Stevens Wealth Management Ranks Among Top Financial Advisory Firms in Nation; Chicago-Based Financial Firm Experiences Good Business Growth Despite Difficult Economic Period

CHICAGO, IL, August 28, 2010 (Press-News.org) Stevens Wealth Management LLC, a Chicago-based financial advisory firm, recently appeared in Financial Advisor magazine's 2010 list of largest and fastest growing registered investment advisor (RIA) firms. Stevens Wealth Management was also included on the 2010 Top Wealth Managers list put out by Summit Business Media's Wealth Manager Web publication.Stevens Wealth Management was also included on the 2010 Top Wealth Managers list put out by Summit Business Media's Wealth Manager Web publication.

Financial Advisor magazine, which is owned and operated by Charter Publishing, ranks firms according to total assets under management at the end of each calendar year. Stevens Wealth Management, which ranked 290th on the list of 456 firms, grew firm assets by more than 19.5 percent and increased its client base by 4.26 percent in 2009 - a very difficult time for independently-owned businesses nationwide. "The firms that made the list are some of the largest and most respected RIAs in America," said Sue Stevens, CFP , founder and president of Stevens Wealth Management. "We are honored to be a part of this select list."

Wealth Manager Web ranks firms according to assets under management per client at the end of each calendar year. Fusion Advisor Network President Philip Palaveev said the firms on the list are "the ones every RIA wants to be when they grow up."

"We attribute our new client growth during a particularly volatile market to the strong relationships we have with our clients and the referrals we receive from our loyal client base and other professionals such as CPAs and attorneys in the Chicago area," Stevens said. "Now more than ever, it's important for people to get independent, objective advice, and while Stevens Wealth Management does indeed have account minimums to become a client, I feel so strongly about helping people at all financial levels that I've developed a set of free or low-cost tools and resources that anyone can access at www.financial-happiness.com," Stevens said.

While the increase in business at the firm came from a broad specter of families and professionals, Stevens notes a growing number of women are drawn to her firm. "As a woman-owned business we can personally relate to the unique financial issues women face today," explained Stevens. "While in the past, many women waited for divorce or widowhood to get involved with financial planning, today's more financially-savvy and professionally-accomplished woman is, quite wisely I might add, concerned with family and personal financial matters much earlier in life."

Named one of 50 Distinguished Women in Wealth Management by Wealth Manager magazine in 2008, Stevens is frequently asked to speak to various women's groups. She recently addressed an audience of the most successful and influential women financial advisors in the nation who gathered in Chicago on June 16 for the Women Advisors Forum put on by SourceMedia publications Financial Planning magazine, Bank Investment Consultant magazine and On Wall Street magazine. Stevens offered insight into her career experience and techniques for building a better advisory practice.

Having recently authored an award-winning book titled Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is Stevens advocates that money isn't just about making it and spending it - but being engaged with it and making it do the things that make you feel good. "Money should support the things one truly loves in life," Stevens concluded.

About Sue Stevens
Sue Stevens, founder and president of Stevens Wealth Management LLC, Financial Happiness LLC and Stevens Visionary Strategies, has held leadership roles in top financial organizations for 20 years. Long associated with Morningstar, Inc, Stevens was director of financial planning and authored award-winning columns as well as founded Morningstar's personal finance newsletter Practical Finance and continues to contribute content to Morningstar's website. She was head of research and development for participant education at The Vanguard Group for three years where her team won awards for creating financial education materials and programs for retirement plan participants. Stevens was also on the investment advisory board while at Arthur Andersen for six years.

Stevens holds a master's of business administration from the University of Chicago, a master's of science in wealth management from The College for Financial Planning, the Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial Specialist (CPA/PFS) designation, and is both a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional.

Learn more about Sue Stevens at www.StevensWealth.com or sign up for a membership at www.financial-happiness.com to receive monthly True Wealth Blasts and access to various financial planning tools and worksheets.