Where are they now?

Our second annual 40 Under 40 project is underway, and we are asking readers to help us uncover top young talent in financial advice to illuminate the industry’s future. The people who ultimately make the list will be instrumental in moving this profession to the next level, and only by hearing their ideas can we take that step together.
Last year we began this project not knowing what exactly we’d end up with. We knew great people with inspiring stories to tell were out there, we just weren’t sure how many of them we’d be introduced to via nominations. That depended a lot on reader participation.
Well, you came through! We ended up with 1,200 nominations from which to select 40. With such a rich field to consider, the final group was impressive, and, yes, inspiring. I heard from many readers who said learning about the 40 winners through their profiles and video was like a breath of fresh air. Readers also took away innovative ideas to apply in their own firms.
(InvestmentNews 40 Under 40: Nominate your favorite young adviser or associated professional)
Last year’s winners have shared with us the success they’ve enjoyed since the eyes of the industry found them in the spotlight last June.
Kyle Ryan, executive vice president of Personal Capital, wrote to us: “Since being a part of the inaugural 40 Under 40, I have seen an increase in my visibility within the industry and press that has resulted in speaking engagements and contributions to articles. I don’t know the correlation, but we have just about doubled the assets under management at Personal Capital since the award last June.”
Jason Van Duyn, president of AQuest Wealth Strategies, also has benefited from making the list: “Being designated as a top young adviser has really helped propel our growth by gaining additional notoriety. The 40 Under 40 reprint is the No. 1 piece we use to drive client acquisition and employee recruitment.”
Laurie Belew, senior financial adviser at FJY Financial, had this to share: “I have helped facilitate FJY’s first merger with a Texas-based firm, taken on the role of our firm’s chief operating officer and purchased an ownership interest in the company. 2014 was a pretty big year!” I also noticed that in the email she sent, the 40 Under 40 logo was proudly displayed in her signature with a link back to her website and our profile. Great idea!
Alan Moore, founder and financial planner with Serenity Financial Consulting, said: “It’s hard to quantify just how much my career has changed since I was listed as a top 40 Under 40 in 2014. I’m doing more speaking engagements than ever before, and the XY Planning Network has grown from an idea to over 60 member firms in less than one year!”
He founded the XY Planning Network, which helps advisers working with young clients, with Michael Kitces, partner and director of research for Pinnacle Advisory Group, and another 40 Under 40 honoree. Mr. Kitces sent word that XY Planning Network also has teamed up with fellow honoree Jon Stein of Betterment. Mr. Kitces also mentioned that his blog, Nerd’s Eye View, continues to grow: “Traffic is up almost 80% from where it was a year ago!”
Kristen Luke, president and CEO of Wealth Management Marketing, merged her firm with another well-known practice management firm, Angie Herbers Inc., last July. They plan to launch a new company in April, combining the expertise of both. “This initial launch is the first step of many great things to come,” she wrote.
Nicholas Delgado, principal of Dignitas, who graced our cover last year, shared this update: “Life has been great since becoming a 40 Under 40. Highlights include Dignitas [being] recognized for our thought leadership around family governance issues, and we just completed our first NextGen Family Business Summit at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. [Also] I’ll be completing a 10-month fellowship program this summer called Leadership Greater Chicago — the experience has been eye opening and the relationships have been wonderful.”
Now’s your chance to get involved. Nominate a top financial adviser or associated professional who exemplifies the best of the industry by exhibiting identifiable accomplishment at a young age as well as promising future prospects. We’ll be eagerly awaiting the introduction.