Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc.

Despite the current financial industry news, it’s not all gloom and doom for investors. Smaller independent broker-dealer firms like Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. can – as they have been doing for years – offer investors a wide variety of products to balance out their portfolio while continually maintaining focus on personal relationships.

At Berthel Fisher, clients and reps can be assured that they “have enough investment choices to maneuver through the difficulties. They don’t have to panic,” said Thomas Berthel, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Berthel Fisher.

Rather than jump on board with products that are creating industry excitement, Berthel Fisher investigates investment opportunities to decide if the products fit the long-term strategies of the company and its investors.

“We had access to subprime markets but we chose not to focus in that direction. We made a choice,” Berthel said.

The subprime markets seemed to be complicated and confusing. Excess borrowing by homeowners also seemed to be out of control. Flipping real estate was not a long-term plan, Berthel commented.

“At Berthel Fisher we don’t approach reps with a hard sell, pushing in a certain direction toward specific products. When a new product is added, it’s just another investment option. They have a choice,” Berthel said.

At a time when the financial crisis was beginning to hit in 2006 and 2007, Berthel Fisher had its best year ever, largely due to alternative products that sold well, Berthel said.

The company also attracts and retains high quality reps who, in most cases, are drawn to Berthel Fisher because of the wide variety of financial products, said Ronald Brendengen, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Americans love to make money and hear about success, Berthel said. What has been happening on Wall Street was very exciting, and there were few boundaries for what could be done. But buyouts and bailouts will most likely bring new rules and regulations for the industry.

“Independent firms have to start thinking about what our role is because it’s going to be a different landscape,” Berthel said. “We believe we will continue to be a strong part of the growth in the industry.”

That could benefit not only investors but also offer new opportunities for our firm and representatives. The independent broker/dealer market is the fastest growing segment of the brokerage market. Berthel Fisher has been named in the top 50 independent-contractor broker-dealers (ranked by total revenues) in Investment News.

Reps on board with larger companies are being forced to adjust to a lot of changes higher up in their organization. Rather than continue, those reps may want to turn to independents like Berthel Fisher as an opportunity to run their own business – that’s the American way, Berthel said.

“What a golden opportunity for firms like us, because of our independence,” he said.