2026 Wealth Management Industry Awards Celebrate Record-Breaking Year and the Innovators Advancing Financial Advice

The 12th annual Wealthies honored sustained excellence, emerging leaders and technology-driven innovation before more than 600 industry executives in New York City

NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wealth Management last night announced the winners of the 2026 Wealth Management Industry Awards, the 12th annual celebration of outstanding achievement by the companies, organizations and individuals supporting financial advisor success. More than 600 executives and team members from leading asset management firms, registered investment advisors, broker/dealers, custodians, technology providers and other industry organizations gathered for the red carpet, cocktail reception and black-tie awards ceremony at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

The 2026 program set a new record with 1,392 nominations from 508 unique companies, up from 1,210 nominations in 2025 and nearly four times the 350 nominations submitted in the program's inaugural year in 2015. This year's finalist class represented 315 unique companies across 107 categories, including the Rising Star awards program. Nearly 40% of submissions recognized entirely new initiatives, underscoring the pace of change across the advisor ecosystem.

"The growth of the Wealthies reflects both the expanding range of organizations serving advisors and the extraordinary amount of work being done to help advisors build stronger businesses and improve outcomes for their clients," said David Armstrong, Head of Editorial Operations, Wealth Management Group. "Our independent judges evaluate the usefulness, innovation, scope and impact of each initiative - not the company behind it. To be named a finalist, and especially a winner, is meaningful recognition in a year with a record field."

New categories introduced for 2026 recognized emerging priorities across the industry, including Partnership Development Executive of the Year, Advisor Intelligence Platforms, RIA Leadership Executives of the Year, Video Series of the Year, Recruiting Firm Enterprise Executive of the Year, Corporate Innovation and Model Portfolio Selection. Together, the new categories generated 142 nominations and 59 finalists.

The 2026 winners reflected both the strength of established industry leaders and the emergence of a new generation of innovators. Several honorees extended long-standing records of achievement, demonstrating sustained excellence across changing market conditions. Technology providers continued to feature prominently, reflecting the industry's ongoing digital transformation, while many winners earned recognition across multiple categories—evidence of broad capabilities rather than success in a single specialty. At the same time, several newer entrants have accumulated multiple wins in just the past few years, signaling fresh momentum and the rise of influential new industry leaders.

The evening also marked the introduction of the Tina Powell Inspiration Award, which will be presented annually to an individual who exemplifies Powell's generosity and service to others. A longtime industry participant and former Wealthies judge, Powell spent two decades as one of wealth management's most beloved voices. After receiving a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, she shared her journey publicly and turned an extraordinarily difficult chapter into a source of strength for others. The award honors her authenticity, courage and genuine care for the people around her.

"Tina brought an uncommon combination of courage, candor and generosity to this industry," Armstrong said. "The Tina Powell Inspiration Award gives us a lasting way to honor her memory and recognize the people who lead with the same commitment to lifting others up."

The 2026 program began earlier in the day at Convene 360 Madison Avenue, where senior executives from finalist companies joined a CEO panel examining emerging risks and opportunities in the business of financial advice, new competitors and trends challenging the RIA model, and what firms now need from vendors and strategic partners. The panel was followed by a roundtable on AI's impact on wealth management and the delivery of advice, as well as networking among industry leaders.

The afternoon's Focused on the Future Think Tank, themed "Leaning Into the Human: Building the Advisory Firm of the Future in an AI-Driven World," explored how firms can use technology to strengthen the human side of advice. Through facilitated discussion and peer exchange, participants considered the future talent pipeline, the skills advisors will need as entry-level work becomes increasingly automated, ways to retrain and support existing teams, and how to create a more human-centered client experience.

Wealth Management extends its sincere thanks to the independent judging panel, whose expertise, insight and thoughtful evaluation uphold the integrity of the Wealth Management Industry Awards.

For more information about the Wealth Management Industry Awards and the 2026 winners, visit https://informaconnect.com/wealth-management-industry-awards/.

About the Wealth Management Industry Awards

Now in its 12th year, the Wealth Management Industry Awards recognize outstanding achievements by companies, organizations and individuals that support financial advisor success. Winners are selected based on quantitative measures including scope, scale, adoption and feature set, along with qualitative measures such as innovation, creativity and user experience. Additional information is available at https://informaconnect.com/wealth-management-industry-awards/.

SOURCE Wealth Management