GlobeNewswire Inc | Sep 2, 2020 08:30AM EDT

September 02, 2020

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LPL Financial LLC(Nasdaq:LPLA), a leading retail investment advisory firm and independent broker-dealer, today announced the addition of eight new members to its Advisor Inclusion Council. The council, established in 2018, comprises of 20 diverse representatives from financial firms and institutions, along with LPL leaders.

The new members of the Advisor Inclusion Council are:

-- Laurie Barela, Vargas Wealth Management, Denver -- Lee Bethel, Comprehensive Benefit Services, Alexandria, Va. -- Wes Burns, Burns, Toussaint & Associates, Seattle -- David Coppola, Webster Investments, Southington, Conn. -- Jeremy Gussick, LPL Financial, Voorhees, N.J. -- Denika Tokunaga, Maven Wealth Management, Fulton, Md. -- Anh Tran, Jan Hobbs Financial Group, Orange, Calif. -- Stuart Wood, SolomonWood, Chattanooga, Tenn.

By sharing their insights, expertise and experiences as advisors, members of the Advisor Inclusion Council provide critical guidance to LPL leaders, informing the development of inclusive business practices that support advisors in their mission to take care of their clients. Members feedback has been integrated into several new programs and events to help attract more advisors to LPL to reflect the changing marketplace, assist advisors in growing their businesses by engaging new investor markets and create inclusive advisor support systems.

Inclusion is a topic that has always been very near and dear to me, now more than ever. I look forward tooffering my perspectives, opinions and expertise while working side-by-side with the other members of the Advisor Inclusion Council. Together, we can truly make a difference at LPL and in the industry, said Tokunaga, who shared about her experience as an African-American advisor in this Financial Planning podcast.

Kathleen Zemaitis, LPL senior vice president, head of Advisor Diversity and Inclusion, said, We are honored to welcome this group of dynamic advisors who are committed to collaborating with us to drive meaningful change at LPL. Their experiences, expertise and ideas will be invaluable as LPL makes progress on our vision to be the most inclusive place for financial advisors in the industry. We also thank the six advisors who are transitioning from the council for their commitment to creating diverse and inclusive practices that support their clients.

Read more on LPLs commitment to diversity and inclusion.

About LPL FinancialLPL Financial ( https://www.lpl.com) is a leader in the retail financial advice market and the nations largest independent broker-dealer**. We serve independent financial advisors, professionals, and financial institutions, providing them with the technology, research, clearing and compliance services, and practice management programs they need to create and grow thriving practices. LPL enables them to provide objective guidance to millions of American families seeking wealth management, retirement planning, financial planning and asset management solutions.

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA / SIPC.

LPL Financial is a separate entity from the listed advisor firms.

**Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine June 1996-2020

Throughout this communication, the terms financial advisors and advisors include registered representatives and/or investment adviser representatives affiliated with LPL Financial LLC, an SEC registered broker-dealer and investment adviser.

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Media Contact:Lauren Hoyt-Williams(980) 321-1232Lauren.Hoyt-Williams@lpl.com