InvestmentNews recently named its 2023 Diversity Champions at the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards ceremony.

We’re thrilled to honor and celebrate all the winners for their contributions to expanding diversity in the financial services industry. Specifically, we want to recognize Alex David, the president and CEO of Stifel Independent Advisors and Chair Emeritus of the Association of African American Financial Advisors, for his Lifetime Achievement award and honor all the hard work he’s done throughout his career to make wealth management more inclusive. His inspirational words at the ceremony really rang true: “Let’s stop calling DEI an initiative. It’s a business imperative.”

We also want to recognize Carson Group, M&T Bank, and Raymond James for their Diversity Champions award. InvestmentNews recognized these organizations for supporting the financial advice industry and fostering DEI within their entities or the wealth management industry.

Here’s a little bit about this year’s Diversity Champions winners:

• Carson Group is an ecosystem dedicated to helping advisors better serve their clients and grow their firm.
• M&T Bank is on a mission to understand the individuals and the businesses in its neighborhood to create the right opportunities for the people we serve.
• Raymond James started with the belief that clients deserved more than help with investment decisions; they needed advice that considered their entire financial picture.

This is InvestmentNews’ sixth annual Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award program and ceremony. It aims to tell the story of individuals and firms using their success, leadership skills, and willingness to implement and advocate for diversity and inclusion within the financial advisory industry.

From the beginning, it has been Diversitas’ goal to build professional hope for young people and career changers in an industry that is working diligently to be fully inclusive. We applaud and celebrate all of the Diversity Champions finalists for all of the hard work they’ve done to further similar missions.

Two of the Diversity Champion Finalists, Cambridge and BNY Mellon | Pershing, are Diversitas sponsors and we’re proud to work with them.

• Cambridge created the Cambridge Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Advisory Council and is comprised of independent financial professionals and business owners from across the nation who are committed to fostering a culture where associates, financial professionals, staff members, and clients feel comfortable to be who they are, have the resources needed to flourish, and feel valued and respected.
• In just the second quarter of 2022, BNY Mellon | Pershing issued $1.7 billion of senior medium-term notes jointly with minority-owned financial institutions, building those firms’ revenues and capacity.

Another finalist is a Diversitas partner, and we’re excited about their work. BLX Internship aims to provide an opportunity for aspiring Black and Latinx financial planners to obtain an internship at a fee-only financial planning firm.

All of the finalists deserve recognition for their hard work and contributions to creating opportunities for greater diversity and inclusivity in financial services. The other finalists for the Diversity Champions Award include:

• Aetos Alternatives Management
• The American College of Financial Services
• Arnerich Massena
• Dynasty Financial Partners
• East Chop Capital
• Edelman Financial Engines
• Emerge Capital Management Inc.
• Envestnet
• Nationwide and Financial Alliance for Racial Equity
• FMG Suite
• FS Investments
• Gateway Financial Advisors
• The Gateway Foundation at Money Management Institute
• Greenleaf Trust
• Investcorp
• Lincoln Financial Group
• LPL Financial
• Mission Wealth
• Northern Trust Asset Management
• Partnership Wealth Management
• Pallas Capital Advisors

Congratulations to all of you for your incredible efforts! To learn more about InvestmentNews and its Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award program, visit Dandiin.com.

For more information about Diversitas and our own work expanding diversity in wealth management and how you can get involved, email us at diversitas@diversitasfp.org. If you are interested in a career in financial services, please check out open opportunities here.