In a financial landscape marked by rapid change and rising client expectations, a select group of US advisory firms have proven themselves leaders in trust, innovation, and results.
InvestmentNews is proud to unveil its 5-Star Wealth Management Teams for 2025, a special recognition of elite advisory groups making measurable impact for clients and the industry at large.
The American wealth management industry remains an unmatched global presence, boasting more than eight times the size of the UK’s and larger than the combined wealth management assets of the next nine countries. According to Natixis Investment Managers, the global advisory sector oversaw an estimated $159 trillion in assets in 2024 – a figure expected to reach $178 trillion by 2029. These staggering numbers reflect not just market growth but the expanding role of trusted financial stewards in navigating increasingly complex client needs.
But this is also a time of reckoning. As PwC’s Next in Asset and Wealth Management 2025 report warns, over a third of wealth management CEOs believe that firms unable to evolve may not survive the next three years. Success increasingly favors those who pair technology with personalization, and who understand that client service must go well beyond investment allocation.
That’s precisely what this year’s top firms exemplify.
“Our clients don’t need a salesman. They need a strategist, a steward, and an advocate,” says Terri McGray of Longevity Capital Management, one of this year’s standout firms. “High-net-worth individuals who once worked with large advisory firms or private banks are now seeking deeper, more personal guidance because they’re tired of one-dimensional service.”
The 5-Star Wealth Management Teams report honors US firms that excel in client growth, retention, and service. To qualify, teams consisting of four or more advisors were nominated by investors nationwide and evaluated across several dimensions: meaningful contributions to client outcomes, demonstrated understanding of client needs, impact over the past 12 months, and overall performance based on AUM and team effectiveness.
“It’s my company and the buck stops with me for good and bad,” says Drew Blease, President of Blease Financial Services. “But we are collaborative and there’s mutual respect. It’s knowing that not one team member is any more important than another, including myself.”
“Whatever the management fee is, you get our full range of services, full stop,” adds Noah Hutkin of 57th Street Wealth Advisors. “We know we’re helping people and giving them peace of mind.”
These sentiments reflect a wider truth: the most successful wealth managers are those who meet their clients not just with solutions, but with empathy, strategy, and vision.
Among its 5-Star Wealth Management Team honorees in 2025, InvestmentNews' special report highlights the following names for setting a high bar in excellence, integrity, and forward-thinking service:
To see the full list and explore in-depth profiles of selected winners, read the full 5-Star Wealth Management Teams report here.
Big-name defections from Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Merrill Lynch headline a busy two weeks of recruiting for the wirehouse.
Markets have always been unpredictable. What has changed is the amount of information investors are trying to process and the growing role advisors play in helping clients avoid emotional decisions
Six apartment deals, one "big account," and $2.7M in undocumented insider loans. Now the lawsuit lands
The Illinois order refers to Brandon Ellington’s investment program as a “Ponzi-like scheme.”
But the Amazon executive chair seems to want it both ways, arguing that taxing the ultra-wealthy won't help struggling Americans.
As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management
Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline
