Family - Support - Partnership - Relaxed - Respect
Words our reps use to describe us.
This is our story: We purchased a broker/dealer in 1999 with the idea that we could bring a diverse group of registered reps together to provide our clients with a wide range of products offered by producers with a variety of specialties. The reasons a rep joins our firm and stays with us are just as varied.
We treat our brokers like family. There is no other way to put it. Our reps have our work, home, and cell phone numbers and we always take their calls. I have been a registered rep with other firms. To work in this business, you must be registered with a B/D. Too often you wind up being treated like an employee. Well not with us!
Support: I take several rep calls a day, just to answer questions or to get my opinion on a case. If you need a product we don't yet have, we will cross oceans and deserts to get it for you. The approval process for new products is days, not months. I, Richard Carlesco, am your sales support. Bounce ideas off me, I’m happy to do it. Matt Warner, who’s has been at my side since 1999, is an experienced problem solver. He handles the day-to-day operations of the firm, including stock and bond trading and commissions. Chris Avery is our marketing director. When you need a life insurance, annuity, long term care or group benefit quote, just call Chris. He also assists our reps with marketing, advertising ideas and support.
Partnership: Means that you are included in decisions. My top ten reps go to lunch with me regularly. Before any decision is made that might impact their business, I bring the issue to our top ten and get their input. I have made a promise to our reps that our firm will not grow beyond 50 total reps. This is so can remain family oriented and so they will always have access to me.
Relaxed: Is why we are in business. We all have lives to live and we don't need our careers complicating our lives. We do everything we can to make your life easier. I believe that the more time you have to sell the more money you will make. Our disclosure form is 1 page long, not 17. Our compliance meetings are quarterly and we make them fun. They consist of dinner with cocktails, we hear from wholesalers and then have a brief compliance session. One of our compliance meetings each year is held at Alliance Bank Stadium for a Syracuse Chiefs baseball game in the restaurant overlooking the field. It’s a great time! We even offer to pay towards a hotel if any rep has to drive more than 50 miles and wants to stay overnight. If you can't make one of the compliance meetings, we offer the compliance credit online. We also offer voluntary lunch meetings with our wholesalers across the state so you can stay on top of their latest products, news and sales ideas.
Respect: Means we work for you and not the other way around. At most broker/dealers, only the top producers receive special treatment. Here, we truly respect all of our reps and treat them with dignity. You can go to the "Our Associates" page and call any one of our reps and ask them for an honest assessment of how they are treated.
We have as competitive a pay package as anyone. We can even put producers on payroll to solve the quarterly tax issue. We take our top 25% of reps each year to such destinations as Grand Cayman Islands (2009), New Orleans (2008), and Las Vegas (2007). Our 2010 trip is planned for the Grand Cypress in Orlando. We also take our top producers on occasional overnight trips. This year we are going to Saratoga for the horse races and next year to Cooperstown for golf and the Baseball Hall of Fame. My goal is to take more and more reps on our trips until we are taking everyone. I have no problem spending the money we earn on the people who make it all possible, our producers.
Call me and we'll do lunch. Call our office (315-622-3333), ask for Chris Avery and he will schedule a visit to our office. Or I will visit you if that’s more convenient.
