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<\/p>\nThe future of wealth management depends on how advisors respond to changes already reshaping their businesses. At AdvisorHub\u2019s 2026 Advisors to Watch Summit in New York, industry leaders explored how artificial intelligence, acquisitions, succession planning and evolving client expectations are redefining growth. Across the discussions, a consistent message emerged: technology and scale create opportunities, but lasting value comes from stronger relationships, broader advice and businesses built to endure. Speakers offered practical approaches to developing talent, expanding services, choosing partners and turning efficiency into meaningful client outcomes. These session highlights capture the ideas shaping the next chapter of the advisory profession.<\/p>\n
The Power of Choice
\nTony Sirianni, Publisher & CEO, AdvisorHub<\/p>\n
Tony Sirianni outlined three priorities for building an AI-resistant advisory practice. First, \u201cweaponize efficiency\u201d by using technology to reduce routine work and create capacity for more substantial client service. Second, \u201cown the blind spot\u201d by developing expertise in areas such as private markets and alternatives, where access and professional judgment remain valuable. Third, demand an \u201cadvisor plus\u201d platform that supports taxes, insurance and financial decisions beyond portfolio allocation. His message was optimistic: advisors retain a personal understanding of clients that technology cannot easily reproduce. Preserving that advantage requires using efficiency to deliver broader, more meaningful advice.<\/p>\n
The New Role of AI in Wealth Management
\nJeffrey T. Hancock, Stanford University; Paul Brunswick, Head of Global Consulting, Invesco<\/p>\n
Jeffrey Hancock and Paul Brunswick explored how AI can strengthen relationships while introducing new risks. Hancock distinguished automation, which accelerates existing tasks, from augmentation, which helps advisors improve discovery, preparation and difficult conversations. Brunswick highlighted generational differences in clients\u2019 attitudes toward AI, reinforcing the importance of explaining its use. Undisclosed adoption can undermine trust. Hancock also warned about \u201cwork slop\u201d: polished output that leaves others to correct or complete the work. Their central message was that successful adoption requires supervision, authentic communication and human judgment. Time saved matters most when it produces more knowledgeable, responsive and personal advice.<\/p>\n
Investor\u2019s Guide to Precious Metals and Critical Materials
\nEd Coyne, Senior Managing Partner, Global Sales, Sprott Inc.<\/p>\n
Ed Coyne encouraged advisors to reconsider gold, silver, uranium and copper through their economic functions. Gold can provide liquidity and portfolio protection during uncertainty. Silver increasingly combines precious-metal characteristics with industrial demand, while its byproduct supply can respond slowly to consumption. Uranium benefits from renewed interest in dependable nuclear electricity, including power for AI infrastructure. Copper remains essential to electrification and grid construction, with new production requiring considerable time. Coyne emphasized that structural demand does not eliminate volatility. His message was to distinguish short-term price movements from longer-term physical needs and assess each metal\u2019s potential portfolio role carefully.<\/p>\n
Beyond the Portfolio: How Serving More of Your Client\u2019s Balance Sheet Drives Organic Growth
\nMatthew Franks, Head of RBC Wealth Management Lending, RBC Wealth Management<\/p>\n
Matthew Franks argued that organic growth can begin with deeper conversations with existing clients. Questions about property purchases, business investments and liquidity needs reveal opportunities that portfolio reviews may miss. Securities-based lending can provide funds without immediately selling investments, but suitability depends on borrowing costs, collateral risks and individual circumstances. Franks also discussed concentrated stock and business-related real estate, showing how financing questions can uncover broader planning needs. His central message was that advisors become more valuable when they understand how clients fund their lives. Coordinating lending, investments and specialist expertise can strengthen loyalty and expand relationships.<\/p>\n
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The Growth Ceiling \u2014 Why Solo Practices Stall
\nDavid Karr, Chairman, Equitable Advisors<\/p>\n
David Karr argued that many practices stall because of limited capacity rather than insufficient prospects. Teams can distribute responsibilities, broaden expertise and maintain service as a business expands. They can also reflect changing client demographics and reassure families concerned about an advisor\u2019s eventual retirement. Karr recommended beginning with segmentation to understand where revenue, service demands and staff time are concentrated. Hiring alone, however, does not create capacity: owners must define responsibilities and give colleagues meaningful client roles. His message reframed growth as a practice-design challenge requiring an organization that makes personal service sustainable and develops future leaders.<\/p>\n
Turning AI Efficiency into Deeper Human Advice
\nPatrick O\u2019Connor, Chief Operating Officer, Raymond James Private Client Group<\/p>\n
Patrick O\u2019Connor urged advisors to focus on what happens after AI makes everyday work more efficient. As competitors adopt similar tools, productivity improvements may become standard expectations. The greater opportunity is using additional capacity to prepare thoroughly, recognize client needs and address consequential decisions. AI can organize information and support analysis, but professional judgment and protection of sensitive data remain essential. O\u2019Connor encouraged firms to evaluate technology beyond minutes saved, considering responsiveness and relationship quality. His message was that automation creates value when advisors reinvest its benefits in understanding clients and delivering more personal, informed and meaningful advice.<\/p>\n
The Growth Engine: Scaling Independence and Activating Next-Gen Talent
\nBill Dalton, Head of RIA Custody Sales, Goldman Sachs; Nate Lenz, CEO, Concurrent<\/p>\n
Bill Dalton and Nate Lenz examined the infrastructure and leadership needed to scale independent advisory firms. Growing assets bring operational complexity, making custody relationships, technology and centralized support increasingly important. Those resources must improve daily work rather than add unnecessary processes. The speakers also emphasized developing younger professionals through mentorship, client responsibilities and credible leadership opportunities. Independence requires balancing flexibility with consistent standards and accountability. Their message was to design the organization around its future ambitions. Sustainable growth emerges when platform resources, talent development and deliberate leadership reinforce one another while preserving the service and autonomy advisors value.<\/p>\n
Is AI Coming for Your Multiple?
\nAllen Darby, CEO, Alaris Acquisitions<\/p>\n
Allen Darby questioned whether AI-driven efficiency automatically translates into higher advisory firm valuations. Automation can improve profitability, but widely available technology may become a buyer\u2019s baseline expectation rather than a distinctive advantage. Valuations also reflect revenue durability, client retention, growth prospects and dependence on founders. Buyers will want evidence that technology strengthens those characteristics. Darby highlighted the difference between cutting expenses and reinvesting capacity in service, capabilities or business development. His message to prospective sellers was to demonstrate sustainable results. Higher value is more likely to follow a stronger enterprise than software competitors can readily obtain for themselves.<\/p>\n
Growing Without Breaking: A Framework for Scaling an Advisory Practice
\nGeoff Degener, Founder and Managing Partner, Ausperity Private Wealth<\/p>\n
Geoff Degener described how advisory firms can grow without making service impersonal or leaving every request dependent on the founder. Client segmentation helps establish appropriate service models and allocate resources. Relationship managers and clearly assigned responsibilities improve follow-through, reduce bottlenecks and allow senior advisors to focus on complex planning. Informal habits, however, rarely scale automatically. Hiring, technology and marketing must support a coherent operating model with shared expectations. Degener\u2019s message was that sustainable growth begins with understanding how work moves through the business. An organized team preserves responsiveness while making continuity a strength of the entire firm.<\/p>\n
Succession Planning: Wealth Management\u2019s Definition of a Talent Crisis
\nJeff Gonyo, Founding Partner and Head of Wealth Management, Steward Partners<\/p>\n
Jeff Gonyo argued that succession is fundamentally a talent-development challenge. Transferring ownership does not automatically create a successor with the judgment, credibility and relationships needed to serve clients. Younger professionals need meaningful responsibility, experience handling difficult conversations and a visible path toward leadership and potential ownership. Keeping them permanently in supporting roles can undermine retention and leave founders without viable successors. Clients should also develop relationships with future leaders well before retirement approaches. Gonyo\u2019s message was to treat succession as an ongoing investment in people\u2014protecting client trust, preserving institutional knowledge and giving the next generation reasons to stay.<\/p>\n
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Panel: The State of the Acquisition Marketplace
\nKim Kovalski, Managing Director, MarshBerry; Harris Baltch, Managing Director and Co-Head of Investment Banking, Dynasty Financial Partners; Joe Mooney, Managing Director and Head of Business Development, Concurrent; Paul O\u2019Toole, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Development, Hilltop Securities Inc.
Moderator: Greg Banasz, CMO, Steward Partners<\/p>\n
The panel examined why advisory acquisitions depend on more than assets and headline multiples. Buyers assess earnings quality, client relationships, growth prospects, founder dependence and integration requirements. Capital providers also bring expectations about management, expansion and investment timelines that owners must understand. Acquisitions can deliver specialized capabilities, experienced professionals and regional reach, but those benefits require effective integration. The discussion emphasized preparation on both sides: clear financial reporting, defined responsibilities and realistic expectations about the seller\u2019s future role. Successful transactions align strategic priorities and operating expectations, turning an attractive deal into a business capable of sustaining growth afterward.<\/p>\n
Rethinking Life Insurance: Why Life Settlements Matter
\nRob Haynie, Managing Director, Life Insurance Settlements, Inc.<\/p>\n
Rob Haynie encouraged advisors to review unwanted life insurance before clients surrender or abandon coverage. Policies purchased for protection, estate planning or business needs may no longer suit current circumstances. A life settlement can potentially create liquidity, depending on the contract and insured person. Advisors must weigh offers, costs, taxes, privacy and beneficiary considerations alongside retaining or modifying coverage. Haynie\u2019s broader message was that insurance deserves periodic review like other financial assets. Because policies often represent important family commitments, decisions should reflect the client\u2019s broader goals rather than an immediate desire to eliminate premiums or access additional cash.<\/p>\n
Scale with AI: Practical Ways to Superpower Your Business Today
\nShauna Mace, Head of Practice Management, SEI<\/p>\n
Shauna Mace encouraged advisors to apply AI to defined business problems rather than experiment without clear objectives. Tools can organize research, generate ideas, draft approaches and refine growth plans, helping time-constrained teams move projects forward. Output still requires scrutiny: generic recommendations may overlook a firm\u2019s clients, capabilities and limitations. Advisors must contribute their own knowledge and judgment. Mace also highlighted the opportunity to document successful processes and share them across teams. Her practical message was to start with a manageable workflow, compare results with the existing process and expand where AI produces repeatable value and meaningful additional capacity.<\/p>\n
How M&A Can Unlock Your Firm\u2019s Potential
\nDavid Mrazik, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Merchant Investment Management<\/p>\n
David Mrazik urged owners to define their strategic objectives before focusing on valuation or liquidity. Firms seeking hiring resources, acquisitions, succession solutions or reduced personal financial concentration may need different partners and structures. Owners should examine decision-making authority, investment priorities, autonomy and approval processes before committing. Capital providers bring expectations about performance and returns that must align with the firm\u2019s direction and service commitments. Mrazik emphasized that expertise and scale do not materialize automatically after a deal. Successful partnerships require clear governance, communication and realistic expectations about how the combined business will operate and pursue its shared goals.<\/p>\n
The Tax Deferral Dilemma: Strategy for NQ Annuities
\nMike Reidy, SVP and National Sales Manager, RIA Channel, Security Benefit<\/p>\n
Mike Reidy examined how nonqualified annuities\u2019 tax advantages during accumulation can create challenges during distribution. Deferred gains may become taxable as ordinary income when withdrawn, affecting owners or beneficiaries. Using a $450,000 contract with a $200,000 gain, he explored how contract features and distribution approaches can influence outcomes. Available options depend on specific terms, carrier rules and tax treatment. Even clients without immediate income needs may benefit from reviewing how heirs will receive the asset. Reidy\u2019s message was to evaluate annuities across their full life cycle and understand existing contracts before deciding to leave them untouched or distribute funds.<\/p>\n
PhilTech: The Next Frontier in Wealth Management
\nJoseph Mrak III, CEO, Foundation Source<\/p>\n
Joseph Mrak III described how technology can make philanthropic planning more accessible and collaborative. The process begins with understanding family priorities, including immediate impact, legacy, privacy, control and participation across generations. Private foundations and donor-advised funds offer different features that should match those goals. Guided questions and digital workflows can simplify choices and administration, allowing advisors to focus on substantive conversations. Mrak also highlighted philanthropy as a forum for discussing family values and responsibility. His message was that easier mechanics can bring charitable planning into comprehensive wealth management and strengthen relationships with clients and the generations that follow them.<\/p>\n
The Path to a Billion-Dollar Firm: Organic Growth, Inorganic Growth, and What It Actually Takes
\nStan Gregor, CEO, Summit Financial; Monish Verma, Founding Partner, Vardhan Wealth Management<\/p>\n
Stan Gregor and Monish Verma explored how independence can support ambitious growth when entrepreneurial initiative meets appropriate resources. Verma described evaluating numerous alternatives before choosing a platform offering autonomy, transparency and broader capabilities. Since joining Summit, he expanded investment offerings, including private markets, and pursued acquisitions alongside organic growth. Gregor emphasized centralized infrastructure, compliance and specialized support. Verma also valued personalized attention and peer study groups. His main regret was not moving earlier. Their discussion nevertheless emphasized that independence creates new responsibilities: success requires deliberate decisions about staffing, services, partnerships and leadership, supported by resources aligned with the firm\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n
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Bridging the Gap: Succession, Growth, and the Next Generation of Leadership
\nJames Angiuli, Managing Partner and Wealth Advisor, LPL Financial; Elizabeth Sieghardt, SVP, National Field Director, Linsco and Liquidity and Succession, LPL Financial<\/p>\n
James Angiuli and Elizabeth Sieghardt examined a succession partnership balancing senior-advisor liquidity with opportunities for incoming leadership. Familiarity and trust provided a foundation, but the arrangement required clear agreements about ownership, responsibilities and economics. Addressing existing business value while sharing subsequent growth helped align incentives. Client reassurance was equally important, making it essential to establish continuity before retirement or an unexpected departure. Successors also need opportunities to build ownership and influence the firm\u2019s direction. The speakers emphasized developing transitions gradually through shared work, transparent agreements and established relationships, giving both generations a stake in protecting clients and expanding the business.<\/p>\n