HighTower, On Track for Record-Breaking Year, Welcomes New RIA

CHICAGO, Oct. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HighTower announces that IronGate Partners has joined the HighTower community. IronGate Partners Inc. is an RIA overseeing $250 million in assets in Wilmington, N.C. Chief Investment Officer Steve Coggins, Chief Client Officer David R. Hartness and Chief Operating Officer Chris Jones lead the team.

"The addition of IronGate Partners continues our pattern of unprecedented growth throughout 2016," said Michael Parker, Chief Development Officer, HighTower. "Steve, David, Chris and the IronGate team exemplify the high caliber of independent financial advisor that sets HighTower apart."

"The HighTower culture embraces and encourages our independent spirit while enabling us to collaborate with some of the top professionals in our industry," said Mr. Jones. "HighTower's platform provides the sophisticated resources—and the freedom—to help drive the future growth of our business."

IronGate Partners works with clients across the United States. Together, the team's partners and professional staff offer more than 130 years of collective financial planning and wealth management experience to clients.

Prior to IronGate, Mr. Coggins was a Senior Vice President with First Citizens Bank and was also with what is now Wells Fargo Advisors. Mr. Hartness was with First Union and American Express Financial Advisers. Mr. Jones worked with two regional broker/dealer firms and, later, MassMutual Financial Group.

IronGate Partners is the 11^th new team to join HighTower this year. 2016 is on pace to be a record-breaking year of growth for HighTower.

To support the growing demand for its platform to support independent financial advisors and teams, HighTower recently added Jeff Draper to its business development team. Mr. Draper, Executive Director, Business Development, will focus on the Southeast region of the U.S. and joins HighTower from NFP Advisor Services. Previously, he spent 8 years working for LPL Financial. He has more than fifteen years of experience working closely with financial advisor teams to launch their own independent businesses.

"Our growth this year reflects the attractiveness of the HighTower culture, brand and platform to both wirehouse teams and already-independent financial advisor teams looking to make a change," said Mr. Parker. "In addition to welcoming Jeff to HighTower, we are in the process of expanding our business development team in the West and Midwest regions to address increasing demand."

Kimberly Hollenbeck, who joined HighTower in 2014 from Wells Fargo FINET, leads HighTower's independent platform business development team.  Ms. Hollenbeck reports to Mr. Parker, and in addition to Mr. Draper oversees Jim Zahradnick, who covers the Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions, and Tom Brown, who covers the Northeast region.

For media inquiries, please contact Melinda Brodbeck, JConnelly, at 973-850-7348 or [email protected].

About HighTower

HighTower is a national firm built by and for elite financial advisors. HighTower advisors commit to the fiduciary standard: a binding promise to put our clients' interests first. Powered by a proprietary technology and investment platform, HighTower embraces bold change to create a culture of collaboration and growth and to meet the evolving needs of sophisticated investors.  For more information, see www.hightoweradvisors.com and www.byadvisorsforadvisors.com.

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