Voya Financial Advisors Launches New Practice Management Tool to Support Advisor Business Growth

WINDSOR, Conn., Nov. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that its retail broker-dealer and registered investment adviser Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., has launched its Business Builder tool, the latest addition to the firm's expanding suite of practice management resources. The new tool, a data-driven modeling and forecasting system, will allow advisors to set and monitor the progress of business growth goals, helping drive overall success. With a targeted focus on offering advisors the latest in industry-leading tools and training, Voya Financial Advisors (VFA) has been evolving its network in the past year while making significant investments in new resources, technology enhancements and expanded advisory programs. This has helped the firm grow annual advisory sales by 30 percent during 2015 and drive annual recruiting Assets under Management (AUM) up 115% through the third quarter of 2016.

"As the financial planning landscape continues to adapt to new regulation and the retirement needs of Americans, it's more important than ever before for firms to support the business growth of its advisors," said Tom Halloran, president of Voya Financial Advisors. "At Voya Financial Advisors, we are constantly looking at greater resources and tools to strengthen those efforts, such as our new Business Builder tool. By investing in the most current and relevant practice management offerings, we are helping advisors run their businesses more effectively and efficiently, which means they can better serve the holistic retirement needs of their clients."

The Business Builder tool was designed to help advisors who serve both retail clients and those serving participants in school, government and nonprofit employer-sponsored retirement plans. The tool will assist all advisors in better managing overall practice models and in aiding the financial and retirement goals of clients. Advisors primarily benefit from the tool's ability to fit specific business models, providing a comprehensive view of overall Gross Dealer Concession (GDC), sales, and net new assets across multiple product categories, which enables a more efficient estimate of growth projections. Building on the strong network of retirement advisors who work in the Tax-Exempt Market (TEM) space, the tool also provides capabilities for adjustments to better fit the unique TEM business model. Retail-focused advisors will now also have access to an established retirement plan market to better suit their individual needs.

An ongoing commitment to business growth

This latest practice management offering builds upon a series of resources and value-added services that VFA has been rolling out to its network. Earlier this summer, the broker-dealer launched an industry-leading content repository that provides advisors with access to numerous online tools, webinar content, newsletters, discussion groups, and a large network of expert partners and contributors. Most recently, VFA introduced an expanded and enhanced social media program, providing advisors with the ability to create customized content that can help them develop a distinctive voice in the market.

"Our goal is to be a top destination for advisors," added Halloran. "As we continue to expand our network of talent, we are committed to supporting them with the tools and resources that will demonstrate their value proposition in the market — ultimately helping their clients get ready to retire better."

Voya Financial Advisors is a top-tier independent broker-dealer and registered investment adviser focused on helping advance the retirement readiness and financial security needs of Americans. For more information, visit www.voyafa.com.

As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America's Retirement Company™ and its mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time.

Media Contact: 
Laura Maulucci                                                 
Voya Financial                                                 
Office: (860) 580-1278                                      
Cell: (508) 353-6913                                          
Laura.Maulucci@voya.com   

About Voya Financial^®

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings — to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2015. The company had $480 billion in total assets under management and administration as of September 30, 2016. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time — Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company™. The company is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible — Voya has been recognized as one of the 2016 World's Most Ethical Companies^® by the Ethisphere Institute, and as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

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SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.