IMCA rebrands to attract broader audience

The Investment Management Consultants Association has become the Investments & Wealth Institute, and will begin offering a retirement income designation.

The Investment Management Consultants Association has rebranded as the Investments & Wealth Institute, as it seeks to position itself to a broader swath of financial advice professionals, the group announced Tuesday.

In addition to the name change, the Investments & Wealth Institute, a nonproft professional association that provides the certified investment management analyst (CIMA) and certified private wealth advisor (CPWA) certifications, has acquired the retirement management advisor (RMA) designation as part of its strategy to attract a wider audience to its educational programs.

The Investments & Wealth Institute’s rebrand became effective Monday. The group will roll out a new website in mid-November.

“Our members represent the whole breadth of adviser business models, from financial planners, investment consultants, private wealth advisers and bank trust officers,” said Sean Walters, the organization’s executive director and CEO. “Investments & Wealth Institute better reflects who our members are and what we do, which is advanced education in investment and wealth management.”

Mr. Walters said the group is rebranding “at a time of great strength.”

The number of members and certificants has grown 44% since 2012, to 11,877 from 8,272, according to figures provided by the Institute. Its annual registrations (encompassing registrations at conferences, online courses or programs) grew 47% between 2012-16, to 5,806, the group said.

However, Mr. Walters acknowledged there are many “advanced practitioners” who want education geared toward them, but haven’t readily been coming to IMCA for that, due partly to brand recognition. Research the Institute conducted that polled both members and non-member advisers found that 80% were familiar with the CIMA designation, but only 50% knew IMCA as an organization.

The Institute plans to spend $3.5 million over the next two to three years on a multipronged marketing and communications strategy. It plans to target five segments: certified financial planners, team advisers, the enterprise and firm level, next-generation advisers, and consumer education and resources. The latter two are new, Mr. Walters said.

The group purchased the retirement management advisor designation from the Retirement Income Industry Association. The institute will offer it in an advanced certificate program (an online course) as well as a voluntary certification in retirement income planning, which requires additional education and passage of a comprehensive exam, Mr. Walters said.

Beginning in early 2018 the Yale School of Management will begin offering an online CPWA certification program.