Bank of America Hires More Than 25 Financial Solutions Advisors Across the Southeast

Bank of America today announced the hiring of more than 25 Merrill Edge Financial Solutions Advisors (FSAs) across the Southeast region, including Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville, as part of its overall commitment to enhance the solutions and guidance it offers customers. These advisors will help customers manage their banking and investment needs and stay in better control of their finances. This is part of Bank of America’s plan to nearly double the number of Financial Solutions Advisors nationally, to more than 1,000 by the end of 2011.

Preferred customers – those with investable assets of $50,000 to $250,000 – are among the fastest-growing segments in the financial services industry. Bank of America serves more than 8 million of these customers and has unrivaled insight into their financial needs. According to the Merrill Edge Report, some of the top priorities for these customers include wanting a better retirement than their parents (85 percent), having access to both banking and investing solutions (73 percent) and the ability to track and manage their money (72 percent).

“Preferred customers have their own set of unique financial needs, but have traditionally been underserved by typical retail offerings,” said David Giancola, Merrill Edge Southeast regional sales manager. “By placing more Merrill Edge FSAs in banking centers throughout the country, we are better equipped to help our customers address their specific needs. They’ll now have the benefit of personal attention from an accessible specialist.”

In support of its new Preferred service strategy, Bank of America is also working to enhance customer experience and satisfaction by:

• Rolling out Platinum Privileges, which rewards customers who maintain $50,000 or more in deposit balances with Bank of America or investment balances with Merrill Edge with higher levels of service and comprehensive benefits across their banking and investing needs. Platinum Privileges is currently offered in 12 states, including Georgia and North Carolina.
• Continuing to improve the Merrill Edge offering, including the introduction of a mobile application for iPad, iPhone and BlackBerry earlier this year, and the addition of approximately 500 new no-transaction-fee (NTF) mutual funds.
• Introducing an enhanced experience in selected banking centers, including in-person access to investment, small business and mortgage specialists and use of technologies like tablet computers to quickly connect customers to the right resource.
• Hiring 1,000 small business bankers in local communities to provide small business customers with local specialists to address their complex financial needs. Together with the 1,000 FSAs, this will create a 2,000-plus person team dedicated to the more complex needs of Preferred and Small Business customers.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 58 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,700 retail banking offices and approximately 17,750 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Merrill Edge is the marketing name for two businesses: Merrill Edge Advisory Center, which offers team-based advice and guidance brokerage services; and a self-directed online investing platform. Both are made available through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S).

MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation.

Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A. and affiliated banks, Members FDIC and wholly owned subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.

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