Advisor Group Earns Spot on 2012 InformationWeek 500 List of Top Technology Innovators across America

Advisor Group’s Focus on Information Security Leads to Second Consecutive Placement on Prestigious List

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advisor Group, one of the largest independent broker-dealer networks in the nation, today announced that it made this year’s InformationWeek 500, an annual listing of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. The annual list was revealed last night at a gala awards ceremony at the exclusive InformationWeek 500 Conference. This marks the second consecutive year Advisor Group has earned inclusion in the list.

“We strive to provide our financial advisors unparalleled access to the industry’s leading technology, all with their clients’ security and privacy in mind. We continue to enhance our advisor-facing technology and will continue to invest heavily in our open architecture platform.”

“We are excited to be included in the 2012 InformationWeek 500,” said David Ballard, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer of Advisor Group. “We strive to provide our financial advisors unparalleled access to the industry’s leading technology, all with their clients’ security and privacy in mind. We continue to enhance our advisor-facing technology and will continue to invest heavily in our open architecture platform.”

Advisor Group’s VISION2020 Advisor Portal website earned the group inclusion in last year’s InfoWeek500. This year’s win was based on innovative security features embedded into the Portal. To ensure that advisors accessing the secured Advisor Portal site were not compromising data security by using unsecured workstations, Advisor Group developed an innovative software tool that reviews the workstation requesting access to the Portal to identify any potential security vulnerabilities. Advisor Group customized technology to handle this review, while ensuring minimal disturbance to the advisor. By assisting advisors’ with properly securing their workstations, Advisor Group is building a safer platform for both advisors and clients. Advisors are confident that confidential information is always protected and clients understand that Advisor Group is absolutely committed to their privacy and security.

“The InformationWeek 500 has recognized the most innovative users of business technology for 24 years, and this year’s innovations were particularly impressive,” said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. “What the editors looked for are unconventional approaches—new technologies, new models, new ways of grabbing business opportunities and solving complex business problems with IT.”

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. Top winners have included: The Vanguard Group, CME Group, Conway, National Semiconductor, Kimberly-Clark, Hilton Hotels and Unum. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.

Advisor Group is one of the largest independent broker-dealer networks in the United States and consists of FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates and SagePoint Financial, Inc. These independent broker-dealers, with more than 4,800 independent financial advisors, are all wholly-owned subsidiaries of Advisor Group. In July 2012, Advisor Group announced its parent company, SunAmerica Financial Group, signed a definitive agreement to purchase Woodbury Financial Services. This transaction is expected to be finalized by the end of 2012.

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