Finance
Elite Team Managing $1.5 Billion in Assets Joins Ameriprise Financial for Sophisticated Resources to Take Their Practice to the Next Level
The team of five financial advisors say their high-net-worth clients will benefit from Ameriprise’s innovative and fully integrated digital capabilities
MINNEAPOLIS, August 13, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Q5 Wealth Management, a financial advisory team managing $1.5 billion in client assets in Beaumont and Houston, Texas, recently joined the independent channel of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) from UBS Financial Services, Inc. Financial advisors Omar Bitar, Jeremy Saba, Mike Persia, Ed Persia, and Brad Klein conducted an extensive search for a new broker-dealer and chose Ameriprise for the firm’s robust resources to elevate their high-net-worth clients’ experience and significantly scale their practice. Specifically, the advisors were energized by Ameriprise’s innovative and fully integrated digital capabilities that will make it more efficient to consistently exceed clients’ expectations.
Reflecting on the move, Mike Persia said, “Clients are the core of everything we do, and they trust us to provide advice that propels them to reach their unique goals in life. Our team continually evaluates the way we’re doing business to ensure we’re delivering them the highest value. We saw an opportunity with Ameriprise to enhance our client offering and better position our practice for future growth.”
Q5 Wealth Management serves high-net-worth clients across the United States. The team specializes in advising on complex financial situations for individuals planning for retirement, families and business owners. “It’s our job as advisors to make it as easy as possible for clients to manage their financial lives in a comprehensive way,” Jeremy Saba added. “Ameriprise has leading capabilities that create efficiencies for clients and our team, as well as a sophisticated wealth management platform equipped with the products and services our clients want and need.”
The team chose to join Ameriprise’s independent channel because it offered the right balance of tenured support from leadership and flexibility to run their practice their way.
“We’re excited to welcome Q5 Wealth Management to our Ameriprise network,” said Ameriprise Field Vice President Logan Clipp. “Ameriprise is very thoughtful about the advisors we choose to partner with because we put significant time and resources into helping each one grow and serve clients exceptionally well. Omar, Jeremy, Mike, Ed, and Brad exemplify what it means to run a growth-focused, client-centric practice.”
Ameriprise Regional Vice President Tres Rouquette also supports the team.
The team includes their supporting staff, Investment Specialists Kevin Wagner and Ashley Carter, Client Service Managers Sherri Thompson, Brandy Head and Taryn King, and Client Concierge Dena McNiel.
Ameriprise has continued to attract experienced, productive financial advisors, with more than 400 advisors moving their practices to Ameriprise in 2023 and approximately 1,700 joining the firm in the last 5 years.1 To find out why experienced financial advisors are joining Ameriprise, visit ameriprise.com/why.
About the Ameriprise Ultimate Advisor Partnership
The Ameriprise Ultimate Advisor Partnership offers a differentiated experience for advisors that helps them accelerate growth while delivering an excellent client experience. Combined with the company’s culture of support and independence, the Ultimate Advisor Partnership enables advisors to scale their businesses, deepen client relationships and drive referrals for future growth.
About Ameriprise Financial
At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for 130 years. With extensive investment advice, asset management and insurance capabilities and a nationwide network of approximately 10,000 financial advisors2, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors’ financial needs.
Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results.
Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.
Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.
©2024 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
1 Ameriprise Financial 2023 10-K.
2 Ameriprise Financial Q2 2024 Earnings Release.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240813289340/en/
Contacts
Alison Mueller, Media Relations
612.678.7183
alison.g.mueller@ampf.com
Finance
Southport takes ‘each day at a time’ as state investigation continues
Southport communities and families continue to seek for recreational activities as state investigators keep probing into the city parks and recreation department.
It’s been more than two weeks since the State Bureau of Investigation began its investigation into Southport’s Parks and Recreation Department and the city remains unsure as to what will happen after the investigation.
Southport Police Chief Todd Coring on March 11 requested the State Bureau of Investigation to assist with investigating a financial discrepancy within the city, SBI Public Information Director Chad Flowers said.
At 4:45 p.m. on March 11, the city of Southport published a news release announcing four unnamed employees from its parks and recreation department were placed on paid administrative leave due to an “appearance of financial irregularities.” The announcement also stated parks and recreation programs and facilities were on shutdown.
The “appearance” of financial irregularities was discovered after a forensic accounting investigation, according to the release.
Though approximately 13 children participated in the parks and recreation programs, Public Information Officer ChyAnn Ketchum said, the community used the facilities for events, activities, sports and classes.
Asked how often the facilities were used by the community, Ketchum was unable to provide a response.
“We are still working on gathering data, so I am not able to provide even an estimate right now,” Ketchum said.
What has happened since the shutdown?
Program Director Maureen “Cookie” Moore resigned March 12, Ketchum confirmed.
The city’s parks and recreation before and after-school programs have been suspended indefinitely and all parks and recreation facilities and buildings remain closed, and events cancelled until further notice.
The city’s community relations department has tried to help by temporarily taking over reservations of the Jaycee Building to honor existing reservations and hosting an Easter egg hunt.
Since the parks and recreation department matter has been turned to the SBI for further review, agents with the SBI’s coastal division are actively working to handle the case, Flowers previously told the StarNews.
What’s next for the case and the city of Southport?
The case remains ongoing and active, Flowers said. No new information is being released at this time.
“Financial crimes cases normally take longer due to the number of documents and records involved,” Flowers said.
When it comes to how the city will move forward after the investigation closes, Ketchum is unsure.
“Because it is still an active investigation, we have to take each day at a time,” Ketchum said.
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Savanna Tenenoff covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@usatodayco.com.
Finance
State to appoint fiscal monitor over NOLA-PS, citing ‘significant’ financial management issues
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Louisiana’s Department of Education has informed the Orleans Parish public school district that it will install a monitor to oversee its financial management, citing a pattern of “significant deficiencies” over the past two years.
State superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley delivered the news in a letter sent Friday (March 27) to NOLA-PS superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore.
“Due to repeated accounting miscalculations within the Orleans Parish School System (NOLA-PS), schools have faced multiple years of financial uncertainty,” Brumley wrote. “This letter serves as formal notice that, as a result of these errors, the Louisiana Department of Education will appoint a fiscal risk monitor for your school system.
“The purpose of this appointment is to provide enhanced oversight of tax revenue accounting and reporting by NOLA-PS. This will include special engagement conducted by an independent certified public accountant over the next year.”
NOLA-PS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox 8.
Brumley cited a list of alleged “deficiencies” by the New Orleans school district, including:
- Failure to adhere to fundamental accounting principles
- Classification in the LDOE Fiscal Risk Assessment “Monitor” category, reflecting a high level of concern, including designation under a Critical Situation during the fiscal year
- Negative impacts on budgeting decisions for school systems across the state
- Provision of inaccurate financial information to NOLA-PS schools
- Potential violation of state law due to failure to provide accurate financial data to LDOE
The appointed monitor will be tasked with reviewing the financial practices of the district, ensuring it takes corrective measures, and reporting back to the LDOE about changes made and ongoing risks. It is believed to be the first state intervention into the Orleans Parish school system since it was restructured in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Nyesha Veal has served as the chief financial officer for NOLA-PS since 2024. Brumley’s letter did not mention her by name, but alleged a pattern of accounting errors and financial mismanagement over the past two years, including the recent underreporting of approximately $13 million in sales tax revenue in the last annual financial report.
Brumley wrote that the LDOE was notified of this problem by “school leaders,” and that the NOLA-PS CFO was questions about the disparity.
“During that discussion, the CFO acknowledged that the STR data submitted to LDOE was incorrect and had been underreported by approximately $13 million. The CFO further indicated that the omission of June 2025 sales tax revenue from the AFR, as well as the delayed submission of tax data, had no impact.
“This assertion is incorrect. The omission and delay have had material consequences, including impacts on statewide funding calculations and local budget planning. This reflects a concerning lack of understanding regarding the importance of accurate and timely financial reporting by NOLA-PS. … This is not an isolated incident of concern within the financial management of the system that can be overlooked as a simple mistake. Instead, this is a repeated pattern and must be addressed immediately.”
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Finance
Car finance saga: Millions of motorists to find out how they will be compensated
Millions of motorists who were mis-sold a car loan will find out how they will be compensated, as the finance watchdog shares its final plans for an industry-wide scheme.
Final decisions on the long-awaited programme will be published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on Monday afternoon.
The regulator set out draft plans last year but it is likely to make several changes after receiving more than 1,000 responses to its consultation.
Under the latest proposals, the scheme will cover car finance agreements taken out between April 6 2007 and November 1 2024.
The FCA estimated that around 14 million deals, or 44% of all those made since 2007, were unfair and therefore eligible for compensation.
Consumers were estimated to be compensated an average of £700 per agreement, but it will be more or less depending on individual cases.
This was expected to come at a total cost of £11 billion to the industry, including the total payouts and the operational costs of running the scheme.
Craig Tebbutt, a financial health expert for Equifax UK, said: “It has previously been estimated that average compensation levels could be in the region of £700 per agreement but the final details around the scale, scope and timelines are expected to be confirmed on Monday.
“However, there is nothing to stop consumers checking their paperwork now and getting their details ready in the meantime.”
He said research by the credit reporting firm found that “many consumers don’t know how to check their eligibility and expect the process to be a hassle, with old or missing paperwork being a real barrier”.
Equifax has launched a car finance checker within its new app that lets people see a list of their past agreements and copy the details, with motorists encouraged to send a complaint to their lender using a template on the FCA’s website if they think they’re eligible for a payout.
Lenders and car finance providers had been challenging the FCA’s proposals with some raising concerns that the expected amount of compensation is too high and does not accurately reflect what customers lost.
On the other side, some consumer groups and MPs have argued that many motorists will be short-changed under the current plans.
The FCA has already announced some changes that it is making to the process since the proposals were unveiled last year.
This includes giving lenders more time to contact motor finance customers from when the scheme is officially launched.
But it is also aiming to streamline the process by allowing those due redress to accept it immediately without waiting for a final determination.
It thinks that this means million of people would receive compensation in 2026.
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