Woodbury-Questar Deal Shakes Up World Of Insurance-Owned BDs

Woodbury Financial Services, an independent wealth management firm with more than 1,200 advisors across the country, has been selected by Questar Capital Corporation and Questar Asset Management, subsidiaries of Allianz Life Insurance Co. as the preferred affiliation partner for Questar advisors.

This announcement comes as Allianz Life has made the decision to leave its retail broker-dealer and registered investment advisor businesses. Woodbury is part of the Advisor Group network and has experienced record-breaking growth over the past year.

The Questar deal means just four insurance-owned independent broker-dealers remain: Lincoln Financial, Pro Equities, Ohio National Equity and Equity Services.

Questar advisors joining Woodbury will have access to industry-leading platforms, featuring completely digital account opening, business and marketing coaching, and sophisticated wealth management solutions.

They will also have access to dedicated field support through Woodbury's Regional Vice Presidents, a model very similar to Questar's. In addition, since both firms clear through Pershing, Questar advisors will not need to repaper most of their clients' accounts when transitioning to Woodbury – avoiding a major pain point associated with most transitions.

"We are honored that Allianz Life and Questar have selected Woodbury as their preferred affiliation partner for Questar's advisors," said Rick Fergesen, president and CEO of Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. "Our firms' cultures are closely aligned and we share a similar regional field support system. Questar advisors will feel at home at Woodbury, and will benefit from our business-friendly technology and product platforms. We couldn't be more pleased to welcome them to our family."

Through this deal, Questar advisors will gain access to considerable resources, including:

• State-of-the-art technology, including eQuipt, a completely digital client account opening solution, and Advisor Business Intelligence peer benchmarking and business reporting
• A sophisticated commission reporting system allowing for detailed reports using filters such as product type, transaction, trends, etc.
• Leading wealth management solutions, including Genesis Model Portfolios with minimums as low as $5,500
• Business continuity, acquisition, and succession planning support, including our award-winning www.MySuccessionPlan.com website that matches advisors looking to buy or sell their practices
• Innovative advisor marketing support, including the popular MyCMO marketing platform
• Business support through regional Investment Advisory Consultants and Sales Desk, and Advanced Sales team

In the coming months, Woodbury and Questar will be working together to conduct a seamless transition.

"Questar has produced strong results, and we are pleased to have found a partner in Woodbury that can build on these results by providing reps with an outstanding platform for future growth," said Walter White, president and CEO of Allianz Life. "The cultural similarities between the two organizations will help smooth the transition, and we are confident that Woodbury will be a great long-term partner for Questar advisors."

"The decision to partner with us is a testament to our focus on both culture and innovation," said Jamie Price, president and CEO of Advisor Group. "We are committed to putting advisors first, so they have what they need to best serve their clients and their businesses. This is an exciting time of growth for our company and we are honored to have been selected by Allianz Life and Questar management as the best home for their advisors."

For media inquiries regarding this announcement, contact: advisorgroup@ficommpartners.com.

About Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.
Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. is part of one of the nation's largest networks of independent financial advisors and a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA and SIPC. Woodbury Financial is supported by Advisor Group, one of the largest independent wealth management networks in the industry. The firm has more than 1,200 affiliated independent financial advisors and is headquartered in Oakdale, MN.  Woodbury employs a client-driven approach focused on meeting the unique demands of businesses and individuals. For more information visit https://www.joinwoodbury.com/.

About Advisor Group
Advisor Group, Inc. is one of the nation's largest networks of independent financial advisors serving over 5,000 advisors and overseeing more than $200 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, the firm is mission-driven to support the heroic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients, offering securities and investment advisory services through its subsidiaries FSC Securities Corp., Royal Alliance Associates Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc. and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., as broker/dealers, registered investment advisors and members of FINRA and SIPC. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial advisors and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way. For more information visit http://www.advisorgroup.com/.

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