Top Financial Professionals in the USA: Masters at Work in 2025 Volatility
February 25, 2026 — The year 2025 was a remarkable period for financial markets in the USA, with the S&P 500 posting a 16% gain—the best three-year stretch since the dotcom boom—and the Nasdaq Composite achieving an even stronger 20% annual return. However, the true challenge for financial advisors lay not in simply generating returns but in skillfully navigating volatility and rising market complexities.
Against this demanding backdrop, InvestmentNews’ Top Financial Professionals of 2026 demonstrated proactive management, blending asset growth with strategic sophistication to meet clients’ expectations for both performance and protection.
Methodology of Selection
The list of the 100 leading financial professionals was derived through a weighted ranking system considering three key measures:
- 50% based on total assets under management (AUM) in 2025
- 25% on AUM growth over the evaluation period
- 25% on client growth over the evaluation period
This approach captured firms that not only increased their managed assets but also expanded their client base during a competitive and consolidating industry where large Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and tech-enabled platforms are capturing substantial new assets through consolidation and alternative investments.
Industry Trends: Technology, Alternatives, and ETFs
Technology-enabled scalability has been vital, freeing advisors’ time for client development and attracting high-net-worth client segments. In tandem, active Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) have gained traction as investors shift allocations away from legacy mutual funds toward active strategies, sometimes at the expense of passive funds.
Andrew Blake, Associate Director of Wealth Management at Cerulli Associates, notes that top advisors have educated themselves on alternative investment products that behave distinctively from traditional equities or fixed income, highlighting such alternatives’ steadier performance during market volatility.
Focus on Discipline and Risk Management
With markets viewed by many as late-cycle and valuations elevated, top professionals highlighted the importance of disciplined risk management and thoughtful portfolio construction. Terri McGray, President of Longevity Capital Management LLC, stresses that protecting capital often determines the success of financial plans amid unpredictable markets.
Insights from Leading Advisors
Jerry Davidse, Presilium Private Wealth
Davidse embodies a disciplined, rules-based investment strategy anchored by a comprehensive Investment Policy Statement. His firm generated 29% AUM growth and 21% client growth by adhering to a holistic philosophy that transcends investments to incorporate tax planning, estate planning, gifting, and multigenerational wealth transfer. Their proactive stance enabled them to capitalize on the April 2025 tariff-driven selloff by buying stocks strategically rather than react emotionally.
Scott Van Den Berg, Century Management
Van Den Berg’s firm grew AUM by 8% and clients by 6%, achieving gains not through concentrated bets but broad participation across asset classes, sectors, and holdings. The firm eschews model portfolios in favor of tailored client strategies aligned with both upside potential and downside risk. By bucketing client assets according to time horizons, they ensure near-term liquidity is preserved, minimizing pressure to sell during downturns. Gold was a standout performer, representing 6–10% of portfolios.
Trevor Scotto, Fiduciary Financial Group
Scotto’s approach earned 34% AUM growth and 13% client growth by integrating tax planning into wealth management with actionable, client-specific strategies. His firm frequently runs tax projections and incorporates Roth conversions to optimize after-tax portfolio performance. Emphasizing discipline, they avoid knee-jerk tactical bets, instead employing a steady, proactive playbook during market drawdowns that resonates with business owners, retirees, and tech professionals with concentrated stock holdings.
Thomas Ruggie, Destiny Wealth Partners
Ruggie highlights investor psychology as a critical dimension of managing volatility. His firm’s strategy focuses on steady communication and a long-term framework, helping clients avoid emotional decisions during market highs or lows. With 24% AUM growth and 5% client growth, Destiny Wealth Partners offers a mix of public securities and proprietary alternative funds that open exclusive opportunities to qualified purchasers. This includes mid- to late-stage pre-IPO private investments in innovative companies such as SpaceX, Anthropic, xAI, Databricks, Stripe, and others—investment avenues typically reserved for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Conclusion
The achievements of 2026’s top financial professionals underscore a shift in wealth management toward more integrated, technology-driven, and client-centric solutions. Success in 2025’s volatile market came from rigorous planning, diversification across asset classes and sectors, thoughtful tax and estate strategies, and a firm grip on client psychology. As markets evolve, those who couple foresight with disciplined execution will continue to lead the financial advisory space in serving clients with sophistication and resilience.
For the full list of winners and detailed methodology, visit the InvestmentNews Top Financial Professionals 2026 feature.