Top Financial Professionals in the US Recognized in InvestmentNews’ Hot List 2025
November 11, 2025 — The financial services sector has experienced its fair share of volatility and rapid changes throughout the past year. Despite political, economic, and social uncertainties, leading wealth management professionals have focused on practical responses to market challenges rather than the causes behind the turbulence. InvestmentNews’ Hot List 2025 honors those standout advisors and leaders who have successfully navigated disruption and seized new opportunities to better serve investors’ evolving needs.
Responding to an Evolving Landscape
The 2025 Hot List highlights wealth professionals who are reshaping the industry by driving diversification and providing clients access to more sophisticated investment solutions. Mary Mock, Senior Vice President and Head of Distribution at Touchstone Investments, describes this period as a transformative time, especially with the rapid growth of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs). "The expansion in the RIA space is redefining competitive dynamics between broker-dealers, wirehouses, and independents," she explains. Mock notes that the trend toward compensation structures that reward advice rather than product sales is gaining momentum, with ETFs playing an increasingly important role as low-cost, tax-efficient investment vehicles.
Unlocking Private and Alternative Investments
Private investments, once reserved for a privileged few, are becoming a critical element in portfolio strategies. BlackRock reports that private investments constitute about 10 percent of the $16.4 trillion alternative investment universe in the United States. This shift is fueled by companies staying private longer and leaning more on private lenders.
Carina Diamond, CEO of GFP Private Wealth and a 2025 Hot List selectee, emphasizes private investments as a cornerstone of her firm’s approach — representing 20 percent of their assets under management. "We doubled down on private investments 10 years ago, and continue to lead in this area," says Diamond. She points out that while many investment services have become commoditized, private investments differentiate her firm in a marketplace where clients demand more than the traditional mix of stocks, bonds, and ETFs.
Similarly, Thomas Ruggie, CEO of Destiny Wealth Partners and fellow Hot Lister, has developed strategic alliances that provide clients access to exclusive hedge funds, private equity, and curated direct investments. Ruggie cites investments in high-profile companies such as Elon Musk’s post-merger X.AI, Stripe, Anduril, and pre-IPO Reddit, reflecting his belief that the present AI revolution offers a unique, “once-in-a-generation” investing opportunity. His fund typically invests alongside private equity firms on the companies’ capital tables, avoiding the premium prices seen in secondary market trading.
Managing Tax Efficiency and Stock Concentration
Concentration in highly appreciated stocks presents affluent investors with challenging choices regarding risk exposure and tax consequences. Erik Lehr, Chief Investment Officer at Empirical Wealth Management and a Hot List honoree, has pioneered a comprehensive toolkit for affluent clients grappling with these issues. Lehr’s firm offers advanced strategies including exchange funds, collars, option overlays, and 351 exchanges designed to mitigate risk and optimize tax outcomes.
“With the US stock market’s strong performance over the last 15 years, more clients are coming to us with stock concentration issues," says Lehr. His team provides a third solution that allows clients to diversify without triggering large capital gains taxes, supporting long-term financial success.
The Rise of Philanthropy in Wealth Management
Philanthropy is emerging as a key growth area to deepen advisor-client relationships and engage wealth holders’ next generations. Joseph Mrak III, CEO of Foundation Source, offers technology and advisory services to simplify and manage clients’ charitable giving. His platform facilitates donor-advised funds (DAFs), foundations, and planned gifts, enabling advisors to integrate philanthropy seamlessly into wealth management.
“Advisors want simplicity and centralized control when it comes to philanthropy,” Mrak explains. Foundation Source’s recent acquisition of fintech company Vennfi enhances the user experience, making DAFs accessible to a wide range of clients—from those starting with $5 to those administering tens of millions.
Building Scale Through Strategic Consolidation
Amid rising pressure to demonstrate value and deliver on evolving client needs, many advisory firms are growing through acquisitions. PwC’s US Deals 2025 midyear outlook reveals a strong rebound in deal volume, with the fourth quarter of 2024 and first quarter of 2025 seeing the highest number of asset and wealth management deals since 2022. Natalie Wolfsen, CEO of Orion Advisor Solutions and a Hot List winner, underscores the importance of scalability and enhanced capabilities through M&A. “Orion is a collection of acquired companies aligned by a mission to create a thriving wealth community," she states. Orion’s recent purchase of Summit Wealth Systems accelerated the firm’s progress on data integration and client experience by over a year, reflecting the premium value of complementary technology.
Niche Expertise Serving Specialized Clientele
Drew Boyer, CEO of Boyer Financial Group and also among the Hot List honorees, specializes in retirement planning for Ohio’s public servants including firefighters and police officers. His tailored approach has driven 20 percent annual growth over five years. Boyer emphasizes education and clear communication to help clients avoid reactive decisions during market uncertainty, focusing instead on long-term financial planning.
Conclusion
The 2025 InvestmentNews Hot List reveals the financial professionals who stand out by embracing new investment avenues, advancing tax-efficient strategies, enhancing philanthropic services, and scaling through strategic acquisitions. Their adaptive approaches and client-centric innovations set new standards in wealth management, helping investors navigate complexity with confidence.
For more details on the 2025 Hot List winners and methodology, visit InvestmentNews’ official website.