NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Wealth Solutions Report (WSR) – the fast-growing digital media platform featuring commentary, insights and analysis for the wealth management space – today announced the launch of the WSR Wealth Exemplar Awards. This new series of annual awards, offered on an invitation-only basis, honors firms and individuals who have contributed to the wealth management industry on an exemplary basis.

Larry Roth, CEO of Wealth Solutions Report, said, “Building upon the success of our WSR Pathfinder Awards, we are pleased to announce the inception of the WSR Wealth Exemplar Awards, an annual series of awards celebrating the best of the wealth management industry. Our editorial team is currently reviewing top firms across various spaces within the industry, individuals who have demonstrated decades of achievement in leadership and impactful M&A transactions to select the winners.”

WSR Exemplar Award Categories

In early December, WSR will announce the winners of the following awards:

• Hybrid RIA of the Year  – This award goes to the top three RIA firms that offer fee-based solutions as well as commissionable services in affiliation with a broker-dealer, through either W-2 or independent financial advisors, or both. Minimum $250 million in assets.
• Fee-Based RIA of the Year – This award goes to the top three SEC-registered RIA firms that focus primarily on fee-based solutions for clients, working through either W-2 or independent financial advisors, or both. Minimum $250 million in assets.
• Private Equity-Backed Firm of the Year – This award goes to the top three wealth management firms that have received significant or majority equity investments from private equity, venture capital or other institutional investors for expansion and growth purposes. Minimum $1 billion in assets.
• Alternative Investments Platform of the Year – This award goes to the top three firms that provide a platform for helping financial advisors align alternative assets with their retail investor clients. Minimum $10 billion in assets.
• Asset Manager Platform of the Year – This award goes to the top three firms that have a significant presence in the wealth management industry and operate as third-party asset managers that serve B2B wealth management platforms. Minimum $10 billion in assets.
• Deal of the Year – This award honors the top wealth management M&A deals of the year across five asset size categories, with one awardee for each asset size segment as follows:

1. Mega Deal of the Year ($20 billion and over)
2. Large Deal of the Year ($7 billion to $20 billion)
3. Upper-Mid-Sized Deal of the Year ($2 billion to $7 billion)
4. Mid-Sized Deal of the Year ($500 million to $2 billion)
5. Boutique Deal of the Year ($200 million to $500 million)

Deals are selected based on their impact and importance to the industry as well as how they reflect ongoing industry trends. Asset size ranges are approximate.

• Family Office of the Year – This award goes to the top three financial advisory firms with a majority or significant focus on ultra-high net worth client families and engage in (themselves or through affiliates) sophisticated, tailored services typically offered to this clientele such as concierge services, tax and estate planning and art investment advice. Minimum $500 million in assets.
• Retirement Plan Advisory Firm of the Year – This award goes to the top three wealth management firms with a majority or significant focus on advising retirement plans under ERISA. Minimum $1 billion in assets.
• Wealthtech Firm of the Year – This award goes to the top three firms providing technology solutions for firms that operate within the non-institutional wealth management space. Minimum $250 million assets served.
• Practice Management Platform of the Year – This award goes to the top three in-house practice management platforms within a wealth management firm, delivering solutions that may include, among other areas, consulting, operational efficiency, succession planning or advisor marketing. Minimum $250 million assets served.
• Retirement Income Solutions Provider of the Year – This award goes to the top three firms that specialize in helping financial advisors align their clients with retirement income planning and retirement income generative vehicles. Minimum $250 million assets served.
• Person of the Year – Someone who, at an individual level, has exhibited exemplary vision for transforming the wealth management industry and has taken significant concrete steps to do so. This award also recognizes the year’s standout distinction as part of a broader career that’s shown consistent vision and boldness.

“We are strongly optimistic about the wealth management space, its future and the multitude of exemplary people and firms that continuously drive innovation for our industry and positive impact for the professionals and investors we collectively support,” said Roth. “The WSR Wealth Exemplar Awards are an extension of that optimism, as we highlight the leaders among many notable firms and senior executive teams who work tirelessly to improve what our industry offers to society and empowering the financial advisors who help people throughout the country reach their life goals.”

The WSR Wealth Exemplar Awards follow the successful 2022 WSR Pathfinder Awards series, awarded to outstanding industry-leading executives from underrepresented backgrounds in the wealth management industry, coinciding with Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Launched in April 2021, Wealth Solutions Report’s reader community has grown rapidly, with nearly 100,000 registered readers for its weekly e-blast, approximately 75,000 unique monthly website visitors and an average of between 40,000 and 60,000 weekly LinkedIn impressions generated directly by WSR (not including shares and reshares from firms and individuals across the wealth management space).

SOURCE Wealth Solutions Report