Top Directors Awards Finalists
Top Investment Services Directors in Financial Institutions 2026 Finalists
Congratulations to the 2026 Top Directors finalists! Each finalist was considered for an award in one or more category according to our transparent, data-driven evaluation methodology. For more information on the evaluation methodology used to determine the 2026 Top Directors Awards, please click here.
Please note: Finalists with no director name chose to be recognized as a firm.
View all the nominees for this year’s awards here.
The Top Directors Awards season will culminate in a live, in-person ceremony on November 5-6 in Chapel Hill, NC where the winners will be announced. The finalists are listed below by category.
For questions about the Top Directors Awards, please contact awards@kehrergroup.com.
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Mega Firms
Category Sponsor:
BMO Investment Services
at BMO Bank
Director: Wallace Harris, Jr.
Citizens Securities Inc.
at Citizens Bank
First Citizens Investor Services, Inc.
at First Citizens Bank
Director: David Biliter
First Horizon Advisors, Inc.
at First Horizons Bank
Fulton Financial Advisors
at Fulton Bank
Hancock Whitney Financial Consultants
at Hancock Whitney
Director: Keith P. LeBlanc
Key Investment Services
at Key Bank
Director: Solomon Schmidt
Regions Investment Services
at Regions Bank
TD Investment Services
at TD Bank
Wintrust Investment Services
at Wintrust Bank
Director: Jim Corbett
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Large Firms
Category Sponsor:
Addison Avenue Investment Services
at First Tech Federal Credit Union
Associated Investment Services
at Associated Bank
Director: David Kuipers
Atlantic Union Financial Consultants
at Atlantic Union Bank
Director: David Heffelfinger
Commerce Financial Advisors
at Commerce Bank
East West Wealth Management
at East West Bank
Director: William Tung
ESL Investment Services, LLC
at ESL Federal Credit Union
First Hawaiian Advisors
at First Hawaiian Bank
Director: Vernon Wong
FirstBank Investment Partners
at FirstBank
F.N.B. Investment Services
at First National Bank of PA
Directors: John Harshman
Popular Securities
at Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Director: Jaime A. Toro
Towne Wealth Management
at TowneBank
Director: Ken Wren, Jr.
United Brokerage Services, Inc.
at United Bank
Director: Tom Mudlaff
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Mid-Size Firms
Category Sponsor:
Allegacy Wealth Management
at Allegacy Financial
Director: Merrill Stewart
Bank of Colorado Investment Services
at Bank of Colorado
Director: Patrick Varney
BCU Wealth Advisors
at BCU
Director: Kristi Mertens
Blaze Retirement + Investment
at Blaze CU
Director: Jim Ganger
Cathay Wealth Management
at Cathay Bank
Director: Frank Chan
CCU Wealth Strategies
at Corning Credit Union
Director: Laura Sumner
CTBC Wealth Management
at CTBC Bank
Director: Michael Lai
Elements Wealth Management
at Elements Financial FCU
Directors: Matthew Snively
First Mid Wealth Management
at First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, N.A.
Director: Brad Beelsey
Johnson Financial Group Financial Advisors
at Johnson Financial Group
Director: Jess Dohner
Peoples Investment Services
at Peoples Bank, N.A.
Director: David Claiborne
Security Service Investment Group
at Security Service Federal Credit Union
Director: Steven Damiani
SmartBank Investment Services
at SmartBank
Director: Monty Hatcher
Wilson Bank & Trust Investment Services
at Wilson Bank & Trust
Director: Damon Bates
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Small Firms
Category Sponsor:
Interested in sponsoring this category? Contact awards@kehrergroup.com
Centier Investment Services
at Centier Bank
First PREMIER Investment Services
at First PREMIER Bank
Director: Gary Harmelink
Graymont Investment Services
at State Bank of Graymont
Director: Cody Leach, CFP, CPFA
Great Plains Investment Services
at Great Plains National Bank
Director: Zachary Archer
Heartland Financial Services
at Heartland Credit Union
Director: Tate Hartman, CFP, CFA
JCB Investment Services
at Jackson County Bank
Director: Dan Anderson
Kirtland Financial Services
at Kirtland Credit Union
Director: Todd Trevino
MEMBERS Financial Services
at Sunward Federal Credit Union
Director: Brett Slayden
Meriwest Wealth Advisors
at Meriwest Credit Union
Director: Keith France
NCU Wealth Management
at Navigator Credit Union
Director: Sally Hoffstadt
Osaic Institutions, Inc.
at Financial Resources Federal Credit Union
Director: Cynthia Pollard
Sauk Valley Investment Services
at Sauk Valley Bank & Trust
Director: Robbie Minor, CPFA
Shell Wealth Services
at Shell Federal Credit Union
Director: Lance Allen
Southeast Financial Wealth Management
at Southeast Financial Credit Union
Director: Ken Coulthard
Steward Concepts
at Family Trust Federal Credit Union
Director: Matthew Griffin
Think Financial Planning
at Think Bank
Director: Steven Epp
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Credit Union Firms
Category Sponsor:
Interested in sponsoring this category? Contact awards@kehrergroup.com
A+ Wealth Management
at A+ Federal Credit Union
Director: Aaron Persons
Achieva Wealth Advisors
at Achieva Credit Union
Director: Brett Harner
Addison Avenue Investment Services
at First Tech Federal Credit Union
Allegacy Wealth Management
at Allegacy Financial
Director: Merrill Stewart
BCU Wealth Advisors
at BCU
Director: Kristi Mertens
Blaze Retirement + Investment
at Blaze CU
Director: Jim Ganger
CCU Wealth Strategies
at Corning Credit Union
Director: Laura L. Sumner
DFCU Financial Partners
at DFCU
director: Patrick Maher
Elements Wealth Management
at Elements Financial FCU
Director: Matthew Snively
ESL Investment Services
at ESL FCU
Flagship Financial Group
at American Airlines CU
Director: Tom Decker
Heartland Financial Services
at Heartland Credit Union
Director: Tate Hartman, CFP, CFA
Kirtland Financial Services
at Kirtland Credit Union
Director: Todd Trevino
Navy Federal Investment Services
at Navy Federal Credit Union
Directors: Michael Dale and Patrick Terrell
Steward Concepts
at Family Trust Federal Credit Union
Director: Matthew Griffin
Suncoast Investment Services
at Suncoast Credit Union
Director: Roy Echols
Wealth Management at Hudson Valley Credit Union
at Hudson Valley Credit Union
Director: Chris Cantele
Wealth Management at UW Credit Union
at UW Credit Union
Director: Teo Trandafir
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Women-Led Firms
Category Sponsor:
Interested in sponsoring this category? Contact awards@kehrergroup.com
Allegacy Wealth Management
at Allegacy Financial
Director: Merrill Stewart
Altra Financial Advisors
at Altra Federal Credit Union
Director: Cheryl Dutton
BCU Wealth Advisors
at BCU
Director: Kristi Mertens
CCU Wealth Strategies
at Corning Credit Union
Director: Laura L. Sumner
Centennial Financial Services
at Centennial Bank
Director: Carla Schoolfield
First Investments & Planning
at First National Bank of Omaha
Director: Jennifer Benson
Liberty Bank Investment Services
at Liberty Bank
Director: Jill Honeycomb
NCU Wealth Management
at Navigator Credit Union
Director: Sally Hoffstadt
North Shore Investment Services
at North Shore Bank
Director: Erika Milosevich
Numerica Financial Services
at Numerica Credit Union
Director: Nancy Almond
OnPoint Investment Services
at OnPoint Community Credit Union
Director: Melisa Lindsay-Lipkins
Osaic Institutions, Inc.
at Financial Resources Federal Credit Union
Director: Cynthia Pollard
S&T Financial Services
at S&T Bank
Director: Kristain Krecota
Woodforest Wealth
at Woodforest National Bank
Director: Julie Mayrant
Yellow Cardinal Advisory Group
at First Financial Bank
Director: Suzanne Short
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Emerging Firms
Category Sponsor:
Interested in sponsoring this category? Contact awards@kehrergroup.com
American Heritage Investment & Retirement Center
at American Heritage Federal Credit Union
Director: Brian Hahn
American Savings Investment Services
at American Savings Bank
Director: Phil Pomella
Bonvenu Investment Services
at Bonvenu Bank, N.A.
Director: Pat McConathy
ChoiceOne Wealth Management
at ChoiceOne Bank
Director: Thomas Hufton
Desert Financial Wealth Management
at Desert Financial Credit Union
D.L. Evans Investment Services
at D.L. Evans Bank
Director: Ron Wolfe
Empeople Investment & Retirement Services
at Empeople Credit Union
Director: Brad Johannes
Hawaii State Investment Services
at Hawaii State Federal Credit Union
Director: David Kimura
Independence Financial Services
at Independence Bank of Kentucky
Director: Randal King
Lighthouse Wealth Advisors
at Lighthouse Credit Union
Director: John Olerio
MAPS Investments
at Marion and Polk Schools Credit Union
Director: Lacy Lawson
Orsa Wealth Management
at Orsa Credit Union
Director: Courtney Sparks
RBFCU Investments Group
at Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union
Director: Terence Powell