Wealth Advisor Group Formed

By Trevor Thomas

June 06, 2006 at 11:11 AM

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Life insurance agents and others who serve wealthy investors have banded together to form a new professional group.

The group, the Wealth Advisor Institute, Washington, will set up forums and seminars designed for financial professionals who work with affluent clients, organizers say.

Annual dues will be $300.

Up till now, no membership organization has addressed the varied interests of advisors who specialize in advising clients with assets of $250,000 and up, said Keith Gregg, chairman of the group, today during a press conference announcing the establishment of WAI.

One of these advisors' concerns is that other consultants to the wealthy, such as accountants and tax advisors, distrust financial advisors or view them as little more than salesmen, said Gregg, executive vice president and chief sales officer of Dunham & Associates, San Diego, an investment advisory firm.

"We'll be showcasing the ethics of advisors in this business," Gregg said.

In addition to annual certification of ethics training for each member, the association will offer virtual seminars online and publish surveys of financial advisors and their wealthy clients, said David Grau, WAI president and president of Business Transitions L.L.C., Portland, Ore.

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