McLEAN, Va., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney (SBSB) was awarded the prestigious Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 2012 Trailblazer IMPACT Award(TM). The Trailblazer Award is one of three IMPACT Awards given annually to celebrate excellence in the independent investment advisory community. The Trailblazer Award specifically recognizes a firm that has advanced the industry through visionary leadership, operational excellence and innovative use of technology.

"We are proud to be recognized as a leader in our industry," said Greg Sullivan, President and CEO of SBSB. "This acknowledgement is a tribute to our firm's continued commitment to our clients, community and industry."

SBSB was founded in 1991, and the firm has since grown to over 35 employees entrusted with more than $2 billion in assets under management. The growth of SBSB is attributable to a team of advisors that believes in the fee-only, comprehensive and personalized approach to financial planning. These advisors have proven their commitment to the industry by serving in leadership positions with the Financial Planning Association (FPA), NexGen and the CFP Council on Examinations.

SBSB continues to advance the industry by seeking out and sharing best practices and ideas across the community of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs). Greg Sullivan is a founding member of two exclusive networks of wealth management professionals committed to building leading-edge firms through the exchange of information regarding business strategy, practices and technology.

SBSB has developed a unique, team-centric approach to servicing clients. This provides clients with a team of advisors that can assist them and allows advisors to become more specialized in specific areas of financial planning, tax planning and portfolio management. This structure also provides young planners a fantastic learning environment, a solid career path and the ability to work side-by-side with more experienced advisors. To help ensure all professionals are successful, SBSB has a mentoring program that allows employees to meet with a senior advisor to discuss career advancement and work-related topics.

Philanthropy is another value at the heart of SBSB. SBSB's Philanthropy at Work (PAW) committee focuses its time on giving back to the community. As part of the Trailblazer Award, SBSB is proud to receive a $15,000 donation from Schwab to a charity chosen by the firm. SBSB's staff voted to split the donation between the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund that serves the families of United States military personnel wounded during service, and the Humane Society of the United States which is the nation's largest animal protection organization.

The Trailblazer IMPACT Award was presented to the SBSB Executive Team on November 15, 2012 at the Schwab IMPACT Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

About Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc.
Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. (SBSB) is dedicated to providing customized wealth advisory services to affluent individuals and families, nonprofits, and corporations throughout the United States. We provide comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, tax, and fiduciary services to help our clients make smart financial decisions. SBSB is a part of BMO Financial Group.

Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment advisor. BMO Financial Group is a trade name used by Bank of Montreal.

SOURCE SBSB