Cambridge Wins Big at ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards

Amy Webber (Executive of the Year), Colleen Bell (Luminaries With a Heart), Jeff Vivacqua (Thought Leader of the Year) earn victories at 2024 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries awards in Las Vegas

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambridge, a leading independent financial solutions firm serving 3,800 financial professionals across the country, won multiple awards at the 2024 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards Dinner and Gala held in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this week. The firm entered the night with six finalists, with CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board Amy Webber (Executive of the Year), President of Innovation and Experience Colleen Bell (Luminaries With a Heart), and Jeff Vivacqua (Thought Leader of the Year) earning award wins in their respective categories.

Now in its fourth year, the Luminaries recognize individuals and firms making a measurable impact on advisors, clients, and the financial services industry at large. Hundreds of nominations were received from firms around the industry, and winners were selected by an independent judging panel consisting of 19 high-ranking industry professionals that evaluated finalists based on quantitative and qualitative results. A complete list of winners is available here.

Webber won the Executive of the Year award, which honors an individual who has gone above and beyond in leading a firm that has recently demonstrated strong client service, innovation (in programs, products and/or services) or other success, and who serves as a model of industry excellence, which includes work on growing results as measured by revenues, assets, advisor headcount, etc. Webber joined Cambridge in 1998, and her leadership has led to Cambridge being one of the most respected, innovative, and fastest growing financial solutions firms. Webber served as a member of the FINRA Board of Governors as the Independent Dealer/Insurance Affiliate Governor from 2017-2021. She served on the Financial Services Institute (FSI) Board of Directors from 2014-2017, serving as chair in 2016, and was re-elected to the Board in 2022. Also in 2022, Webber was honored with the InvestmentNews Women to Watch Alexandra Armstrong Lifetime Achievement award for the impact she's made on the financial services industry and community over her career.¹

Bell won the Luminaries With a Heart award, which was open to individuals who have gone above and beyond in their work in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and other empowering endeavors. Bell joined Cambridge in 2006 following her experience as a securities examiner and auditor with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is now a member of the firm's 'Office of the CEO' and Board of Directors. One of just two women on the firm's Board of Directors, Bell actively contributes to the growing inclusivity movement at Cambridge and the broader financial services industry, leveraging the expertise, insight, and lessons she's accumulated during her career to build a more supportive environment that empowers women to thrive in their roles. She is an Executive Sponsor of Cambridge's Community of Women (CCW) and Commitment to Inclusion Committee.

Vivacqua earned the Thought Leader of the Year award, which welcomed nominations from individuals who have proactively shared thought leadership and introduced new frameworks to their segment of financial services. Among many growth-focused efforts, Vivacqua was instrumental in leading the development and launch of a new standalone RIA firm: BridgePort Financial Solutions ("BridgePort"), which launched in January 2024 to support the growth of fee-only RIAs. Passionate about sharing thought leadership and insight with advisors and broad audiences, Vivacqua appears regularly in leading industry publications. Outside of his role at Cambridge, Vivacqua is Chairman of the Board of Directors at Invest in Others, an organization that seeks to amplify the philanthropic efforts of advisors across the country.

About Cambridge

Cambridge is a financial solutions firm focused on serving independent financial professionals and their clients while preserving its internal control. Cambridge offers a broad range of choices for independent financial professionals regarding solutions for advice, growth, technology, and independence. Cambridge's national reach includes: Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. – a large corporate RIA; and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. – an independent broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, that is among the largest internally controlled independent broker-dealers in the country.

About ThinkAdvisor

ThinkAdvisor provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health and life decisions. Its website showcases advisors adapting and succeeding in new ways, and it translates the impact of industry regulation, dealmaking, and technology into easily digestible, shareable content — so advisors have more time to spend advising clients and running their businesses.

ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES, Class of 2024. Finalists and winners are chosen based on nominations. To learn about the award criteria, visit https://event.thinkadvisor.com/luminaries-awards/criteria.

¹InvestmentNews Magazine, Women to Watch awards recognize women in the industry who have demonstrated success, leadership, ability to effect change, and a willingness to help other female financial professionals and community service. Winners are selected by an InvestmentNews selection committee. For more information on the awards, nomination requirements, and selection process, visit https://www.investmentnews.com/awards-and-recognition/women-to-watch-2022

Contact:

Jeff Wulf, Senior Vice President, Cambridge

[email protected] or 800-777-6080

SOURCE Cambridge