Our Inaugural WSR Pathfinder Awards to Honor Leadership in Diversity & Inclusivity and the Latest Transitions, Transactions & Promotions
To My Fellow WSR Community Members:
As we conclude Black History Month, I want to give a special thanks to our hard-working editorial team that kicked it into overdrive so we could celebrate and honor the contributions of Black executives and advisors in our industry, take an honest look at our current state and create conversations about where we are missing the mark and solutions for improvement.
In naming the Top Black Leaders in Wealth Management, we’re just getting started – our coverage of diversity and inclusion continues throughout the year as this week’s awards will be the first in a series of WSR Pathfinder Awards, recognizing individuals who shattered glass ceilings to achieve prominence in our industry and dedicated heroic efforts to promote underrepresented persons.
In honor of Women’s History Month in March, we will name a new set of WSR Pathfinder Awards for women at the forefront of our industry, while spotlighting the current representation of women in our industry and what steps are needed to further empower women as advisors and executives. As with our Top Black Leaders in Wealth Management category, the WSR Pathfinder Awards for Women will be conducted on an invitation-only basis.
In addition, our monthly Transitions, Transactions & Promotions column keeps you up to date on the latest in advisor recruitment, people moves and promotions, M&A and strategic alliances, clearly stating why each story is relevant to our industry – and to you.
This Week’s Issue
Here’s an overview of this week’s offerings:
In our On the Rise section, we conclude Black History Month with our inaugural awards in the WSR Pathfinder Awards series, honoring the Top Black Leaders in Wealth Management, selected by our editors after a rigorous review and vetting process for excellence and leadership in the industry:
- Emlen Miles-Mattingly and Dasarte Yarnway, Co-Founders of Onyx Advisor Network, a platform that provides a complete resource toolkit to minority-led advisory firms, and each a firm founder and podcast host in his own right, advise us that diversity and inclusion initiatives fall short and what steps will create truly diverse and inclusive outcomes.
- Kevin Beard, Chief Growth Officer at independent wealth management firm Atria Wealth Solutions, shares formative experiences that enabled him to overcome diversity and inclusion issues, as well as insights on education, giving back, mentoring and providing representation to make progress on diversity and inclusion.
- Alex David, President and CEO of independent broker-dealer Stifel Independent Advisors, a part of global investment bank Stifel Financial Group, shares solutions to improve industry diversity including sustained commitment, holding firms accountable, bringing the industry’s problem-solvers together with a sense of urgency and changing hiring mindsets.
In the Newsmakers Roundup section, our monthly Transitions, Transactions and Promotions column gives you the details on Hollywood concierge services going nationwide, innovative insurance solutions, a plethora of people moves and LPL’s continued recruiting streak.
And in case you missed it, our On the Rise section recently featured Ken Royster, an independent financial advisor affiliated with hybrid RIA Stratos Wealth Partners, explaining how wealth management firms can leverage diversity to drive growth.
The Future of Workflow Automation
Keep an eye out in The Digital Domain for our coverage of the future of workflow automation, as we take a look at how fintech is changing the workflows of advisors and professionals in wealth management and relate expert views on the advantages and upcoming shifts in workflow automation.
We enjoy hearing your thoughts and comments on this week’s articles, suggestions for future stories and ideas on the diversity and inclusion conversation.
Please share stories you find useful and inspiring and join with us in congratulating the Top Black Leaders in Wealth Management on social media.
Have a great week!
Cheers!
Larry Roth, CEO
Wealth Solutions Report
