Pictured (l. to r.) are Kate Healy, managing director of TD Ameritrade’s Generation Next Program; Will Ransom, a business and economics major from Shepherdstown; Heather Thompson, an accounting major from Martinsburg; and Tom Nally, TD Ameritrade Institutional president. Photo credit: ©LILA PHOTO for TD Ameritrade Institutional
Dr. Janine Scott, assistant professor of business administration, Heather Thompson, an accounting major from Martinsburg, and Will Ransom, a business and economics major from Shepherdstown, attended TD Ameritrade’s 2019 National LINC conference February 6-9 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. TD Ameritrade covered airfare, hotel, and the registration fee so the Shepherd trio could attend the conference.
“It was good to engage with other financial program directors and faculty representatives,” Scott said. “There were 33 in attendance from universities across the U.S. I was able to attend continuing education sessions, some of which count toward my Certified Financial Planner designation.”
The National LINC Conference is one of the industry’s largest events for independent registered investment advisors. Scott said approximately 190 financial planning students and more than 800 financial advisors attended.
Ransom said the conference provided a great networking opportunity and students took courses that focused on building skills to be successful in the investment industry.
“The conference provided tremendous guidance for a student wishing to become a financial planner,” he said. “The sessions were very engaging and they involved collaboration with fellow students. Students got to meet with financial advisors to ask questions and build relationships. I would recommend attending this conference to any student looking to enter the field or learn more about the industry.”
“I think that it was a worthwhile experience and I would go again in a heartbeat,” Thompson said.
In addition to being a provider of custody and brokerage for more than 7,000 registered investment advisors, TD Ameritrade Institutional is committed to helping attract a new generation of talent to the industry and raising the profile of financial planning at the nation’s colleges and universities. For 10 years, TD Ameritrade has invited undergraduate financial planning students and program directors from dozens of schools to the conference, while covering travel and hotel expenses.