MMI/Barron’s Industry Awards

DIGITAL INNOVATION

This category honors a new technological innovation or specific enhancement to an existing platform, service or tool that enhances the investor and/or advisor experience with advisory solutions.

Nominations should highlight digital technology solutions launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025 that improve the user experience, streamline business processes, increase advisor productivity and efficiency, or deliver improved investor outcomes. Submissions may include applications of artificial intelligence (AI), tokenization, or other emerging digital capabilities. The Committee will look for innovative, needle-moving technology solutions that demonstrate measurable impact, advance the investment advisory solutions industry, and deliver improved outcomes for financial advisors and/or investors.

DISTRIBUTION INNOVATION

This category honors firms that provide exemplary and innovative sales support both in the field and from the home office.

Nominations should highlight distribution programs, engagement models or modern distribution capabilities launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025, that increase the impact and effectiveness of the interactions between the field sales professional and financial advisors. Submissions may include sales structures, service models, non-technical engagement approaches, business excellence initiatives, and strategic partnerships that strengthen relationship and sales experiences. The Committee will look for needle-moving programs and activities that elevate the wholesaler-financial advisor relationship and support a more consultative sales approach.

DOING GOOD

This category honors firm-wide initiatives that actively contribute to the betterment of our communities and address specific needs within them.

Nominations should highlight community service projects, philanthropic endeavors, volunteerism or awareness building efforts that reflect engagement beyond the firm’s core business activities. The Committee will look for initiatives that demonstrate a clear commitment to purpose-driven efforts that make a positive impact, improve lives, and strengthen communities.

INVESTMENT PRODUCT INNOVATION

This category honors groundbreaking and impactful investment strategies and product innovations that advance the investment advisory industry.

Nominations should showcase strategies or products launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025 that demonstrate exceptional creativity, measurable market impact, and value to investors or businesses. The Committee will look for innovative investment solutions that address emerging needs and contribute to broader growth and progress across the investment landscape.

MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

This category honors the most innovative, creative, and impactful marketing campaigns that have elevated brand visibility and made an impact on the industry.

Nominations should showcase marketing campaigns launched or significantly refreshed since June 2025 that have driven measurable results and have enhanced the brand recognition, identity, and reputation of a product, brand or organization. The Committee will look for campaigns that creatively engage target audiences, strengthen branding, and deliver both qualitative and quantitative success.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP/EDUCATION

This category honors new programs, research, educational campaigns, or content that meaningfully advance industry knowledge and understanding of topics key to the future of advisory solutions.

Nominations should reflect original programs, campaigns, or content launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025 that drive the industry forward by increasing industry or investor awareness and understanding of key investment advisory and/or wealth management topics. The Committee will look for innovative, needle-moving programs and content that help elevate industry and investor knowledge and have proven effectiveness with metrics showing strong engagement, influence, and impact.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISORY PLATFORM OF THE YEAR

This category honors a wealth management advisory platform that exemplifies innovation in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors.

Nominations should reflect platform features and capabilities launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025, including proprietary or semi proprietary features developed for advisors and investors. The Committee will look for needle-moving platform enhancements that contribute to innovation across the investment advisory solutions industry and improve the investor or financial advisor experience. This category is intended for firms offering comprehensive wealth advisory platforms, including wirehouses, national and independent broker dealer-firms, RIA platforms, and other sponsors of advisory platforms.

ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR (AUM < $25 BILLION)

This category honors a smaller asset manager that exemplifies innovation in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors.

Nominations should reflect product solutions, features, and capabilities launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025. The Committee will look for needle-moving product solutions, thought leadership, and partner programs that contribute to innovation within the investment advisory solutions industry and improve the investor and financial advisor experience. This category is open to traditional, alternative, annuity and insurance, and institutional asset management firms.

ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR (AUM BETWEEN $25 - $500 BILLION)

This category honors a mid-size asset manager that exemplifies innovation in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors.

Nominations should reflect product solutions, features, and capabilities launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025. The Committee will look for needle-moving product solutions, thought leadership, and partner programs that contribute to innovation within the investment advisory solutions industry and improve the investor and financial advisor experience. This category is open to traditional, alternative, annuity and insurance, and institutional asset management firms.

ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR (AUM > $500 BILLION)

This category honors a larger asset manager that exemplifies innovation in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors.

Nominations should reflect product solutions, features, and capabilities launched or significantly enhanced since June 2025. The Committee will look for needle-moving product solutions, thought leadership, and partner programs that contribute to innovation within the investment advisory solutions industry and improve the investor and financial advisor experience. This category is open to traditional, alternative, annuity and insurance, and institutional asset management firms.

TECHNOLOGY/SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR - EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

This category honors technology or service providers (for early-stage or niche technological innovations) that demonstrate strong potential to impact the investment advisory solutions industry.

Nominations should reflect new technologies, prototypes, or specialized tools launched (or significantly enhanced) since June 2025 that address specific industry challenges or opportunities. The Committee will look for creative, forward thinking innovations that may be smaller in scale but offer unique value propositions, novel approaches, or foundational capabilities with the potential to shape future industry developments and long-term growth. This category is open to technology and provider firms offering services to the investment advisory industry, including retirement and insurance solutions providers.

TECHNOLOGY/SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR - TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

This category honors technology or service providers that excel at integrating multiple tools, services, or data sources to create seamless and comprehensive advisory ecosystems.

Nominations should reflect solutions launched (or significantly enhanced) since June 2025 that enable connectivity, enhance workflow automation, and improve data connectivity across advisory technology stacks. The Committee will look for innovations that reduce complexity, facilitate collaboration, and deliver holistic value to financial advisors and investors through integrated, ecosystem-driven technology solutions. This category is open to technology and provider firms offering services to the investment advisory industry, including retirement and insurance solutions providers.