Cetera Financial Group Appoints J. David Ballard Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Industry-Leading COO to Oversee Operational Strategy and Execution for Leading Network of Independent Broker-Dealer Firms

News provided by

Cetera Financial Group

Apr 06, 2015, 08:30 ET

LOS ANGELES, April 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group (Cetera), a leading network of independent broker-dealer firms, announced today that industry veteran J. David Ballard has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer effective April 13. Mr. Ballard, 47, will be based in Los Angeles and report directly to R. Lawrence "Larry" Roth, Chief Executive Officer of Cetera Financial Group.

With approximately 28 years of experience across a range of senior operating and executive roles in the financial services industry, Mr. Ballard will serve as an integral member of Cetera's executive leadership team, playing a key role in formulating overall strategy and operational plans. Mr. Ballard will focus on developing and executing operations strategies that leverage Cetera's industry-leading scale and resources to provide the platforms and tools that most effectively support the business growth of the financial advisors affiliated with the network's member broker-dealer firms. As part of this role, Mr. Ballard will partner with key leaders at each of the network's member firms.

Mr. Ballard most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the independent broker-dealer network AIG Advisor Group. Prior to that, Mr. Ballard served across a number of senior executive roles at SunAmerica and other AIG business units.

Mr. Roth commented, "There's no question that bringing David to Cetera Financial Group as a recognized industry Chief Operating Officer is an enormous win for our Company, our broker-dealers and the over 9,500 financial advisors our member firms support. Having worked closely for many years with David, I can say that he is one of the most experienced and talented COOs in the independent broker-dealer industry today, with a track record that is widely admired by top executives, advisors and key industry experts within the independent broker-dealer space. David has been tremendously successful at delivering extremely impactful operational results by taking a highly strategic approach. We believe his proven track record is second to none, which will make him a highly valued member of our executive leadership group. David's decision to join Cetera demonstrates how we are effectively bringing together the top professionals, platforms and firms within the industry to achieve our strategic vision. I look forward to working with David once again and am excited about the many opportunities we see going forward."

Mr. Ballard commented, "It's been a privilege to work with Larry Roth over the years, and I am extremely excited about working together once again at one of the largest and fastest-growing independent broker-dealer networks in the country. Cetera Financial Group is rapidly positioning itself as one of the top leaders within the industry, and I look forward to supporting the network in its strategy and operations as it embarks upon the next stages of its development and growth. I firmly believe the best is yet to come for Cetera and look forward to utilizing my skills and experience to help the Company fulfill its significant potential."

About Cetera Financial Group

Cetera Financial Group is the retail investment advice platform of RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP). It is comprised of eleven firms – four legacy Cetera-branded firms (Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Investment Services, marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions, and Cetera Financial Specialists) along with First Allied Securities, Investors Capital, J.P. Turner and Company, The Legend Group, Summit Brokerage and recently acquired VSR Financial Services and Girard Securities. The platform is the second largest independent financial advisor network in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions. Cetera Financial Group delivers award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, and innovative technology to over 9,500 independent financial professionals and over 600 financial institutions nationwide. Through its distinct firms, Cetera Financial Group offers the benefits of a large, established and well-capitalized broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving independent and institutions-based financial advisors in a way that is customized to their unique needs and aspirations. Cetera Financial Group is committed to helping advisors grow their businesses and strengthen their relationships with clients. For more information, visit www.ceterafinancialgroup.com.

About RCS Capital

RCS Capital Corporation (NYSE: RCAP) is a full-service investment firm expressly focused on the individual retail investor. With operating subsidiaries including retail advice services, wholesale distribution, investment banking, capital markets, investment research, investment management and crowdfunding, RCS Capital's business is designed to capitalize, support, grow and maximize value for the investment programs it distributes and the independent advisors and clients it serves. Additional information about RCS Capital can be found on its website at www.rcscapital.com. RCS Capital may disseminate information about itself, including the results of its operations and financial information, via social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Important Notice

The statements in this press release include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Cetera Financial Group and members of its management team, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based, and generally are identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "seeks," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "should," "look forward" or similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements due to certain factors. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in RCS Capital's filings with the SEC, which are available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and none of Cetera Financial Group nor RCS Capital undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.

Media Contact:

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Haven Tower Group
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Matthew Griffes
Haven Tower Group
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SOURCE Cetera Financial Group