Women to Watch 2023 winners announced

Alexandra Armstrong speaking at the 2023 Women to Watch event

InvestmentNews honored the best in class at a ceremony in New York City.

InvestmentNews celebrated the crème de la crème of women advisors at the 2023 Women to Watch event at Tribeca 360 in New York City Tuesday night.

Finalists flew in from across the country to toast each other’s talents, network and recognize the winners in seven categories. The ceremony was preceded by a panel discussion featuring finalists from the Employer of Choice category and a prerecorded video with Rita Robbins, the recipient of the Alexandra Armstrong Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Financial Services Industry. Robbins’ candid reflection on her career arguably stole the show despite her absence, with her daughter, Ali Arnold, picking up the award on her behalf.

Other winners included Kay Lynn Mayhue, president of Merit Financial Advisors, who won the Female Trailblazer of the Year, while Christine Cappabianca of Impax Asset Management picked up Portfolio Manager of the Year. Colleen Bell, president of innovation and experience at Cambridge Investment Research Inc., was awarded the Allyship Champion of the Year award.

Brittney Olinger, an advisor at Koss Olinger, won the Rising Star of the Year award, and was quick to pay tribute to her colleagues.

“[The award] means a lot to me, but I think it means even more to me being a representative of my company,” Olinger said. “We’re an independent firm that’s a three-generation strong company out of Gainesville, Florida, and it was our first female partner who put me up for this award. She and all the other partners have been a massive proponent of bringing more women into our space and into our sector. I’m just really honored to have won it — I wasn’t expecting it.”

InvestmentNews Woment to Watch 2023 winners

Allyship Champion of the Year

Colleen Bell, Cambridge Investment Research Inc.

Female Trailblazer of the Year

Kay Lynn Mayhue, Merit Financial Advisors

Excellence in Gender Diversity & Inclusion

Raymond James & Associates

Rising Star Advisor of the Year

Brittney Olinger, Koss Olinger

Employer of Choice

Thrivent

Portfolio Manager of the Year