Banks established or acquired brokerage firms, launched their own mutual funds, invested in and backed hedge funds, sliced and diced mortgages into derivatives and sold them as investments, while diving into proprietary trading for their own accounts in a big and reckless way.

FORBES: Bringing Back Glass-Steagall Would Rebuild Shattered Confidence In Wall Street

As adviser to its own proprietary mutual funds and manager of individual client accounts, AFAM may purchase, sell or hold positions in the securities that appear in this presentation.

FORBES: The Prudent Speculator's 2013 Market Outlook and Favorite Stocks

As advisor to its own proprietary mutual funds and manager of individual client accounts, AFAM may purchase, sell or hold positions in the securities that appear in this presentation.

FORBES: Contrarian Buy Signals

The answer is, overwhelmingly, insurance companies peddling high-cost, tax-deferred variable annuities with crappy proprietary mutual fund options and high-risk fixed accounts.

FORBES: With Pensions At Risk, Government Workers Must Demand Better 457 and 403(b) Retirement Plans

Electronic Data Systems ( EDS - news - people ) and other large information technology services suppliers listened to their customers tell them why they liked their proprietary implementation methods, and why they liked having local people with expertise service their accounts.

FORBES: The accepted wisdom that the customer is king is all wrong.