H.D. Vest Moves Forward with First Clearing Brokerage Clearing Conversion

PR Contact: Susan Patrick
H.D. Vest Communications Consultant
(972) 870-6149
pr@hdvest.com
www.hdvest.com

IRVING, TEXAS (January 18, 2011) — Broker/dealer H.D. Vest Investment Services^SM converted its brokerage clearing functions to First Clearing, LLC (FCLLC) from Wells Fargo Investments, LLC (WFI) during the weekend of January 15–17, 2011. H.D. Vest also enhanced its systems, technology, and products as part of its ongoing Vest Forward initiative.

“Through this conversion, H.D. Vest has increased its access to products and technology tools made available by the third* largest brokerage firm in the country (Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC), but we’ve retained the customization necessary to support Advisors with a tax practice,”said H.D. Vest President Roger Ochs.

H.D. Vest Advisors now enjoy an enhanced, robust technology platform and new tools through secure HDVLink^®, the firm’s Advisor web portal. In addition to housing applications that facilitate paperless processing of mutual funds and aggregate mutual funds, annuities and brokerage accounts, HDVLink now gives Advisors access to products, research and service capabilities that were previously manual in nature. When coupled with HDVLink’s fully-integrated CRM capability, which supports on-line learning and social networking between H.D. Vest Advisors, these enhancements give Advisors powerful tools to manage their practices and support clients.

Advisors and their clients have access to an expanded array of products, services and planning tools. One new exciting planning tool is Envision^®, which is a powerful resource for Advisors to engage new clients and re-energizing existing relationships. Envision is an innovative investment planning process designed to become the connecting link between Advisors and their clients.

“As the financial landscape continues to change, clients expect their Advisors and H.D. Vest to stay competitive,” stated Ochs. “Our Vest Forward initiative has the high-end horsepower necessary to support the most successful Advisors and the ease of use required by Advisors new to adding financial services to their tax practices.”

Prior to the conversion, H.D. Vest Advisors received extensive training through eCourses, video quick tips, job aids, webcasts and videos. H.D. Vest hosted the Vest Forward Symposium in December 2010 in Dallas to train Advisors and assistants on the Vest Forward enhancements.

About H.D. Vest, Inc.

Based in Irving, Texas, since its inception in 1983, H.D. Vest Financial Services supports an independent network of tax and non-tax professionals who distribute comprehensive financial planning solutions, including securities, insurance, money management services and Wells Fargo banking products. Approximately 5,200 independent contractors manage over $26 billion in assets for some 1.8 million individuals, families and small businesses in all 50 states. H.D. Vest became a non-bank subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company in July 2001.

Brokerage accounts carried by First Clearing, LLC,
Member FINRA/SIPC and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

Wells Fargo Investments LLC (Member SIPC), is a non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

*As of the third quarter of 2010