ING adviser vies for Senate seat in Arkansas

Buddy Rogers, who officially tossed his hat into the ring last week for a U.S. Senate seat in Arkansas, thinks that there is one important constituency that need a stronger voice in Congress right now: the financial advisory community.

“I think finance and securities are very important topics for the nation to be addressing,” he said. “I think it’s very helpful that I have that background.”

A CHALLENGE

The 61-year-old president of Rogers (Ark.) Wealth Stewardship, which is affiliated with ING Financial Partners, launched his campaign this week for the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

“What’s most important to me is to help other people achieve what’s most important to them,” Mr. Rogers said.

That philosophy, he added, is also the core mission of his investment firm, which he launched in 2001.

“I serve the client’s vision of what wealth is and help them achieve what they want to achieve,” he said. “It’s in the name of the firm, that I feel I am a steward for people’s wealth.”

And now he hopes to ride that mantra all the way to Washington.

“I have a background in business, health care, finance, leadership and education,” Mr. Rogers said.

“The administration proposes a bad idea and the Congress tends to make it worse. I could have sat back and said let somebody else take care of it,” Mr. Rogers added.

“But I didn’t see anybody running who was more qualified,” he said.

CROWDED FIELD

Mr. Rogers may face a tough road, however.

“There are seven Republicans running in the primary. They’ve got a lot of work to do to win that nomination,” said Steve Patterson, the campaign manager for Ms. Lincoln.

“Sen. Lincoln was recently named chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee; she is also on the Finance Committee, which is currently marking up the health plan [bill],” Mr. Patterson said. “She has her hands full. We are not too focused on the other side.”

Prior to becoming an adviser, Mr. Rogers worked as a business communications and leadership consultant for five years. Before that he served 21 years on active duty with the Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1996.

E-mail Sue Asci at [email protected].