Highland Capital Brokerage to Acquire Select Brokerage Services, Inc., Announces New Managing Principal for HCB Southeast
Birmingham, AL: July 13, 2015 – Highland Capital Brokerage, Inc. (HCB), a subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services (NYSE MKT: LTS), announced today that it will acquire Select Brokerage Services, Inc., an affiliate of National Brokerage in Tampa, Florida. Lance Barton, formerly of Select Brokerage Services, Inc., has been named as the new managing principal for HCB’s regional office located in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Barton will replace Chris Heyn, managing principal for HCB Southeast who is retiring effective August 1.
Mr. Barton has been in the insurance and financial services industry for the last 22 years, building and managing distribution, as well as acquiring special expertise in the areas of risk and tax management. He has built robust, national wholesale brokerage operations, as well as trusted retail partnerships.
“We are very pleased and excited to announce that we are acquiring Select Brokerage and hiring Lance Barton as our new Managing Principal for HCB Southeast,” said Jim Gelder, CEO. “I am confident that Lance will build upon the success of Chris Heyn and bring a fresh energy and perspective to our company.”
Mr. Barton previously served as President of NB Signature and a Principal of National Brokerage. He has served, or currently serves, on numerous field advisory boards for the largest insurance providers in the domestic marketplace, including Voya, Transamerica, AIG, and New York Life, to name a few. His creativity and leadership in the areas of sophisticated underwriting, estate planning and premium financing have afforded him and his firm with unprecedented growth in the life insurance industry.
Mr. Barton is a graduate of Florida State University and currently sits on their Board of Directors for the College of Business, Risk Management Insurance School, and Seminole Boosters, among other charitable interests and commitments.
About Highland Capital Brokerage
Committed to helping successful financial advisors and insurance professionals to grow their business, Highland Capital Brokerage, Inc. (HCB) creates trusted relationships by delivering customized insurance solutions, personalized local service and support, and superior value. HCB has differentiated itself among multi-carrier brokerage agencies through an emphasis on providing value-added marketing and point-of-sale support. HCB delivers objective access to major insurance carriers, advanced planning support, expertise in risk underwriting, and back office processing to insurance brokers, financial planners, and various institutions such as banks, wirehouses, and certified public accountant firms. To learn more about Highland Capital Brokerage, visit www.highlandbrokerage.com.
Securities offered through NFP Advisor Services (NFPAS), Member FINRA/SIPC. Highland Capital Brokerage is not affiliated with NFPAS.
About Ladenburg Thalmann
Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS, LTS PrA) is a publicly-traded diversified financial services company based in Miami, Florida. Ladenburg’s subsidiaries include industry-leading independent broker-dealer firms Securities America, Inc., Triad Advisors, Inc., Securities Service Network, Inc., Investacorp, Inc. and KMS Financial Services, Inc., as well as Premier Trust, Inc., Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management Inc., Highland Capital Brokerage, Inc., a leading independent life insurance brokerage company, and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an investment bank which has been a member of the New York Stock Exchange for 135 years. The company is committed to investing in the growth of its subsidiaries while respecting and maintaining their individual business identities, cultures, and leadership. For more information, please visit www.ladenburg.com.
Media Contact:
Wilma Turner, Highland Capital
205.263.9266
