SAN DIEGO, April 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Institute of Business & Finance (IBF) recently awarded Glenn deMarrais, AIF®, BFA™, CFS®, Director of Product Management at The Investment Center, Inc. with the first nationally recognized mutual fund designation, CFS® (Certified Fund Specialist®). This graduate-level designation is conferred upon candidates who complete an 135+ hour educational program focusing on closed-end funds, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, UITs and modern portfolio theory. Over $12 trillion is invested in mutual funds in the United States; half of all households own shares in at least one mutual fund.
Glenn commented:
“In order to serve as a resource to Investment Center advisors in as large a capacity as possible, I am constantly striving to expand my knowledge of investment products. The Certified Fund Specialist (CFS®) coursework and designation offered me the opportunity to perform a comprehensive analysis of packaged products and how they relate to concepts like modern portfolio theory, risk measurement, manager selection, and more. If the CFS training allows me to better assist even one advisor with one client case, the designation program will have been time well spent.”
CFS® certification requires mastery of portfolio construction, risk measurement, manager selection, monitoring, income strategies, retirement accounts, titling, taxation and the psychological aspects of finance. According to IBF, “The vast majority of investors and advisors do not know how to properly select a mutual fund, understand what criteria are important, asset category correlation or what historical statistical information is a good or poor predictor of what is likely to happen in the future.”
The student must pass two comprehensive exams, complete a written case study as well as adhere to the IBF Code of Ethics and IBF Standards of Practice as well as fulfill annual continuing education requirements. The CFS® program, since 1988, is designed for brokers and advisors who have clients that either own or are considering investing in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS & FINANCE – Founded in 1988, IBF is a non-profit provider of financial education and designations to members of the financial services industry. IBF is the fourth oldest provider of financial certification marks in the United States. In 1988, IBF launched its first certification program, CFS® (Certified Fund Specialist®). Today IBF offers six additional financial designation programs: CAS® (Certified Annuity Specialist®), CES™ (Certified Estate and Trust Specialist™), CIS™ (Certified Income Specialist™), CTS™ (Certified Tax Specialist™), CSS™ (Certified Social Security Specialist™), and CDS™ (Certified Divorce Specialist™).
ABOUT THE INVESTMENT CENTER, INC.
The Investment Center, Inc. is an independent broker-dealer founded in 1986 with the purpose of providing back-office support services, investment tools, technology, and a broad selection of non-proprietary products to a national network of more than 300 independent financial advisors in offices across the nation. Headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey, The Investment Center, Inc. is registered to conduct securities business in all 50 states and is a member of both the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). For more information, visit www.investmentctr.com.
Contact Information:
Kristin Discher
Director of Marketing
Phone: (908) 707-4422
Email: kdischer@investctr.com
