At the Ready: Meet the Wealth Management Operations Team

August 10, 2021

When you’re trying to build a successful wealth management practice, you can’t go at it alone. You need support and an experienced team around you to propel your business forward. That’s why Farm Bureau offers its Wealth Management Advisors access to the Wealth Management Operations team. Here’s how this team can help your wealth management business grow.

Comprehensive Onboarding Support

The Farm Bureau Wealth Management Operations team consists of eight people, including middle office support staff and transition support specialists who help new Wealth Management Advisors transition into the Farm Bureau ecosystem.

That transition process starts with onboarding. Once an advisor decides to join the company, transition specialists usher them through a streamlined onboarding process in which specialists serve as the primary liaison between the custodian, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Farm Bureau Wealth Management Operations, the Wealth Management Advisor and their clients. Specialists coordinate licensing and registration, products and systems training, human resources needs, technology and office set-up and client onboarding through the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) process, among other tasks, during a new Wealth Management Advisor’s initial transition.

Technology Transition

Julie McGonegle, Vice President of Wealth Management Operations at Farm Bureau, says her team also gives new Wealth Management Advisors access to an array of technology and marketing resources they can use to more effectively serve their clients – such as RBC’s powerful platform.

“Those are great value adds, along with the opportunity to integrate with our field force and our client member base,” she says. “We’re a well-established brand in many of these communities. We provide all of the infrastructure of any large firm, but in a user-friendly way so that advisors don’t feel like they’re out on their own. They’ve got a great infrastructure to support them.”

A Better Transition Experience

“Making the decision to transition to a new firm is a significant career decision for many advisors and their clients, which is why the operations team is laser-focused on providing the best onboarding experience possible,” McGonegle says.

“We give attention to every detail and consideration the prospective Wealth Management Advisor may be thinking about,” she says.

Along with transitioning their licensing and registration, and setting up their offices and technology, some of the things the team helps advisors tackle include client communication, transition and training, re-establishing their brand presence and field introductions.

The Wealth Management Operations team is also there to provide support for different service needs or requests — even after advisors are fully onboarded. 

“We have a very dedicated team of support resources who live out the Farm Bureau vision and purpose of ‘protecting livelihoods and futures,’” McGonegle says. “Supporting the Farm Bureau agent and advisor distribution channel is paramount to our client and member value proposition and delivering a positive experience.”

Join Our Team

If you’re looking to become part of a team that offers superior support for your business, contact us to learn more about the opportunities at Farm Bureau.