2025 WINNERS & EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Award Categories

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR – ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS


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Winner: Chris Vizzi – South Coast Investment Advisors, LLC

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Aaron Hodari – Schechter Investment Advisors
  • David Copeland – Strategic Wealth Partners
  • Joseph Spada – Summit Financial
  • Marti Marache – Harbor Asset Private Wealth
  • Michaelangelo Dooley – NewEdge Wealth
  • Sandra Cho – Pointwealth Capital Management

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR – ESG/RESPONSIBLE INVESTING


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Winner: Peter Krull – Earth Equity Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bud Sturmak – Perigon Wealth Management
  • James Brewer – Envision Wealth Planning
  • Jason Britton – Reflection Asset Management
  • Jeffrey Kingzett – Ameriprise Financial
  • Nick Cantrell – Green Future Wealth Management
  • Peggy Haslach – Planning For Good

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – MID-WEST)


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Winner: Jim Wessels – Vision Financial Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • MaryAnn Pietromonaco – Morgan Stanley
  • Sam Huszczo – SGH Wealth Management
  • Stoy Hall – Black Mammoth
  • Tim Rueter – Foundation Wealth Strategies
  • Travis Sholin – Keystone Financial Services

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – NORTHEAST)


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Winner: Christina Nash – Knox Grove Financial, LLC

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Gregory Guenther – GRANTvest Financial Group
  • Lawrence Sprung – Mitlin Financial Inc®
  • Rocco Carriero – Rocco A. Carriero Wealth Partners Ameriprise Financial
  • Zach Gering – Wealthspire Advisors
  • Zack Hubbard – Greenspring Advisors

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – SOUTHEAST)


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Winner: Divam Mehta – Mehta Financial Group, LLC

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • James Wolf – Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
  • Kirk Klein – Koss Olinger
  • Nina O’Neal – AIM Advisors
  • Stanley Funches – INTELUS Wealth Management
  • Tom West – Signature Estate & Investment Advisors

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – SOUTHWEST)


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Winner: Stephanie Tsang – North Star Resource Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Jenna Biancavilla – 17 Capital Partners, LLC DBA Pearl Capital Management
  • Jimmy Williams – Compass Capital Management
  • John Loyd – The Wealth Planner™
  • Keary Castleberry – Snowden Lane Partners
  • Matthew Walker – Fortitude Family Office

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – WEST)


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Winner: Wanda Delgado – Insight Financial Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Chris Giovinazzo – Accelerate Retirement
  • Cody Klein – SageView Advisory Group
  • Dave Alison – Alison Wealth Management
  • Jourdan Sy – Growth Partners
  • Rick Blanke – Blanke Schein Wealth Management
  • Robert Patton – SageView Advisory Group

ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Franklin Templeton

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • American Funds
  • BlackRock
  • Dimensional Fund Advisors
  • Fidelity
  • Nuveen Investments
  • PIMCO
  • Schwab Asset Management
  • Select Sector SPDRs ETFs
  • T. Rowe Price
  • Vanguard

BROKER-DEALER/CUSTODIAN OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Raymond James Financial Services

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
  • Commonwealth Financial Network
  • Goldman Sachs
  • LPL Financial LLC
  • Northwestern Mutual
  • Park Avenue Securities
  • Sigma Financial and Parkland Securities
  • Transamerica Financial Advisors

CEO OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Marianne Caswell – Park Avenue Securities

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Amy Webber – Cambridge Investment Group
  • Dave Welling – Mercer Advisors
  • George Nichols III – The American College of Financial Services
  • Jamie Price – Osaic Inc.
  • Kevin R. Keller – Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.; Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. (CFP Board)
  • Laura Prieskorn – Jackson Financial Inc.
  • Matt Brown – CAIS
  • Peter Mallouk – Creative Planning
  • Rob Sechan – NewEdge Wealth
  • Shirl Penney – Dynasty Financial Partners
  • Terry Rasmussen – Thrivent

DEI ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORT OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Females & Finance

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • All(In)Vested
  • Carson Group
  • Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.; Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. (CFP Board)
  • Equitable
  • FS Investments
  • Northern Trust Asset Management
  • Prudential Advisors
  • SEIU 775 Benefits Group
  • The American College of Financial Services

DEI TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Benjamin Ola Akande – Stifel Financial

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Carina Diamond – Stella Secunda
  • Christian Nwasike
  • Ethel J Davis – VZD Capital Management, LLC
  • Kimberley J. Mendall Mondonedo – The Mendall Financial Group
  • Maz Kamaruddin – Guardian Life
  • Michelle Morris – Morgan Stanley
  • Nena Chhoum
  • Ryan Philmon – Equitable
  • Simi Dubb – Citi

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE


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Winner: Prudential

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
  • Cambridge Investment Group
  • Charles Schwab
  • Jackson Financial Inc.
  • Mercer Advisors
  • Merit Financial Advisors
  • Sanctuary Wealth
  • SignatureFD
  • Wells Fargo & Company

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE WEALTH MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY


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Winner: Bill Crager – Envestnet

MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF WEALTHTECH


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Winner: MassMutual / MML Investors Services

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Emerald Retirement Planning Group, Inc.
  • Farther
  • Mercer Advisors
  • Montage Wealth Advisors

NEXTGEN ADVISOR OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Julie Penwell – Wealthspire Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Alex Petsis – Anthony Petsis & Associates
  • Andrew Fincher – VLP Financial Advisors
  • Erin Christy – Choreo LLC
  • Jorrell Bland – Mitlin Financial, Inc
  • Kristin Strom – North Star Resource Group
  • Kyle Pahnke – Retirement Solutions
  • Miller Hoffman – TradeWinds

RIA FIRM OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Merit Financial Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Creative Planning
  • Hightower Advisors
  • Integrated Partners
  • Mercer Advisors
  • NewEdge Capital Group
  • Wealthcare Capital Management

RIA TEAM OF THE YEAR (10 ADVISORS OR MORE)


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Winner: Destiny Wealth Partners

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Callan Family Office
  • Carlson Capital Management
  • East Paces Group
  • HoyleCohen
  • Koss Olinger
  • MAYFLOWER ADVISORS
  • Modern Wealth Management

RIA TEAM OF THE YEAR (UNDER 10 ADVISORS)


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Winner: Helium Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Ausperity Private Wealth
  • Dahring | Cusmano
  • Gertsema Wealth Advisors
  • GRANTvest Financial Group
  • Kendall Capital
  • Palumbo Wealth Management
  • Pensionmark
  • Saige Private Wealth Management
  • The Clifford Group

THE COMMONWEALTH FINANCIAL NETWORK AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTROPHY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


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Winner: Sibyl Slade – IntegriVest Wealth Advisors, LLC.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Greg Friedman – Wealthspire Advisors
  • Heather Fortner – SignatureFD
  • Johnson Bixby
  • Jordan Toma – Prudential Advisors
  • Koss Olinger
  • Stacy Francis – Francis Financial

WEALTHTECH PROVIDER OF THE YEAR


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Winner: intelliflo

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Advisor360°
  • AssetMark
  • BridgeFT
  • Docupace
  • Envestnet
  • FusionIQ
  • Nebo Wealth
  • Orion Advisor Solutions
  • SEI Investments Company
  • Vestmark

WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR


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Winner: Kristen McGarry – Pacific Life

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Anthony Shutman – JP Morgan
  • Austin LaVelle – Athene
  • Ben Sullivan – AE Wealth Management LLC
  • Gigi Norcross – Green Century Capital Management
  • Salih Besirevic – Jackson National Life Distributors LLC