2025 WINNERS & EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Award Categories

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR – ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR – ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

Winner: Thomas Ruggie – Destiny Family Office

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Brian Glenn – Premier Path Wealth Partners
  • Erick Rawlings – Fiduciary Trust International
  • Jeff Eulberg – Evergreen Gavekal
  • Marti Marache – Harbor Asset Private Wealth
  • Matthew Walker – Fortitude Family Office
  • Nikhil Kumar – Hartree Partners
  • Stephanie Petrosini – Morgan Stanley

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR – ESG/RESPONSIBLE INVESTING

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR – ESGRESPONSIBLE INVESTING

Winner: James Brewer – Envision Wealth

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bud Sturmak – Perigon Wealth Management
  • Jane Swan – Veris Wealth Partners
  • Jason Britton – Reflection Asset Management
  • Jeffrey R. Kingzett – Ameriprise Financial
  • Maggie Kulyk – Chicory Wealth
  • Nick Cantrell – Green Future Wealth Management

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – MID-WEST)

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – MID-WEST)

Winner: Sam Huszczo – SGH Wealth Management

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bryan Bibbo – JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management
  • Eva Stukenberg – Thrivent
  • James Hegland – Hegland Mainz Financial
  • Jane LaLonde – LaLonde Wealth Advisor Group
  • Jonathan Smucker – Marietta Investment Partners
  • Susan Sukys – Mosaic Financial Group

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – NORTHEAST)

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – NORTHEAST)

Winner: Dennis Morton – Morton Brown Family Wealth

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Garrett Taylor – Coastline Wealth Management
  • Gideon Drucker – Drucker Wealth
  • Gregory Fortier – Centinel Financial Group
  • John Sklencar – Physicians Private Client Group
  • Mark Jones – Fiduciam Financial
  • Michael Lehman – Premier Path Wealth Partners
  • Tim Hamilton – Compound Planning

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – SOUTHEAST)

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – SOUTHEAST)

Winner: Dave Alison – Alison Wealth Management

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Abigail Bennett – Verum Partners LLC
  • Damon Lichtenberger – North Star Resource Group
  • Gayle Canini – Employee Benefits Administration, Inc.
  • Padric Scott – Crossroad Capital Partners
  • Shannon Reintgen – Koss Olinger
  • Timothy Roark – Koss Olinger
  • Yusuf Abugideiri – Yeske Buie Inc.

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – SOUTHWEST)

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – SOUTHWEST)

Winner: John Loyd – The Wealth Planner

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Alejandro Behrens – Maximai Investment Partners
  • Kim-Ha Nguyen – U.S. Capital Wealth
  • Kirk Badii – Badii Group Private Wealth Management
  • Mark Connely – Wealth Design Group (Park Avenue Securities)
  • Misty Garza – Bogart Wealth
  • Scott Van Den Berg – Century Management Financial Advisors
  • Sofia Hernandez – Thrivent

THE INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL GROUP AWARD FOR ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – WEST)

THE INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL GROUP AWARD FOR ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL – WEST)

Winner: Harmon Kong – Apriem Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Dustin Blodgett – Insight Capital Management
  • Kristin Bartlow – Journey Strategic Wealth
  • Matt Iantosca – Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management
  • Michelle Perry Higgins – California Financial Advisors
  • Terry Parham Jr. – Innovative Wealth Building
  • Tyler Williamson – Capita Financial Network
  • William Coughlin – Alpha Capital Family Office

ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Ares Wealth Management Solutions

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Beacon Capital Management
  • Calamos
  • J.P. Morgan Asset Management
  • Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management
  • Research Affiliates
  • WisdomTree

BROKER-DEALER/CUSTODIAN OF THE YEAR

BROKER-DEALERCUSTODIAN OF THE YEAR

Winner: LPL Financial

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Apex Fintech Solutions
  • Axtella, LLC (BDs: Sigma Financial Corporation and Parkland Securities, LLC)
  • Cambridge Investment Group
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Independent Financial Group, LLC
  • Interactive Brokers
  • Osaic
  • Park Avenue Securities

DEI ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORT OF THE YEAR

DEI ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORT OF THE YEAR

Winner: Janus Henderson Investors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • SignatureFD
  • The American College of Financial Services
  • Zenith Wealth Partners

DEI TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR

DEI TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Cary Carbonaro – Ashton Thomas Private Wealth

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Brandon Dixon-James – Resilient Wealth Management
  • Chad Cooper – Gateway Financial Advisors, LLC
  • Chelsea Ransom-Cooper – Zenith Wealth Partners
  • Colleen Bell – Cambridge Investment Group
  • Markell Byrd – Wells Fargo
  • Sandra Cho – Pointwealth Capital Management
  • Thomas Brigandi – Thomas Brigandi Foundation

THE THRIVENT AWARD FOR EMPLOYER OF CHOICE

THE THRIVENT AWARD FOR EMPLOYER OF CHOICE

Winner: Cambridge Investment Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments
  • Research Affiliates
  • RFG Advisory
  • Sanctuary Wealth
  • SEIA – Signature Estate and Investment Advisors
  • SignatureFD
  • Steward Partners
  • Trajan Wealth

EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Winner: Jordan Toma – Prudential Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Grant Rawdin – Wescott Financial Advisory Group
  • Hannah Moore – Amplified Planning
  • Harlan Fischer – Branch Financial Services, Inc.
  • Heidi Davis – Linscomb Wealth
  • Lance Knight – Ashton Thomas Private Wealth
  • Shannon Sedgwick Davis – Bridgeway Foundation
  • Shaun McDuffee – Twin Oak Advisors

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE WEALTH MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE WEALTH MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY

Winner: Ric Edelman – DACFP

MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF WEALTHTECH

MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF WEALTHTECH

Winner: Private Advisor Group

RIA FIRM OF THE YEAR

RIA FIRM OF THE YEAR

Winner: Merit Financial Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Ashton Thomas Private Wealth
  • Beacon Pointe Advisors
  • Concurrent Investment Advisors
  • EP Wealth Advisors
  • Homrich Berg Wealth Management
  • Mercer Advisors
  • NewEdge
  • Wealthcare
  • Wealthspire Advisors

RIA TEAM OF THE YEAR (10 ADVISORS OR MORE)

RIA TEAM OF THE YEAR (10 ADVISORS OR MORE)

Winner: Apriem Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Adams Brown Wealth Consultants
  • Bogart Wealth
  • Caprock
  • Journey Strategic Wealth
  • Koss Olinger
  • Opal Wealth Advisors
  • Parcion Private Wealth
  • Procyon Partners
  • TFO Wealth Partners

RIA TEAM OF THE YEAR (UNDER 10 ADVISORS)

RIA TEAM OF THE YEAR (UNDER 10 ADVISORS)

Winner: Morton Brown Family Wealth

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Connecticut Capital Management Group LLC
  • CovingtonAlsina
  • GRANTvest Financial Group
  • Powers Advisory Group, LLC
  • Satovsky Asset Management
  • Signature Estate & Investment Advisors
  • TradeWinds
  • U.S. Capital Wealth

THE OSAIC AWARD FOR NEXTGEN ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

THE OSAIC AWARD FOR NEXTGEN ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

Winner: Sydney Woodward – Yeske Buie Inc.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Amanda Charles – Moxie Wealth Management
  • Christopher Stevenson – Forrest Financial Partners
  • Dinon Hughes – Nvest Financial
  • Gloria Garcia Cisneros – LourdMurray
  • Grace Bossert – Mercer Advisors
  • Jonathon Mason – Farther Finance
  • Patrick Marcinko – Bogart Wealth
  • Riley Saunders – Cassaday & Company, Inc.

THE PARK AVENUE SECURITIES AWARD FOR CEO OF THE YEAR

THE PARK AVENUE SECURITIES AWARD FOR CEO OF THE YEAR

Winner: Terry Rasmussen – Thrivent

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Adam Malamed – Sanctuary Wealth
  • Andres Garcia-Amaya – Zoe Financial
  • Cammy Smith – Integrated Equity Management
  • David Lau – DPL Financial Partners
  • Greg Raines – TAG Advisors
  • Natalie Wolfsen – Orion
  • Rafael Loureiro – wealth.com
  • Rick Kent – Merit Financial Advisors
  • Thomas Carroll – Homrich Berg Wealth Management

WEALTHTECH PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

WEALTHTECH PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

Winner: intelliflo

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Advisor360°
  • Advyzon
  • AssetMark
  • Envestnet
  • FINIAT
  • FusionIQ
  • GeoWealth
  • iCapital
  • Jump
  • Kwanti
  • PureFacts
  • Vestmark

WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR

WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Emily McGrath – PIMCO

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Gigi Norcross – Green Century Capital Management
  • Jeff Borrowman – 1847Financial, LLC
  • Josh Gongaware – First Trust
  • Joy Harrison – Jackson National Life Distributors LLC