HighTower Expands with New Advisor Team in Maine and Announces Steering Committee for Group Investment Solutions ("GIS")

CHICAGO, Ill., Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HighTower, a national financial services company serving high net worth and institutional clients, is pleased to announce that it has expanded with a new advisor team, Simmons Wilkes Investment Advisors, based in Portland, Maine.  In addition, HighTower appointed several advisors to the Steering Committee for its Group Investment Solutions ("GIS") division.

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"Simmons Wilkes Investment Advisors brings an impeccable reputation with deep industry experience, and we are proud to welcome them to our firm," said Mike Papedis, HighTower's Managing Director of Business Development.

Edward Simmons, Gibson Wilkes, Blake Wilkes and Michael Simmons join as Managing Directors and Partners at HighTower. Previously, the team spent more than 30 years combined at Merrill Lynch.

Mr. Edward Simmons joined Merrill Lynch in 1987. He holds a doctorate in education from Harvard University, was formerly a headmaster and teacher, and serves on the boards of many non-profit organizations.  Mr. Edward Simmons was a Barron's Top 1000 Financial Advisor in 2010 and 2009, and Simmons Wilkes Investment Advisors was among Barron's Top 50 advisor teams in the U.S. in 2009.

Ms. Gibson Wilkes joined Merrill Lynch in 2000 and has been in the financial services industry since 1983. Ms. Gibson Wilkes was just ranked as a Barron's Top 1000 Financial Advisor for 2011. At HighTower, in addition to her role as an advisor, Ms. Gibson Wilkes will assume a leadership role on the GIS Steering Committee.

HighTower's GIS Steering Committee governs the decision-making process for the GIS division, which coordinates HighTower's Investment Offering, Investment Consulting and Research Offering capabilities.  Joining Ms. Gibson Wilkes on the GIS Steering Committee are Pamela Rosenau as co-chair, Michael Bapis, David D'Amico, Larry Gilbert and Justin Towey.  Matthias Paul Kuhlmey, head of GIS, is also co-chair of the Steering Committee.  

"HighTower is a unique partnership of advisors. Our business model supports the best products with the highest level of choice and flexibility," Mr. Kuhlmey said.  "In the spirit of this partnership, we are combining the diverse perspectives of multiple HighTower advisors on the GIS Steering Committee in order to inform HighTower's investment solutions capabilities according to the needs of our clients. We look forward to working together on this shared mission."

For media inquiries, please contact Jennifer Connelly at 973-732-3521 or [email protected].

About HighTower

HighTower is a national, advisor-owned financial services company serving high net worth and institutional clients. HighTower advisors are experienced investment professionals with large and established practices. As a dually-registered, multi-custodial firm, HighTower provides sophisticated investment solutions as well as an independent and unobstructed view of the markets. The company is headquartered in Chicago and maintains corporate centers in New York and San Francisco and offices around the country. See www.hightoweradvisors.com.

SOURCE HighTower

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