The second annual Women in Wealth Management Awards finalists were announced today. The awards celebrate and honor the women (and men!) in the wealth management industry, who act as an inspiration for others and who are making a difference in the profession and their communities. Winners will be announced at the Excell Represent Women in Wealth Awards ceremony in Orlando, Florida, on November 15.
Suzanne Siracuse, industry thought leader, CEO of Suzanne Siracuse Consulting, and former CEO and Publisher of InvestmentNews, helped develop the awards program and will serve as the host of the awards ceremony in November.
An outside group of industry leaders served as the judging committee.
The Women in Wealth Management awards recognize achievement in seven areas and finalists include:
Community Impact Award
Highlights a woman who is using her platform or area of expertise to give back to her community in a meaningful way that generates a lasting impact on that community.
- – Sheryl Hickerson, Founder, Females and Finance
- – Chloé Moore, CFP®, Founder, Financial Staples
- – Barbara Solit, Director of Marketing, Prudent Management Associates
Industry Transformer Award
Honors a woman who is driving transformation and innovation in wealth management through the programs, products or services they’ve created or lead. The nominees of this award are bringing real change for the overall betterment of our industry at large or those we serve.
- – Katie Burke and Bridget Venus Grimes, CFP®, Co-Founders, Equita Financial Network
- – Sonya Dreizler, Co-Founder, Choir
- – Hannah Moore, CFP®, CeFT, Founder and Principal Financial Planner, Guiding Wealth, and Founder and Owner, Amplified Planning
Up & Comer Award
Recognizes a woman who, while still in the beginning stage of her career, is already making a difference in the wealth management industry or to her client base. This emerging leader shows ongoing dedication by contributing to our profession through industry volunteerism or by sharing her views and best practices on a variety of key topics.
- – Diana Cabrices, Founder, Diana Cabrices Consulting
- – Mikaela Doe, Financial Advisor, North Star Resource Group
- – Caroline Knights, CFP®, Director of Financial Planning Services, Boston Wealth Strategies
Excellence in Mentorship & Allyship Award
This award is open to both men and women who have acted as mentors and allies to women in the wealth management industry. This honoree has openly supported women through career advice in growing their practices, navigating through their organizations, getting paid fairly, or creating a culture of empowerment at their firm that empowers women to advance and bring their true selves to work.
- – Kelli Burger, CFP®, Wealth Management Advisor, Partner, Weatherly Asset Management
- – Molly Goetz, CFP®, CDFA®, MBA, Partner & Practice Lead, Greenspring Advisors
- – Kelli Kiemle, AIF®, Managing Director of Growth and Client Experience, Halbert Hargrove
Career of Excellence Award
Celebrates a woman who has been in the financial advice profession for at least 15 years and who has demonstrated success and leadership in her career, along with a proven ability to affect change in the industry. The honoree will have achieved high levels of success as a leader, served as a mentor/role model and advocate for other women and has used her influence to champion discussion and solutions around diversity and inclusion.
- – Cheryl Nash, Chief Customer Executive, InvestCloud
- – Susan Theder, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, FMG Suite
- – Mindy Lee Ying, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor & Managing Director, Wealth Enhancement Group
Backstage Star Award
Celebrates a woman whose quiet daily management makes everything go smoothly for the firm, the people within it and the clients it serves. These honorees have demonstrated the ability to work with multiple departments and create synergies between them, resulting in outstanding outcomes for the firm.
- – Karen Garcia, Chief Operating Officer, First Ascent Asset Management
- – Whitney Fogle Lewis, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, U.S. Wealth Management, AlTi Tiedemann Global
- – Lindsey Fiske Thompson, M.S., Director of Strategy & Resources, Partner, Weatherly Asset Management
Transition Triumph Award
Recognizes a woman, who started in an operational role at the firm, and made a successful transition to advisor. These nominees have achieved success in operations and then made the move to a client-facing role, have been in the advisor-facing role for a minimum of two years, have demonstrated the ability to work effectively with clients and colleagues and acts as inspiration for other women looking to explore a similar career path.
- – Melissa Fernalld, CFP®, Senior Advisor, Strategic Financial Services
- – Shannon Herrell, CFP®, Director of Advisor Development & Operations, Wealth Planner, Carson Wealth (Nevada, MO)
- – Anasuya Kabad, CFP®, Financial Advisor, Jaykay Wealth Advisors, Inc.
“We understand that representation is the compass guiding our industry’s future. This community holds immense power and together, we possess the potential to shape a bright future for us all,” said Suzanne Siracuse, CEO of Suzanne Siracuse Consulting Services. “It’s important to acknowledge the talented and influential women in the financial advice industry and amplify their stories. This year’s nominees are the embodiment of positive change in our profession, representing the spirit of problem-solving, innovation and disruption. We take great pride in celebrating and honoring their remarkable achievements.”
About Excell Represent
Now in its second year, Excell Represent is an industry-wide, collaborative event aimed at empowering women in wealth management to build community, level up professionally and impact the industry for the better. Foundational Partners for the event include Carson Group, Fidelity Institutional, Financial Independence Group and Mariner Wealth Advisors.
Those not in attendance can follow conference happenings, including the awards ceremony, on X @CarsonGroupLLC #ExcellRepresent.