WealthVest, a Bozeman, Mont.-based wholesaler of annuities and structured products, has hired Kevin Beard, a founding partner and former chief growth officer at Atria Wealth Solutions, as chief strategy officer.
In the newly created role, Beard will lead a team of account managers who support over 900 broker/dealers, banks, credit unions and RIAs that WealthVest works with. That includes LPL Financial, Commonwealth and Osaic, among others. WealthVest, founded in 2009, has built fully branded wholesaling teams for firms including MassMutual, USAA, Genworth and Hartford Life.
He’ll also lead WealthVest Investment Services, a new initiative to provide firms with more portfolio options, and, the firm says, a stronger due diligence process for Regulation Best Interest. The goal is to help firms reduce compliance and supervisory burdens, the company said.
“Kevin brings a customer’s perspective and deep experience growing revenue at broker/dealers, RIAs and banks,” said Wade Dokken, president and co-founder of WealthVest, in a statement. “He will ensure WealthVest continues to provide our financial institutions with the new growth opportunities they need. He has a history of success growing financial institutions, and we are excited to bring his experience and ideas to our partners through WealthVest Investment Services.”
As part of the WVIS initiative, Beard will also provide practice management support, helping advisors with case design and closing new business.
“During my career, I’ve seen firsthand the operational hurdles, the increased regulatory burden and increased technology arms race that have stalled growth for broker/dealers and banks,” Beard said, in a statement. “I’m ready to put my experience driving broker/dealer growth and profitability at Atria to work helping small and midsize firms scale with confidence and clarity.”
Beard co-founded Atria in 2017 alongside Doug Ketterer, a former Morgan Stanley executive, and Eugene Elias Jr., who served as Atria’s chief operating officer.
Ketterer and Elias stepped down in April, saying they had reached the end of their journey with the firm as it completed its roll-up into LPL. Beard left Atria in September, along with several top executives from the acquired firm, including several senior marketing executives and employees from investment solutions, practice management, and product strategy.
Prior to founding Atria, Beard was the head of acquisition and recruiting strategy at AIG Advisor Group (now Osaic).
“I hold the team over at Atria and LPL in the highest esteem,” Beard said, about his departure. “They have a very mature management team and very established management team.”
