Articles Written by Jon Henschen

Wirehouse Waste vs. Independent Broker-Dealer Efficiency

by Jonathan Henschen, CFS and featured in AdvisorBiz.com
January, 2011:

I received my introduction to the old school corporate structure through my father. After a long career as a partner with the accounting firm Price Waterhouse, dad finished his work life at Bethlehem Steel as one of their 11 vice presidents. The timeframe was 1978-1984, the declining years of Bethlehem Steel. Despite already decaying profits, the executive elite still lavished upon themselves as if the good times were still rolling. Here are a few examples:

In some respects, Bethlehem Steel’s Boys Club style of management was similar to the television show “Mad Men” with a hierarchy of ego driven males smoking oversized cigars. For example, All of Bethlehem Steel’s upper management were members of the Saucon Valley Country Club,

Recruiter Confidential: Exploring the Underbelly of Insurance Broker-Dealers

by Jonathan Henschen, CFS and featured in advisorbiz.com
November, 2010:

My wife recently bought me a book that I’ve ve wanted to read for several years, Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. If you’re not familiar with Anthony Bourdain, he hosts the Travel Channel show No Reservations and is the former head chef of Les Halles in New York City.

Bourdain’s book looks at the underbelly of the culinary world as he reflects on his colorful, often drug-fueled life working his way up from dishwasher to head chef of a high-end French restaurant.

I’d feel remiss if I didn’t share some key information that Kitchen Confidential delivers in regard to the unknown dangers of eating out. Bourdain would never eat at a Sunday brunch because it is often the last stop before the dumpster for old food.

2009 Broker Dealer Winners and Losers: Who’s on Top, Who Missed the Mark

by Jonathan Henschen, CFS and featured in Investment Advisor
August, 2010:

For independent broker dealers, 2009 is best described as a recruiting anomaly.The channel’s high hopes to capitalize on the wirehouse fiasco never really materialized– except for a few firms that had a history of attracting wirehouse reps, such as LPL, Raymond James and Wells Fargo Advisors. The primary triggers for independent gains were AIG, ING and former Pacific Life broker dealers purchased by LPL, the firms Mutual Service Corp, Waterstone and Associated Securities.

There were healthy gainers in 2009, and some losses along the way. Here’s my take on some of the winners and losers, and why.

As I evaluated 2009’s highly successful firms, I set a few standards.