InvestmentNews honors firm best practices

InvestmentNews honors firm best practices
Advisory businesses recognized for top growth and profitability, as well as superior technology use.
OCT 25, 2017
InvestmentNews recognized 21 financial advice firms with Best Practices awards on Oct. 17, at a ceremony held in Boston. These firms rank among the top quartile of more than 700 independent advisory firms that participated in the 2017 Adviser Compensation and Staffing Study and the 2017 Adviser Technology Study. The businesses range in size but have one feature in common. "Their leaders have a clear plan and vision for growing their firms and managing elite organizations," said Mark Bruno, associate publisher at InvestmentNews and head of InvestmentNews Research. The smallest firm has about $175 million in assets under management, while the largest is about $9 billion. They are located in most regions of the country. Scroll down to see the firms that were 2017 winners of Best Practices awards.

Mapping the Best Practices winners

Compensation and Staff Best Performers

Adviser Technology Study Best Performers

Compensation and Staffing Best Performers

A dozen firms were recognized for their growth and profitability and were identified as having superior compensation and staffing practices.

ACG Wealth

Atlanta $1.8 billion CEO Greg Fink

*Accredited Investors Wealth Management

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Edina, Minn.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$1.6 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"CEO Ross Levin

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Fairfax, Virginia

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$625 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"CEO David Greene

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"San Diego

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$3.4 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"President Will Beamer

EisnerAmper Wealth Management & Corporate Benefits

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Iselin, N.J.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$590 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Managing Officer Marc Scudillo

Foster & Motley, Inc.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Cincinnati

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$1.1 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Portfolio Manager Zach Horn

JMG Financial Group, Ltd.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Downer's Grove, Ill.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$2 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Chief Operating Officer Yonhee Gordon

Johnson Investment Counsel

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Cincinnati

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$9 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Director of Human Resources Steve Linder

Private Vista LLC

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Chicago

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$1.2 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Partner Jim Weil

Roof Advisory Group Inc.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"Harrisburg, Pa.,

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$426 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"President Jeffrey Roof

*Sage Financial Group

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"West Conshohocken, Pa.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$1.6 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Co-founder Alan Cohn

Wacker Wealth Partners

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127911024.PNG"San Luis Obispo, Calif.,

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127931024.PNG"$750 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127941024.PNG"Chief Operating Officer Brian Krill

Adviser Technology Study Best Performers

Nine firms were acknowledged for their superior technology practices.

Asset Management Group Inc.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Stamford, Conn.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$395 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"President LeGrand Redfield

*Balasa Dinverno Foltz

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Itasca, Ill.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$3.3 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"Co-founder Mark Balasa

Center for Financial Planning Inc.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Southfield, Mich

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$948 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"Director of Investments Angela Palacios

Etesian Wealth Advisors Inc.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Lake Oswego, Ore.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$201 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"Client Service Associate Jesse Steele

Fierston Financial Group

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"West Hartford, Conn.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$600 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"Co-presidents Seth Fierston and Brian Fierston

Nvest Financial Group

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Kennebunk, Maine

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$175 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"President Nichole D. Raftopoulos

Sensible Financial Planning and Management

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Waltham, Mass.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$383 million

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"Founder Frederick Miller

Strategic Wealth Management Group

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Columbia, Maryland

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$1.2 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"CEO Jim DeCarlo and COO Patricia Achterhof

The Burney Company

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127971024.PNG"Reston, Va.

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127961024.PNG"$1.7 billion

/assets/docs src="/wp-content/uploads2017/10/CI1127951024.PNG"Partner Pete Dabrowski

*Did not attend Oct. 17 awards event

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