Touchstone Investments has tapped a new regional wholesaler to cover sales and marketing to financial services professionals in Florida. The Cincinnati-based fund firm also filed paper work with the SEC for a new fund that it expects to formally announce next week.

The new hire at Touchstone is Joel Kesner. He takes the title of regional vice president and will report to John Currier, vice president, division sales manager. Currier is responsible for sales in the Eastern United States and reports to Jim Grifo, president of Touchstone Investments.

Megan Smith, a spokesperson for Touchstone, told the MFWire that Kesner's hire was made to fill duties that had been filled by a wholesaler no longer with the fund firm and that they do not expect to make more hires.

"We are back up to speed and have about 15 wholesalers across the United States," she said, adding that the firm "always had a rep in Florida." Kesner started on June 1 and is based in Clearwater, Florida.

"Joel Kesner brings to Touchstone an impressive track-record of products sales leadership in the financial services industry, not to mention an equally impressive record of service in our nation's armed forces," said Jim Grifo, president of Touchstone Investments.

While serving as a captain and helicopter pilot in the United States Army during 1968-69, Kesner was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with 22 Oak Leaf Clusters and Cross of Gallantry with Gold Palm.

Most recently he was an executive vice president and managing director of brokerage products and services at Fleetbank's Quick & Reilly brokerage subsidiary. His responsibilities included the development and management of all brokerage products and services.  

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