Advisor achievements
We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements by Osaic advisors both in the wealth management industry, and in their own communities. Transformative wealth management starts here.
Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors in the USA
Heritage Financial Consultants
InvestmentNews Awards continue to recognize the advisors, teams, and firms setting the benchmark for excellence across the investment industry. From client leadership and innovation to outstanding performance, this is where the industry’s best are celebrated.
To find and recognize the Best Places to Work, InvestmentNews invited organizations to participate by filling out an employer form, which asked companies to explain their various offerings and practices. Next, employees from nominated companies were asked to fill out an anonymous form evaluating their workplace on a number of metrics, including benefits, incentives, employee development, culture, and more. To be considered, each organization had to reach a minimum number of employee responses based on its overall size. Organizations that achieved an 80 percent or greater average satisfaction rating from employees were named Best Places to Work of 2026.
The 2026 Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors award issued by InvestmentNews on 3/24/26 for the 2025 year was awarded to companies with a minimum of 10 employees in the financial wealth industry. The financial professional applied for the recognition. Employees from nominated companies completed an anonymous form evaluating their workplace on a number of metrics, including benefits, compensation, culture, employee development, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Organizations that achieved an 80 percent or greater average satisfaction rating and a minimum number of employee responses were selected, with 43 companies being recognized. No fee was paid for the nomination or receipt of the award; however, $595 was paid for use of the e-medal badge. Third-party ratings are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client's evaluation.
Stacey Spedden-Irrgang
Top Women Wealth Advisors, Best-In-State 2026
Forbes
The tenth annual ranking of Forbes | SHOOK Best-In-State Women Wealth Advisors highlights more than 2,800 women across the country with proven track records, collectively managing nearly $4 trillion in assets. Forbes’ rankings were compiled by SHOOK Research, which uses a rigorous methodology combining quantitative and qualitative data, including interviews with candidates nominated by their firms.
This prestigious recognition highlights Stacey's excellence in the industry and her unwavering commitment to the families she serves.
The Forbes ranking of America's Top Women Wealth Advisors, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. There is no fee in exchange for rankings. Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client's evaluation.
ThinkAdvisor Luminaries
The ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards celebrate the trailblazers redefining excellence in financial services. This prestigious program recognizes the visionary firms and individuals driving innovation and making a transformative impact on both the industry and the profession.
Patti Brennan
CEO, Key Financial
Riley Saunders
Financial Advisory, Cassaday & Company, Inc
Ringing the Closing Bell at the NYSE
Ringing the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange is typically reserved for companies and leaders who have made a significant impact in their industry. For Patti Brennan, CEO of Key Financial, and Michael, her longtime partner and team member (and son!), this moment represents so much—most notably its a recognition of decades of leadership, trust, and excellence in wealth management.
It’s a moment of pride not just for Patti and Michael, but for everyone who believes in the power of personalized financial planning to transform lives.
Stephan Cassaday
Top 100 Financial Advisors
Barron's
Steve Cassaday, CFP®, CFS, has been advising investors professionally since 1977. In 1993, after 16 years holding senior and management positions with several major New York Stock Exchange member firms, Steve abandoned the traditional Wall Street brokerage model and founded Cassaday & Company, Inc., an independent advisory firm.
His vision: to provide objective guidance to investors seeking advice about their financial situations, to do so with the highest levels of honesty, integrity, and overall excellence possible, and to provide faultless quality and courteous service – at a reasonable price.
Barron's "Top 100 Financial Advisors" list, 2026. Advisors considered for the "Top 100 Financial Advisors" list ranking have a minimum of seven years financial services experience and have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. Quantitative and qualitative measures used to determine the Advisor rankings include: client assets, return on assets, client satisfaction/retention, compliance records, and community involvement, among others. Barron's does not receive compensation from Advisors, participating firms and their affiliates, or the media in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognition from Barron's are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor.
InvestmentNews Awards Excellence Awardees
The InvestmentNews Awards returned for its second year to recognize the individuals and organizations leading the future of the US wealth management industry.
Gayle Canini
Employee Benefits Administration, Inc.
Riley Saunders
Cassaday & Company, Inc.
John Sklencar
Physicians Private Client Group
1,000 Advisors to Watch
AdvisorHub's 1000 Advisors to Watch ranking identifies high-quality advisors from across the country who are growing their businesses and delivering exceptional service to clients. Advisors are chosen based on three major categories:
- Scale of the business, including assets under management, profitability, average account size, and the ratio of team members to client households.
- Growth, as measured by year-over-year increases in client households, assets, and profits.
- Professionalism, which evaluates an advisor’s regulatory record, certifications, years of service, and community involvement.
Patti Brennan
America's Top Wealth Advisors
Forbes
Through a culture rooted in the tenets of wisdom, perspective and commitment, Patti and the Key Financial team provides each client with a personalized financial plan with multiple scenarios, stress tests and what if's. Paired with Patti's unique ability to communicate complex financial concepts through understandable terms, she has garnered recognition by Forbes, The Financial Times and Barron's as one of the Top Advisors in America year after year for over almost two decades.
The Forbes ranking of America’s Top Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for the rankings. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Requirements to qualify include: seven years as an advisor; minimum of one year at current firm, with exceptions (acquisitions, etc.); advisor must be recommended, and nominated, by their firm; completion of an online survey; over 50% of revenue/production must be with individuals; and an acceptable compliance record. Quantitative factors that are reviewed include: revenue/production, with weightings assigned for each; assets under management (and the quality of those assets) both custodied and a scrutinized look at assets held away; client-related data, such as retention; portfolio performance is not a factor as audited returns among advisors are rare and differing client objectives provide varying returns. Qualitative factors that are reviewed are telephone and in-person meetings with advisors; compliance records and U-4s; advisors providing a full client experience that includes their service model, investing process, fee structure, and breadth of services; credentials; use of team and team dynamics; community involvement; and discussions with management, peers and competing peers.
Invest in Others
The Invest in Others Awards program recognizes financial advisors who are making a difference with charities across the country and around the world. Award finalists and recipients receive grants their designated charities.
Gregory Poleon
Barbara Treadwell
Christian Burns
Daryl Cole
Cortney Heykoop
Paul Meyer
Saul Simon
Amy Weinberger
Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors
The ninth annual ranking of Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors features women with proven track records who manage cumulative assets of roughly $3.6 trillion. Forbes’ rankings were compiled by SHOOK Research, which uses quantitative data and interviews candidates nominated by their firms.
Patti Brennan
CEO, Key Financial
West Chester, Pennsylvania
Kim Kantor
Ciccarelli Advisory Services
Naples, Florida
Ryan Mathes
Schroeder Wealth Advisors
The Woodlands, Texas
Jackie Mazur
Guide My Finances
Carlsbad, California
Stacey Spedden-Irrgang
Heritage Financial Consultants
Hunt Valley, Maryland
Mary Sterk
Sterk Financial Services
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Forbes “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors” ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receives compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor.