Press Release
ALM’s Investment Advisor Names ‘Most Influential’ People in Advisory Industry & Related Fields
16th Annual IA 25 Readers’ Choice Winners Featured in May 2018 issue
NEW YORK, NY — May 2, 2018 — ALM’s Investment Advisor, the leading publication for independent investment advisors and financial planners, has announced the 16th annual IA 25 — the 25 most influential people in the advisor community.
For the first time, the yearly list is entirely based on readers’ views of leaders. Financial advisors and other industry participants cast about 12,000 total votes for leaders in each of the six categories: RIA/Advisory; Independent Broker-Dealers; Custody & Clearing; Portfolio/Markets/Investing; Politics/Regulation/Compliance and Fintech/IT/AI.
“The results of the online poll show that advisors are focused on learning from custodians and other partners who excel at technology,” said Janet Levaux, Editor-in-Chief of Investment Advisor. “Also, our readers frequently turn to highly experienced investment leaders and strategists for insights, and advisors rely on the largest and most visible RIA firms for tips on how to best grow their business, use social media and excel at educational events. We are pleased to recognize the individuals in the IA 25 for the significant role they play today in the lives of financial advisors and their clients.”
The IA 25 Readers’ Choice list and profiles appear in the May issue of Investment Advisor and can be found online here: https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2018/05/01/the-2018-ia-25-winners/
The 2018 IA 25 list includes:
RIA/Advisory
- Ron Carson, Carson Group
- Michael Kitces, “Nerd’s Eye View” blog, Pinnacle Advisory Group, XY Planning Network
- Ric Edelman, Edelman Financial Services
- Angie Herbers, Angie Herbers LLC and Beyond U Inc.
Independent Broker-Dealers
- Amy Webber, Cambridge Investment Research
- Jim Nagengast, Securities America
- Bob Oros, HD Vest Financial Services
- Valerie Brown, Advisor Group
- David Knoch, 1st Global
Custody & Clearing
- Tom Nally, TD Ameritrade Institutional
- Tim Hockey, TD Ameritrade
- Skip Schweiss, TD Ameritrade Trust
- Mark Tibergien, BNY Mellon’s Pershing Advisor Solutions
Portfolio/Markets/Investing
- Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway
- Liz Ann Sonders, Charles Schwab
- Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevest
- Mohamed El-Erian, Allianz
- Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Business School
Politics/Regulation/Compliance
- President Donald Trump
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren
- Rep. Paul Ryan
Politics/Regulation/Compliance
- Jeff Bezos, Amazon
- Vijay Sankaran, TD Ameritrade
- Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook
- Tim Cook, Apple
About Investment Advisor and the Investment Advisor Group
With a circulation of 120,000, Investment Advisor is now in its 38th year of serving independent and independent-minded investment advisors and financial planners across the United States through its monthly magazine and online at ThinkAdvisor.com. The Investment Advisor Group of ALM consistently produces the premier digital and print news, analysis and resources that the community of professional financial advice-givers needs to serve clients, stay compliant and maximize growth.
About ALM
ALM and LBR merged in 2025 to form the premier global information and intelligence company serving the legal industry. Together, they provide unmatched coverage of legal news, proprietary data, performance benchmarking, and strategic insights, all built to support the business and practice of law. From global law firms to in-house legal departments, over 7 million legal professionals rely on ALM and LBR for the tools, research, and connections that drive results.