Creating a place for all clients

Under Shannon Boyd’s leadership, Investment Central has helped advisors serve their clients while supporting their practice goals.

A 26-year veteran at Raymond James, Shannon Boyd has been integral to building the firm’s largest branch – one you might not expect. Serving as the vice president of PCG Investment Central Services, she oversees five divisions managing 86,000 accounts with $8.5 billion in assets under management. But it’s her commitment to listening – to her team members and the clients they serve – that has defined her leadership and cemented her impact.

Investment Central isn’t as well-known as other divisions within the firm, and that’s by design. The branch doesn’t compete with advisors but instead exists to support advisors, helping them take care of their clients’ needs without sacrificing their practice growth goals.

Shannon’s story is a testament to the power of building something bigger than yourself – one conversation at a time.

Client-centric philosophy

Growing a division of Raymond James has required a deep understanding of clients. What started as a small-but-mighty team of six employees with $500,000 in assets under management, Investment Central is now the largest branch in the firm, operating quietly and efficiently.

That’s because clients can’t request their accounts be managed by Investment Central. There are only two ways accounts land on Shannon and her team’s books: by advisor request or by inheriting the account when an advisor leaves Raymond James. As Shannon describes it, Investment Central encourages clients to seek out a new Raymond James advisors. Those who remain with Investment Central are typically seeking a more self-directed investing environment.

As happens, when advisors builds their practice, they tend to have clients who are no longer a good fit for a variety of reasons. Sometimes these accounts can be better served by a junior member of the advising team, but that’s not always feasible. That’s where Investment Central can step in, making sure those clients keep their investments. It allows advisors to grow their practice by giving them the opportunity to focus on more productive relationships.

Investment Central is staffed by a team of registered associates that helps clients with most of their investment needs. And the branch’s goal isn’t to keep managing these clients, but to guide them toward a new relationship with another financial advisor if that fits their needs. So, the division supports Raymond James’ client-first mission by finding a suitable home for all Raymond James accounts.

Through its reassignment policy, the branch has successfully transferred about 2,000 accounts and $1.3 billion in assets under management back to advisors in the firm. It doesn’t move accounts to specific advisors but provides clients with a list of local advisors or those who specialize in specific investment strategies.

In some ways, the day-to-day operations of Investment Central are similar to running a typical financial advising branch. Shannon says a big piece of what they do is educate clients.

“We hope that by educating our clients that they’ll understand the importance of what our advisors provide and decide to stay within the Raymond James family, grow their portfolio and move their account back out to an advisor,” she explains.

And Shannon is confident her team is doing everything they can to see that come to fruition.

“I always say my team must get more kudos than any other call center,” she says, proudly. “We get calls from clients as well as internal associates praising the level of service our team provides.”

From learning to leading

Shannon’s start in finance began with a promise for personal development. She had a successful career in information systems management but was approached by a Raymond James branch manager at a local networking event with an intriguing proposal: learn about stocks and bonds, and the firm will help you earn your securities licenses.

As someone who pursues “any type of education, anything that can evolve and grow your knowledge base,” Shannon says, she couldn’t pass it up. “I’m all about personal development. I took Raymond James up on the offer and they have wholeheartedly delivered throughout the tenure of my career.” The decision carried risk, but Shannon believes it’s important to seize opportunities when they present themselves.

She’s now responsible for encouraging others to pursue their own personal and professional development opportunities. She says her favorite aspect of the job is watching people start on her team and evolve into management roles or other areas of Raymond James.

“Watching them take the values that we instilled in them and further that in our practice has been very rewarding,” she says.

Shannon’s leadership philosophy is about understanding her team members deeply. She says it doesn’t do people justice to merely keep them satisfied in their roles.

“The most important thing to me is how my associates react, how they feel – and that is what satisfies me,” she says.

She prioritizes in-depth conversations, active listening and practicing patience. Focusing on these tenets is how she supports others’ growth and stays grounded herself.

“If you do right by the people that you represent, then all the other things will fall into place,” she explains.

And they have. At Investment Central, Shannon has intentionally built an inclusive team that values other people’s perspectives.

She says, “What we see as an individual is only one view. If we have a great team, we’ll have a 360-degree view. Because we’re not only seeing it through our own eyes and experience – we’re seeing it through theirs as well. You can’t make effective decisions on a large scale if you don’t understand your audience.”

Creating space for every voice

Shannon has made it her mission to support each member of her team, not only in their role but in their long-term career journey. She recognizes that not everyone has been offered the same opportunities in life, which is why she’s a vocal proponent of personal development.

From coaching team members on how to navigate business conversations to encouraging them to speak up in meetings, Shannon wants to be sure that everyone’s voice is heard. In her experience, women sometimes let others set the tone for their career aspirations or work-life balance. But she says this shouldn’t be accepted.

“Women are unstoppable. I truly believe there’s nothing that we can’t accomplish. It’s just a matter of getting the right foothold to get started. While the path forward isn’t always clear, our capability remains unchanged. To view ourselves as anything less is to overlook the strength and potential we already possess.” she says, passionately.

Shannon acknowledges the powerful women in leadership across Raymond James and how they are an example for those starting their careers in finance. But she wants to see even more opportunities for women in the field. She’s doing her part by giving women representation and offering a place for them to develop those skills and gain confidence.

“Raymond James fosters that activity within the firm for professional development, and that’s key for people maturing in their own career,” she adds.

For women interested in growing their career at Raymond James, Shannon advocates getting involved in the Women’s Inclusion Network and making meaningful connections across the firm. She believes both connection and mentorship are key to further development.

“Our inclusion networks give people a platform to step up on, use their voice and see that there are other individuals that have went through similar challenges. Then, we have a community that will help us achieve our next goal,” she says.

Beyond the office

Shannon doesn’t just lead with heart in the office. She gives just as selflessly outside the firm but participating in nonprofits that are meaningful to her. She’s involved with the Homeless Empowerment Program, focused on breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing not just shelter, but a full continuum of services that help individuals and families regain stability and self‑sufficiency. She is also a self-described pet person and animal lover, supporting local adoption and fostering events and organizations.

“I strongly believe that what you put into the universe is what you’re going to get back,” she says. And she lives by this motto – in work, in life and everything that she does.

Shannon’s career journey is a reminder that success isn’t just measured in assets under management or even the growth of a department. It’s measured by people – the careers she’s helped shape, the confidence she’s helped build and the culture she’s purposely created.

She’s always listened first and led with empathy. By taking opportunities and nurturing relationships, Shannon’s been able to build something with lasting impact.

Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the above organizations.