Jim Fitzpatrick is looking to broaden the appeal of NICSA beyond its traditional base of mutual fund industry operations specialists.

"We've been moving to be more of a broad-based industry trade organization," Fitzpatrick, president of NICSA, tells MFWire. "We have definitely spread our wings."

Fitzpatrick wants to bring in fundsters on the distribution, key accounts, and product sides of the business, he says. To that end, last month he hired Justine Phoenix as vice president of distribution and broker-dealer engagement. Watch for Phoenix to spearhead the creation of a formal NICSA distribution committee and a NICSA B-D commitee.

"People think it's an operations group," Fitzpatrick says, acknowledging that NICSA did start off with that focus. "We really cover all aspects of the industry," at least everything short of portfolio management.

"It's a little bit of rebranding without changing the brand," Fitzpatrick adds.

Phoenix, a 13-year Fidelity veteran, left the Boston Behemoth at the end of June after serving as vice president and senior relationship manager for its mutual fund supermarket, Fidelity FundsNetwork. Prior to joining Fidelity in 2004 she worked at ICI, MFS, and BFDS. 

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