Cetera forms diversity and inclusion council

A 12-member group at the independent broker-dealer will work on company and industrywide initiatives.

Independent broker-dealer Cetera has formed a council for financial professionals that aims to encourage diversity and inclusion in financial advice.

The group, formally known as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Advisory Council, consists of 12 financial professionals from the Cetera network.

The council will be co-led by co-led by Fanci Worthington, a branch manager at Cetera, and Stephen Oliver, founder of Manhattan Ridge Advisors.

Its primary objectives, the company said in a release, are to raise awareness and advance diversity and inclusion efforts within Cetera and the profession as a whole, to develop financial professional resource groups to provide connection, to increase opportunities for those traditionally under-represented in the financial advice profession, and to connect with local communities through financial literacy outreach programs.

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