to achieve the best possible outcome while preserving your integrity.
• Speaker, consultant, coach and psychologist Dr. Denise P. Federer, who engaged attendees through a dynamic program that allowed participants to understand how resistant or open they are to making important changes in thought and behavior that can help them realize their goals.
• Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management President and CIO Philip Blancato and John Hancock Head of Capital Markets Research Emily Roland providing insights on the current state of the markets and how to position client portfolios to both protect and grow assets during volatile times.
• Rob Richardson, Senior Vice President and North America spokesperson for Franklin Templeton's U.S. Advisory Services, demonstrating the process of obtaining financial advice from a client's perspective, and how advisors can use this insight to elevate the client experience.
• Dorinda Walker, Vice President of Consumer Strategy and Key Initiatives within Multicultural Marketing at Prudential, leading a course on how diverse market segments represent a significant growth opportunity for financial professionals. These markets include the Black, Hispanic and Asian American consumer segments as well as the LGBT community, Millennials and the diverse women's market.
• Robert Lang, PhD and nationally recognized authority on urban growth, economic development and population dynamics, leading a discussion on understanding American demographics and why they are essential in projecting where growth will occur.
• An attendee networking opportunity at the Frost Museum of Science, a newly-opened and state-of-the-art facility designed by the award-winning firm Grimshaw Architects and generously contributed by Dr. Philip and Patricia Frost.

The Symposium also provided a forum for new mentors and mentees to meet face-to-face through the Institute's LIFT Mentoring Program, which is now in its fifth year. This innovative program pairs seasoned advisors from across the Ladenburg network with rising advisors and career changers to offer them guidance and direction throughout the year, and has been instrumental in helping younger female advisors in the Ladenburg community benefit from the invaluable experience of successful women who have gone before them in the financial services world.

For further information, please visit www.ltiwf.com.

About Ladenburg Thalmann:
Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA) is a publicly-traded diversified financial services company based in Miami, Florida. Ladenburg's subsidiaries include industry-leading independent broker-dealer firms Securities America, Inc., Triad Advisors, Inc., Securities Service Network, Inc., Investacorp, Inc. and KMS Financial Services, Inc., as well as Premier Trust, Inc., Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management Inc., Highland Capital Brokerage, Inc., a leading independent life insurance brokerage company, Ladenburg Thalmann Annuity Insurance Services LLC, a full-service annuity processing and marketing company, and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an investment bank which has been a member of the New York Stock Exchange for over 135 years. The company is committed to investing in the growth of its subsidiaries while respecting and maintaining their individual business identities, cultures, and leadership. For more information, please visit www.ladenburg.com.

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SOURCE Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc.