OPTIONS AWAY
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OPTIONS AWAY - THE WINNER
HighTower Hosts
Visionaries and Iconoclasts at Apex
Jeffrey Gundlach Predicts No Fed
Interest Hike in 2015; Daniel Pink Upends the Art of Sales, and Attendees Pick
Shark Cage Winner at Second Annual Apex Conference
CHICAGO
— June XX, 2015 — HighTower’s second annual Apex
conference, held June 2-4, brought provocative insights from the financial
services industry and beyond to over 300 attendees at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago.
Keynoters Jeffrey Gundlach and Daniel Pink set the pace for a high-powered
roster of speakers, addressing the trends and challenges that will shape the
industry for years to come.
“When brilliant thinkers and industry iconoclasts come together, new
opportunities for disruption emerge,” said HighTower CEO Elliot Weissbluth. “Our
second annual Apex event captured the dynamic culture of innovation, growth and
collaboration that drives HighTower’s elite advisors.”
Mr. Gundlach, CEO and CIO of DoubleLine Capital, predicted the Federal
Reserve will not raise interest rates in 2015, contrary to popular belief. “When
hourly earnings are rising, that’s a good signal the Fed will raise rates,” he
said. A renowned expert in bond and fixed-income investments, Mr. Gundlach also
countered the notion that junk bonds do well in a rising interest-rate
environment, stating that the data does not back up that belief.
Mr. Pink is the author of five provocative books, including the
long-running New York Times bestsellers “A Whole New Mind,” and “Drive.” Discussing his latest bestseller, “To Sell is Human: The
Surprising Truth About Moving Others,” he offered a fresh take on the art and science of sales. “Having
access to information doesn’t give you an advantage – the ability to curate
information does,” he said, stressing that careful listening is key to
understanding a client’s interests.
In addition to the keynote speakers, this year’s event included a
session entitled “The Power of Brand,” featuring Mr. Weissbluth and Steve
Hayden, co-creator of the famous “1984” campaign for Apple and one of the most
celebrated and admired creative leaders in advertising. Mr. Hayden, who worked
closely with Mr. Weissbluth on the development of the HighTower brand, said
brand building is a “steady investment…brands are more important than ever
[because they] are ownable. They save us time and money.”
The HighTower Shark Cage featured four startup companies in Chicago’s 1871
incubator for digital designers, engineers and
entrepreneurs, who presented their companies’ value propositions and offerings
to the financial services industry. They were then judged by a panel of three
innovator executives: Howard Tullman of 1871, Jud Bergman of Envestnet and
Steve Hayden of Ogilvy. The audience vote went to Robert Brown’s “Options Away,”
which offers airline options as a cheap and
convenient way to hold the best airfare price while you finalize travel plans.
For media inquiries, please contact Melinda
Brodbeck, Jennifer Connelly Public Relations (JCPR), at 973-850-7348 or mbrodbeck@jcprinc.com.
About HighTower
HighTower is an
industry-leading financial services firm offering a unique platform that blends
objective wealth management advice with innovative technology. Our dedication
to transparency in wealth management for investors
and comprehensive support for independent advisors sets us apart. See www.hightoweradvisors.com.
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