The economy may be staging a comebackbut it doesn't look like Wall Street is winning any popularity contests.

Consider these recent developments. President Barack Obama came to New York (just as we were finishing up this issue) to push for reform of the financial system. In his speech in Manhattan, media outlets reported him saying: "The system as it stands is what led to a series of massive, costly taxpayer bailouts. And it's only with reform that we can we avoid a similar outcome in the future. In other words, a vote for reform is a vote to put a stop to taxpayer-funded bailouts."

His words came a week after the Securities and Exchange Commission took aim at Goldman Sachs accusing it of securities fraud in a civil lawsuit. The firm has vowed to defend its reputation. This month, managing editor Lee Conrad and writer Paul Menchaca, delve a little deeper into what the Goldman suit means for financial advisors. There could be long-term implications as to how advisors interact and direct their clients and their investments. Go to page 13 to read "Goldman Sachs Feels the Heat, Making It Tough For Advisors" and see the perspectives that these two writers obtained from several experts.

While The Street is taking it on the chin in those respects, the markets are performing admirably. Our main feature this month, "Boom Times for Mutual Funds" on page 20, makes this abundantly clear. We talk to several star fund managers who grabbed the bull market by the horns and drove it to success-whether in global or bond funds.

This month, we also feature the Top Ten Branch Managers, sponsored by MainStay Investments. This is the third year that On Wall Street and MainStay have conducted this contest to find the most exceptional leaders who are on the front lines of change in this industry. We honored these outstanding managers at a dinner on April 20th at Del Posto in Manhattan, where co-owner and celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich gave the keynote address in which she compared the workings of a successful restaurant to the operations of a brokerage branch. There was a surprising amount of similarities. Chef Lidia spoke about cutting costs to hiring exemplary employees who could represent her brand in the correct light.

As for our winners, they came from across the nation. Some came from as far west as San Francisco and as far south as Lafayette, Louisiana. On page 28 you'll find "Branch Managers of the Year," where we feature each one in a short profile that offers readers insight into the personalities of our winners. In addition, we offer even more of a glimpse into several managers' styles in video interviews that I conducted with several of them for our website, onwallstreet.com. I was amazed at some of the different views they had about running a great branch.

Also on onwallstreet.com's AdvisorTV, I spoke with Jerry Webman, an economist and senior investment officer for OppenheimerFunds. He tells us what to expect in the second quarter.

Back in the magazine, we have several experts holding forth on various topics. For instance, on page 38 you can find "In Defense of Modern Portfolio Theory" written Gerald Buetow, the chief investment officer for Innealta Portfolio Advisors. He argues that the sometimes-maligned theory found its effectiveness hurt by several assumptions and thereby misapplied.

Wendy Murphy of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney gives us this month's Case Study: "Even Confident Investors Need Help After Major Life Changes." She walks us through a scenario about a divorcee with college-age children and a will badly in need of updating. When a major loss occurred, including a tough market, Murphy and her team stepped in. Go to page 46 and find out what she did.

We have much more, concluding our issue with a Life Stories interview on Denise Wypiszenski, the chief operating officer at Robert W. Baird's private wealth management group. You'll find out that cows and cold calling have both played a role in her life.

Frances McMorris was named editor-in-chief of ON WALL STREET in February 2008, after serving as executive editor since December 2004. She also created and serves as the host of AdvisorTV, an online video interview show appearing at onwallstreet.com.

From indictments to verdicts and appeals, Ms. McMorris has covered many major, high-profile cases in both federal and state courts as a legal affairs reporter for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, Newsday and The New York Law Journal. The cases that she has covered include: the seditious conspiracy trial of Sheik Oman Abdel Rahman, the blind Egyptian cleric convicted of being the spiritual mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center; the constitutional battle over the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy; the Crown Heights riot murder trial; federal racketeering cases against violent gangs; the Long Island pet cemetery trial and several securities fraud and insider trading cases, among others.

The legal issues she has written about are diverse and numerous, ranging from economic espionage to employment discrimination rulings and the first story to report that there is no expectation of privacy for employee emails written in the workplace.

Ms. McMorris is a 1993 graduate of Fordham University School of Law and admitted to the New York and New Jersey bars. She has appeared on the former CNNfn to give expert commentary on trials.

She also served as president of the Newswomen’s Club of New York for three years while working as an assistant managing editor at The Daily Deal in New York.

ON WALL STREET magazine has a circulation of more than 90,000—reaching financial advisors and brokers at the most prestigious brokerage firms who serve high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth investors.