Atlanta-Based Private Wealth Advisor Recognized Among Nation's Best By Barron's

May 22, 2008

Rod Westmoreland from Atlanta has gained national recognition as part of the elite group of financial advisors who are ranked on Barron’s 2008 list of the “Top 100 Financial Advisers.” For the second year, Westmoreland was selected for this honor as a result of outstanding performance and meeting or exceeding qualifications in a variety of areas, such as assets managed, revenue produced and customer satisfaction. With 23 advisors on the Barron’s list, Merrill Lynch has more advisors recognized than any other single financial advisory firm, for the fifth consecutive year.

To compile this list, Barron’s relied on the services of R.J. Shook, an independent, third-party expert who has been ranking America’s top advisors for more than 10 years in his Winner’s Circle books. The Winner’s Circle staff vetted each advisor through a host of quantitative and qualitative criteria, ranging from assets and revenues managed to experience level, compliance records, client retention reports, customer satisfaction reports and interviews with senior management, peers, and customers. Because individual client portfolio performance varies and is typically unaudited, this ranking focuses on customer satisfaction and quality of advice.

“Rod’s exemplary commitment to his clients and the financial management industry make him highly deserving of the recognition on this list,” said Eric Schimpf, Regional Director Southeast Division of the Private Banking and Investment Group at Merrill Lynch.

As a Private Wealth Advisor, Westmoreland, is among a select cadre of specially trained and accredited advisors in the Private Banking and Investment Group at Merrill Lynch (PBIG). He provides his clients with exclusive access to the full global resources of Merrill Lynch that have been customized to meet the unique needs of ultra high net worth individuals.

Westmoreland has been with Merrill Lynch for nearly 30 years, serving corporate and individual investors with sophisticated financial solutions, including concentrated stock management, asset management, estate planning services and philanthropy. The Westmoreland Group manages more than $2 billion in assets from individual and corporate clients.

Barron’s is a weekly magazine, published by Dow Jones, established in 1921 for private investors, money managers and corporate executives involved with the financial community. The annual “Top 100 Financial Advisers” special report appears in the April 21 issue. For more information, visit www.barrons.com.

The Winner’s Circle is a registered trade mark of The Winner’s Circle, LLC. For more information about the Winner’s Circle or to nominate an advisor, visit www.wcorg.com.

Merrill Lynch is one of the world's leading wealth management, capital markets and advisory companies with offices in 40 countries and territories and total client assets of approximately $1.6 trillion. As an investment bank, it is a leading global trader and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a broad range of asset classes and serves as a strategic advisor to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Merrill Lynch owns approximately half of BlackRock, one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management companies with more than $1 trillion in assets under management. For more information on Merrill Lynch, please visit www.ml.com.

The Private Banking and Investment Group is a division of Merrill Lynch that offers a broad array of personalized wealth management products and services. Both brokerage and investment advisory services (including financial planning) are offered by the Group's Private Wealth Advisors through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S), a registered broker-dealer and registered investment advisor. The nature and degree of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and client rights and Merrill Lynch's obligations will differ among these services. Investment products offered by MLPF&S are not insured by the FDIC and are not guaranteed by Merrill Lynch or any of its affiliates. The banking, credit and trust services sold by the Group's Private Wealth Advisors are offered by licensed banks and trust companies, including Merrill Lynch Bank USA (member FDIC) and Merrill Lynch Trust Company, FSB, or their affiliates. Investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal investment.