FAIRFIELD, IA – December 20, 2022 — Cambridge is pleased to announce the promotion of Val Vest to Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer. In this new role, Vest will work with teams across the firm to further align and drive key business strategies and outcomes designed to deliver world-class financial professional and associate experiences. The promotion is part of Cambridge’s continued commitment to efficiency, digital transformation, and enhancing its service model.

“I’m very pleased for Val and look forward to seeing what she will accomplish in this role,” said Colleen Bell, President, Innovation and Experience. “We’re constantly looking for ways to deepen our relationship with financial professionals and associates, and Val has led a number of initiatives that support those goals. It’s wonderful to have someone in the role who is already familiar with our business, knows the Cambridge culture, and has proven experience creating meaningful change.”

As the firm’s Chief Experience Officer, Vest will be responsible for leading Cambridge’s service experience and specialized teams. She will also work directly with financial professionals and associates, as well as Cambridge’s executive and leadership teams, to facilitate ongoing journey mapping, consumer and associate research, and other feedback methods. She will support the firm’s continued commitment to creating high-value, meaningful, connected relationships with key stakeholders by collaborating with all cross-functional areas within the firm (i.e. marketing and communications, human resources, project management, product management and technology teams) to design unique personas based on user experience. In addition to her core day-to-day responsibilities, Vest will also have oversight of Cambridge’s financial professional Advisory Councils.

“Change is constant in our business, and it’s exciting to see the positive results when a new approach is successfully launched,” Vest said. “Serving in this role is my way of being part of the change. I’ve worked in client-facing roles for most of my career, so I’m looking forward to building on all the great partnerships I’ve developed while expanding on them in a collaborative way.”

Vest joined Cambridge in 2018 and previously spent over 20 years at Principal Financial Group. In her previous role as First Vice President, Fiduciary Services and Portfolio Management Office, she helped financial professionals grow their advisory and retirement assets by developing and implementing various services and offerings. Working alongside Bell and other leaders, Vest has been instrumental in the firm’s digital transformation journey. One of her recent points of focus has been working with department leaders to create Service Experience teams — groups of associates who work closely with assigned financial professionals.

Outside of Cambridge, Vest’s drive to give back inspired her to start Lead From Intention, a company focused on helping women thrive in the corporate world. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Washington and completed additional coursework at Strayer University and Rutgers Center for Innovation Education. She is also a Certified Leadership Coach and holds the FINRA Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses.

About Cambridge
Cambridge is a financial solutions firm focused on serving independent financial professionals and their clients while preserving its internal control. Cambridge offers a broad range of choices for independent financial professionals regarding solutions for advice, growth, technology, and independence. Cambridge’s national reach includes: Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. – a large corporate RIA; and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. – an independent broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, that is among the largest internally controlled independent broker-dealers in the country.

Contact: Jeff Wulf, Senior Vice President, Cambridge: jeff.wulf@cir2.com or 800-777-6080

Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and investment advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser. Both are wholly owned subsidiaries of Cambridge Investment Group, Inc.