Vanguard hires Beverly Goodman to court RIAs

Vanguard hired Beverly Goodman, former editorial director at Barron's, as head of thought leadership and content marketing for financial advisor services, according to RIABiz. Goodman, who previously held a similar role at TIAA, announced the move in a Jul. 12 LinkedIn post; RIABiz reported the hire was effective Apr. 20. The $12 trillion asset manager has not commented publicly. Jeff DeMaso, publisher and editor of an industry newsletter, said Vanguard is moving to improve communication with financial advisors.

Vanguard has historically viewed third-party intermediaries and their fees with suspicion, a stance rooted in founder Jack Bogle's skepticism. The hire signals a strategic push into the advisor-sold channel, as the $12 trillion asset manager looks to build the kind of RIA relationships Schwab and Fidelity already have. Low fees alone no longer carry the message; Vanguard needs to speak the RIA dialect.