DALLAS, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Three Southwest Securities, Inc. financial advisors in San Diego, Calif., - David Gotz, Justin Parker and Walter Valenzuela - have been awarded the FIVE STAR Wealth Manager(SM) Award. The 2011 FIVE STAR Wealth Managers(SM) will be featured in the February issue of San Diego Magazine.

FIVE STAR professionals score among the highest in overall satisfaction in their market area based on research with clients, peers and industry leaders. It is an exclusive award given to only seven percent of professionals in a given industry and market area.

Mr. Gotz, Mr. Parker and Mr. Valenzuela are financial advisors with Southwest Securities' Private Client Group (PCG) in San Diego. Southwest Securities has six private client offices in California.

"Being named FIVE STAR Wealth Managers(SM) is quite an honor and we are proud that these advisors have received the recognition," said Michael Urman, executive vice president and regional director of Southwest Securities PCG in Southern California. "Mr. Gotz, Mr. Parker and Mr. Valenzuela are very deserving of this award and we congratulate them on their accomplishment."

QMI Research administers a survey by mail and phone in each geographic market to approximately a quarter of the high-net-worth households and all FINRA license holders. Respondents are asked to evaluate up to three wealth managers. Each client respondent is asked to evaluate only wealth managers whom they have worked with, and each peer respondent is asked to evaluate only wealth managers whom they know through personal experience.

The questionnaires are structured to make it equally easy for an individual to give negative or positive responses regarding each wealth manager evaluated. QMI Research scores the survey responses, including all responses both negative and positive, to determine which wealth managers meet the identified standards, and screens wealth managers based on their regulatory compliance history as reported by FINRA, the SEC and other regulatory authorities.

Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be included in the evaluation process or to be named as a FIVE STAR Wealth Manager(SM), and the award program and research process adhere to the guidelines established within the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 regarding third-party recognition.

Southwest Securities, Inc., a member of NYSE, FINRA and SIPC, provides securities brokerage, investment banking and securities clearing services to a broad range of individual, corporate, public and industry clients. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of SWS Group, Inc. (NYSE: SWS), a financial services holding company whose stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol, SWS.

SOURCE Southwest Securities, Inc.