Record-Breaking Year for Wealth Management Industry Awards
News related to:Wealth Management · 2 min read
The 12th annual Wealthies Awards, held on September 11, 2026, celebrated outstanding achievements in the wealth management industry. More than 600 industry executives and team members gathered at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City to honor the best in financial advisory support.
This year, the awards saw a record-breaking 1,392 nominations from 508 unique companies, up from 1,210 nominations in 2025 and nearly four times the 350 nominations in the inaugural year of 2015. The finalists represented 315 unique companies across 107 categories, including the Rising Star awards program. Nearly 40% of the submissions recognized entirely new initiatives, highlighting the rapid pace of change in the advisor ecosystem.
The awards recognized both established industry leaders and emerging 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. Many winners earned recognition across multiple categories, indicating broad capabilities rather than success in a single specialty.
New categories introduced for 2026 included 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. These new categories generated 142 nominations and 59 finalists.
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.
The awards ceremony 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. 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.
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.
The awards program, now in its 12th year, recognizes 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. For more information about the Wealth Management Industry Awards and the 2026 winners, visit https://informaconnect.com/wealth-management-industry-awards/.