InvestmentNews hires Schwab director for new research group

Kelli Cruz, the former director of Business Consulting Services at Schwab Advisors Services, will join Crain Communications — the parent company of InvestmentNews — as the director of a newly created custom research division at the organization. Ms. Cruz has spent the last three years at Schwab developing a number of practice management programs and consulting to advisors on ways to improve the running of their businesses. “Kelli was my first choice in heading up this new division for InvestmentNews,” said Suzanne Siracuse, VP/Publisher of InvestmentNews. “She possesses all of the expertise we needed in establishing this new role: Knowledge of the advisory market, practice management marketing and research strategies, hands-on adviser consulting ability and strong relationships with advisers.” The addition of Ms. Cruz comes roughly one year after InvestmentNews acquired the Moss Adams advisory industry staffing and compensation benchmarking studies. “We could see there was a need in the market for continued third-party education and research for the growing segment of independent advisory practices,” Ms. Siracuse added. “With the addition of Kelli to the staff, we plan to evaluate and enhance these studies, expand our research offerings, and introduce workshops and webcasts that can bring the studies to life for more financial advisers.” Ms Cruz, who will be starting on April 12, will be based out of San Francisco.