Top Directors Awards Winners
Top Investment Services Directors in Financial Institutions 2026 Winners
Congratulations to the 2026 Top Directors Award winners! 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.
View all the nominees for this year’s awards here.
The Top Directors Awards season culminated in a live, in-person ceremony on November 5-6 in Chapel Hill, NC where the winners were announced. The finalists are listed below by category. The Top Directors in Credit Unions were announced at the 2026 PROCU Conference in San Diego, CA.
2026 Top Directors Finalists in Mega Firms
Category Sponsor:
Wintrust Investments at Wintrust Financial
Jim Corbett
Ranked #1
Hancock Whitney Financial Consultants at Hancock Whitney
Keith P. LeBlanc
Ranked #2
Regions Investment Services at Regions Bank
Brandon G. Greve
Ranked #3
Fulton Financial Advisors at Fulton Bank
Ranked #4
Key Investment Services at Key Bank
Solomon Schmidt
Ranked #5
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
Director: Brandon G. Greve
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
Ranked #1
ESL Investment Services at ESL FCU
Ranked #2
United Brokerage Services, Inc. at United Bank
Tom Mudlaff
Ranked #3
Associated Investment Services at Associated Bank
David Kuipers
Ranked #4
F.N.B. Investment Services at First National Bank of PA
John Harshman
Ranked #5
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
Director: Mark Potter
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:
Johnson Financial Group Financial Advisors at Johnson Financial Group
Jess Dohner
Ranked #1
CCU Wealth Strategies at Corning Credit Union
Laura Sumner
Ranked #2
CTBC Wealth Management at CTBC Bank
Michael Lai
Ranked #3
Blaze Retirement + Investment Services at Blaze Credit Union
Jim Ganger
Ranked #4
BCU Wealth Advisors at BCU
Kristi Mertens
Ranked #5
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:
Heartland Financial Services at Heartland Credit Union
Tate Hartman, CFP, CFA
Ranked #1
Think Financial Planning at Think Bank
Steven Epp
Ranked #2
Graymont Investment Services at State Bank of Graymont
Cody Leach, CFP, CPFA
Ranked #3
Kirtland Financial Services at Kirtland Credit Union
Todd Trevino
Ranked #4
Southeast Financial Wealth Management at Southeast Financial Credit Union
Ken Coulthard
Ranked #5
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
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:
CCU Wealth Strategies at Corning Credit Union
Laura Sumner
Ranked #1
Addison Avenue Investment Services at First Tech Federal Credit Union
Ranked #2
Blaze Retirement + Investment Services at Blaze Credit Union
Jim Ganger
Ranked #3
BCU Wealth Advisors at BCU
Kristi Mertens
Ranked #4
Elements Wealth Management at Elements Financial FCU
Matt Snively
Ranked #5
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
2025 Top Directors Finalists in Women-Led Firms
Category Sponsor:
CCU Wealth Strategies at Corning Credit Union
Laura Sumner
Ranked #1
BCU Wealth Advisors at BCU
Kristi Mertens
Ranked #2
Allegacy Wealth Management at Allegacy Financial
Merrill Stewart
Ranked #3
S&T Financial Services at S&T Bank
Kristain Krecota
Ranked #4
OnPoint Investment Services at OnPoint Community Credit Union
Melisa Lindsay-Lipkins
Ranked #5
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
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
ChoiceOne Wealth Management at ChoiceOne Bank
Thomas Hufton
Ranked #1
Lighthouse Wealth Advisors at Lighthouse Credit Union
John Olerio
Ranked #2
RBFCU Investments Group at Randolph- Brooks Federal Credit Union
Terence Powell
Ranked #3
MAPS Investments at Marion and Polk Schools Credit Union
Lacey Lawson
Ranked #4
Orsa Wealth Management at Orsa Credit Union
Courtney Sparks
Ranked #5
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: Lacey Lawson
Orsa Wealth Management
at Orsa Credit Union
Director: Courtney Sparks
RBFCU Investments Group
at Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union
Director: Terence Powell