ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Centaurus Financial® ranks as one of the top 50 independent broker/dealers based on gross revenue for the eighth straight year according to InvestmentNews. Every year since 2004, the financial advisory periodical InvestmentNews has conducted an annual survey and ranking of independent broker/dealers; and every year since 2004, Centaurus Financial® has ranked in the Top 50. For 2010, Centaurus Financial® ranked #35 among independent broker/dealers based on gross revenue and #43 based on the number of registered representatives affiliated with the firm. Additional metrics from the InvestmentNews survey show comparable success, demonstrating Centaurus Financial’s leadership amongst independent broker dealers based on the success achieved by the independent financial advisors associated with the firm.
Headquartered in Orange County, California, the independent broker-dealer and registered investment advisor first opened its doors in 1992. Centaurus Financial® has enjoyed consistent growth in both revenue and the number of registered representatives affiliated with the firm for most of its 19 year history.
Westley King, the President of Centaurus Financial®, attributes the longstanding success of the firm to its proprietary training series known as the Quantum Leap Workshops™. “Our focus has always been and continues to be on organic growth. We adhere to the basic philosophy that the right way to grow is by growing the business of our own financial advisors. While other firms spend valuable time, money and resources on expensive recruiting teams and marketing campaigns, we take those same dollars and invest them back into the registered representatives that have already joined our firm. This strategy has built our firm, built the practices of our financial advisors and ultimately continues to attract top talent when they recognize our commitment to their growth.”
Ron King, the Chairman and CEO of Centaurus Financial®, also points to investments in the firm’s own employees and technology as a key factor to its successful growth. Mr. King noted that the firm benefited during the “Great Recession” of 2008/2009 by hiring from a strong pool of available talent. As Mr. King noted, “While other major firms laid off 20-30% of their workforce and cut back their services at a time when their independent financial advisors needed them most, we added employees and filled key strategic posts. As a legacy firm with a long-term vision, we expect business to be cyclical and try to plan for that reality.” Mr. King continued by adding, “And it feels great to be creating jobs at a time when so many people are hungry for employment.”
One key hire for Centaurus Financial® has been their new Chief Information Officer, Robert Castaneda, who has led a series of technology efforts for the firm over the last year and a half. Mr. Castaneda, a graduate of UCLA with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics with a Specialization in Computing, has over a decade of experience in leading financial services and other firms through major technology endeavors. In his short tenure at Centaurus, Mr. Castaneda has helped the firm successfully migrate its financial advisors to a fully encrypted, hosted and archived email platform using Perimeter E-Security, led the implementation effort of Albridge Solutions for the firm’s consolidated wealth and performance reporting and facilitated the adoption of TD Ameritrade Institutional as a dual solution for advisors utilizing Centaurus Financial’s fee-based platform. According to Mr. Castaneda, “It’s been a busy 18 months and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work with a firm that is committed to providing a best-in-class technology experience for its financial advisors in the field.”
Centaurus Financial, Inc.® is a leading independent broker/dealer licensed to offer securities and insurance products in all fifty states. Centaurus is registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission and is a member of both FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and SIPC (the Securities Investor Protection Corporation). For registered representatives, insurance agents or financial advisors interested in joining one of the leading independent broker-dealers in the country, please visit Centaurus Financial’s website for financial professionals at www.joincfi.com or contact Kathy Swindell or Kurt Moseley at (800) 880-4234.