NEW YORK – – September 16, 2026 -- Wealth Management crowned the winners of its 2026 Industry Awards before more than 600 executives at Cipriani 42nd Street, capping a program that drew a record 1,392 nominations from 508 unique companies.
Nominations climb nearly four-fold since program launch
The 2026 field represented a 15% jump from 1,210 nominations in 2025 and nearly four times the 350 submissions logged in the inaugural 2015 edition. Finalists numbered 315 unique companies competing across 107 categories, with almost 40% of entries recognizing entirely new initiatives.
Seven new categories target AI platforms and recruiting talent
Organizers added seven categories for 2026 -- including Advisor Intelligence Platforms, RIA Leadership Executives of the Year, Recruiting Firm Enterprise Executive of the Year and Corporate Innovation -- that together attracted 142 nominations and produced 59 finalists. David Armstrong, Head of Editorial Operations at Wealth Management Group, said independent judges evaluated the usefulness, innovation, scope and impact of each initiative rather than the company submitting it.
Tina Powell Inspiration Award launches to honor former judge
The ceremony introduced the Tina Powell Inspiration Award, a new annual honor for individuals demonstrating generosity and service within the industry. Powell, a longtime Wealthies judge, publicly shared her stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis before her death, turning her experience into a source of support for others in the sector.
Daytime sessions probe AI's role in advisor talent pipeline
Earlier in the day at Convene 360 Madison Avenue, senior executives from finalist firms joined a CEO panel on emerging competitive threats to the RIA model and shifting vendor requirements, followed by a roundtable on artificial intelligence's impact on advice delivery. An afternoon Think Tank session, themed "Leaning Into the Human: Building the Advisory Firm of the Future in an AI-Driven World,