Page 29 - Investment Advisor May 2021

By Janet Levaux, Bernice Napach, Ginger Szala and Melanie Waddell

his year’s IA25 focuses on advisors, experts and leaders in financial services who
are pushing the industry forward. This work encompasses diversity and inclusion, as well
as programs to support younger professionals and expand the ways advisors operate and
T charge for their services. These efforts are taking place today in tandem with a number of
other changes impacting the industry — such as the growing importance of cryptocurrencies.
At the same time, the 2021 IA25 list includes and less than 24% are women.
a number of subject-matter experts who are We also want to call out the efforts of past
drilling down into other day-to-day topics critical IA25 winners, many of whom we weren’t able
to today’s advisors and clients, like retirement to include as we made room for new industry
planning. With the many changes the pandemic VIPs. Choosing a limited number of honorees is
has entailed and a new administration in extremely difficult.
Washington, issues around taxation, trusts, and There are, of course, so many industry
estate and related planning have become more professionals bringing tremendous innovation and
important to the industry than in the recent past. integrity to the world of financial advice each day.
We are proud to present this year’s list of IA25 We encourage all advisors, industry executives,
honorees and a number of runners up. Many of firms and other groups to nominate themselves
them are working to help the wealth management and their peers for ThinkAdvisor’s new broader
industry better reflect the demographics of the and expansive recognition program — The
U.S. population it serves. Today, less than 4% of LUMINARIES, which is accepting nominations
certified financial planners are people of color, online through May 17 (via ThinkAdvisor).

MAY 2021 INVESTMENT ADVISOR 27