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MILWAUKEE, March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual today announced that 12 financial advisors affiliated with Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company have been named to the 2018 edition of the Financial Times' 400 Top Financial Advisors—up from seven Northwestern Mutual advisors honored on last year's list. In addition, Ryan B. Smith of Atlanta, Georgia, affiliated with Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, was named to the 2018 Barron's "Top 1,200 Financial Advisors."

"We are thrilled to see one of our advisors honored by Barron's for the first time, and to see even more of our advisors honored by the Financial Times in 2018," said Christian Mitchell, president and CEO, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "This recognition highlights our advisors' commitment to the highest standards of client service as well the advantage of Northwestern Mutual's whole-picture approach to financial planning."

Those recognized in the 2018 FT 400 are:

• Brad Baune, Baune Financial, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Louis S. Cannataro, Cannataro Park Avenue Financial, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Tim Harrison, Harrison Financial Services, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Matthew M. Heckmann, Heckmann Financial Services, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Richard W. Kelton, The Kelton Financial Group, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Chris Messick, Messick, Peacock & Associates, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• William J. Newman, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Kevin M. Spahn, Spahn Financial, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Scott G. Sparks, Sparks Financial, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Steven A. Tennant, Tennant Financial, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Scott P. Underwood, Socium Advisors, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
• Matthew S. Wunder, Wunder Financial, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company

About Barron's Top 1200 Advisors
The Barron's Top 1200 names the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state's population and wealth. Rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors' practices. Barron's examines regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. Neither the brokerages nor the advisors pay a fee to Barron's in exchange for inclusion in the Barron's Top 1200.

About The FT 400
The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times (March, 2018). The FT 400 is based on data gathered from advisors, broker-dealer home offices, regulatory disclosures, and the FT's research. The listing reflects each advisor's status in six primary areas: assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials and online accessibility. This award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and is not indicative of this advisor's future performance. Neither the brokerages nor the advisors pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 400.

The 2018 Barron's "Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" and 2018 "FT 400" distinctions follow a strong year of growth and recognition for Northwestern Mutual in 2017. Northwestern Mutual Investment Services and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company now manage $129 billion in assets as of Feb. 28, 2018, up 25 percent from the $100 billion milestone the firm announced in early 2017. Additionally, Northwestern Mutual was named the fifth largest independent-broker dealer on Financial Planning's "FP50" list, and several of its advisors were honored on the Financial Times 2017 "Top 401 Retirement Plan Advisors" and the Financial Times 2017 "Top 400 Financial Advisors."

Northwestern Mutual Investment Services and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, which are subsidiaries of Northwestern Mutual, provide a variety of investment products and services to help clients with financial protection, wealth accumulation, and estate preservation and distribution. These solutions include brokerage and advisory services, trust services and discretionary portfolio management for high-net-worth individuals.

About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for more than 160 years. Through a distinctive, whole-picture planning approach, we empower our clients to make the most of every single day and plan for important moments in their future. We combine the expertise of our financial professionals with a personalized digital experience to help our clients navigate their financial lives every day. With $265.0 billion in assets, $28.1 billion in revenues, and more than $1.8 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.5 million people who rely on us for life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, brokerage and advisory services, trust services, and discretionary portfolio management solutions. The company manages more than $125 billion of client assets through its wealth management and investment services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 97 on the 2017 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2018.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance).

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual