Sometimes only a baker's dozen will do.

Dallas-based Highland Capital Management [profile] has expanded its sales team by hiring thirteen sales people, including six regional sales directors and seven internals.

The new regional sales directors are as follows:

Anthony Wilson
Based in San Francisco, Wilson will cover northern California, Oregon and Washington. Most recently, he was western division director for Artio Global Management and previously held similar levels of responsibility at IndexIQ and Turner Investment Partners.

Derek Andersen He will cover Florida. He was most recently with The Hartford, where he was regional marketing director for South Florida and Puerto Rico. Prior to working in finance, Andersen played professional baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays and coached baseball at the college level.  

Kevin Wentworth Covering North Texas, Austin, Oklahoma and Arkansas, he was most recently regional vice president/external wholesaler for Hartford Mutual Funds. Prior to that, Wentworth was with JP Morgan Asset Management for ten years. 

Joseph Kearney Covering Long Island, he served as regional wholesaler / assistant vice president for AllianceBernstein. Kearney held similar positions with Prudential Investments and First Investors Corporation, serving as an internal sales consultant for Prudential for four years and financial consultant for First Investors for three years. 

Chris Shahda Based in Atlanta, he leads Highland’s external sales efforts in the Southeast region, encompassing Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. He comes to Highland from Hartford Mutual Funds, where he was an Advisor Consultant since 2005.

Tom Antonovich Based in Minnesota, he oversees sales in the Midwest, covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas. Since 2005, he had been an advisor consultant for Hartford Mutual Funds. Before that he previously served as regional director for Walls Fargo Funds for six years. 

Meanwhile, Highland has also relocated and expanded its internal sales team to its home office in Dallas, adding seven new members to the team led by Justin O’Brien, formerly of Fidelity. His team comes to Highland from such financial services firms as Hartford Funds, Merrill Lynch, and Invesco. 

Here is the press release:

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Company Press Release

Highland Capital Adds Six Additional Regional Sales Directors; Expands Dallas Sales Force ?with Seven New Hires

  DALLAS, July 15, 2013 – Highland Capital Management (“Highland”), a leading provider of registered alternative investments, today announced that it has hired six regional sales directors in the Pacific Northwest, Florida, North Texas, Long Island, the Midwest and Southeast, and expanded its sales team at its home office in Dallas. 

  Anthony Wilson (San Francisco), Derek Andersen (Florida), Kevin Wentworth (Texas), Joseph Kearney (Long Island), Chris Shahda (Atlanta) and Tom Antonovich (Minneapolis) join a growing team of sales professionals. Highland expects to continue its expansion to a total of 30 sales professionals over the next year and has additional plans to add a Director of Marketing later this year.

  Based in San Francisco and covering northern California, Oregon and Washington, Anthony Wilson brings to Highland two decades of experience as an investment management sales executive. Most recently, he was Western Division Director for Artio Global Management and previously held similar levels of responsibility at IndexIQ and Turner Investment Partners. Mr. Wilson holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst designation from IMCA and received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.  

  Derek Andersen, Regional Sales Director for Florida, joins Highland with eight years of experience as a financial adviser and wholesaler, most recently with The Hartford, where he was Regional Marketing Director for South Florida and Puerto Rico. Prior to working in finance, Mr. Andersen played professional baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays and coached baseball at the college level.  He graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and International Business.

  Kevin Wentworth joins the external sales team as Regional Sales Director, covering North Texas, Austin, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He brings to Highland more than fourteen years of combined experience in sales, management, and service, most recently serving as Regional Vice President/External Wholesaler for Hartford Mutual Funds. Prior to Hartford, Mr. Wentworth was with JP Morgan Asset Management for ten years. 

  Joseph Kearney, Regional Sales Director for Long Island, has sixteen years combined experience in sales and financial consulting. Most recently, he served as Regional Wholesaler / Assistant Vice President for AllianceBernstein. Mr. Kearney held similar positions with Prudential Investments and First Investors Corporation, serving as an Internal Sales Consultant for Prudential for four years and Financial Consultant for First Investors for three years. 

  Chris Shahda is based in Atlanta and leads Highland’s external sales efforts in the Southeast region, encompassing Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. He comes to Highland from Hartford Mutual Funds, where he was an Advisor Consultant since 2005. After turning Hartford’s presence in the DC, Virginia, and Maryland area into a top-ten territory within sixteen months, Mr. Shahda went on to grow Hartford’s sales in both Georgia and South Carolina as well. 

  Tom Antonovich, based in Minnesota, oversees sales in the Midwest, covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas. Since 2005, he had been an Advisor Consultant for Hartford Mutual Funds, where he served the independent, bank, and regional firms in Minnesota, growing his territory significantly within three years. Mr. Antonovich previously served as Regional Director for Walls Fargo Funds for six years. 

  “We’re very excited to round out our regional coverage,” said Brad Ross, President of Highland Capital Funds Management. “The team’s experience is critical to expanding our presence with sophisticated advisors and firms that are driving the growth in liquid alternatives.”  

  In addition, Highland has also relocated and expanded its internal sales team to its home office in Dallas, adding seven new members to the team led by Justin O’Brien, formerly of Fidelity. His team comes to Highland from leading financial services firms, including Hartford Funds, Merrill Lynch, and Invesco. 

  “These new hires represent Highland’s continued commitment to growth,” Ross added. “With their experience, they will make immediate contributions to our team.”

                About Highland Capital Management

    Highland Capital Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser which, together with its affiliates, has approximately $18 billion of assets under management. Founded in 1993 by Jim Dondero and Mark Okada, Highland is one of the largest and most experienced global alternative credit managers. Highland’s strategies include collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), alternative mutual funds, distressed private equity, hedge funds, natural resources, long-only funds and separate accounts. Highland is headquartered in Dallas, Texas with offices in New York, London, Singapore and Seoul.

    Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Highland Funds carefully before investing. Please call 1-877-665-1287 or visit www.highlandfunds.com for more information on the Funds. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest. 

    All wholesalers are licensed, and securities may be offered, through NexBank Securities, Inc., an affiliate of Highland Funds. NexBank Securities, Inc. is a FINRA member firm.

 

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