Wealth Management EDGE - Day 3 - US Eastern
- Kristen Winther - Chief Operating Officer, Conquest Planning
- Marissa Ansell - Head of ETF Investment Strategy, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
- Rachel Aguirre - Head of Product and Portfolio Strategy, Vanguard
- Ed Lopez - Managing Director, Head of Product Management, VanEck
- Alex Ortolani - Sr. Reporter, Wealth Management Group
- Peter Mallouk - President and CEO, Creative Planning
- Diana Britton - Executive Editor, Wealth Management Group
- Stan Gregor - CEO and Chairman, Summit Financial
What happens when elite performers leave the biggest stage in sports and step into one of the most competitive industries in financial services? Former NFL players turned wealth management leaders join Shannon Rosic for a candid conversation about reinvention, leadership, and building a business when the playbook isn’t handed to you.
This is not a conversation about celebrity or sports nostalgia. It’s a deep dive into how elite performance habits translate into:
Driving growth inside advisory firms
Building trust with high-performing clients
Creating and scaling niche offerings
Leading teams under pressure
Navigating identity shifts, setbacks, and second acts
Whether you’re building a niche, scaling your firm, or redefining your own role as a leader, this session delivers real-world lessons from professionals who understand what it takes to perform when the stakes are high and excuses don’t exist.
- Shannon Rosic - Director of WealthStack Content & Solutions, Informa
- Shawn Wooden - Financial Advisor, Associated Investor Services, Inc.
- Winston Justice - Chief Executive Officer, SagePoint Capital Partners
- Larry Restieri - CEO, Hightower Advisors
- David Armstrong - Executive Director, Content and User Engagement, Wealth Management
- Megan Bowen - Executive Director, Russell Reynolds Associates
- JC Abusaid - CEO and President, Halbert Hargrove
- Matthew Lane - Chief People Officer, Savant Wealth Management
- Diagnosing concentration risk and tax cost
- Utilizing direct indexing – key considerations
- Advanced techniques for high-net-worth situations
- Balancing tax efficiency with risk management
- Rafia Hasan - Chief Investment Officer, Perigon Wealth Management
- Sirion Skulpone - Global Head of Quantitative Equity Solutions, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
- Johann Lee - Director of Research, AlphaCore Wealth Advisory
25% of the US is Childfree, meaning they don't have kids and don't plan on having kids ever. Childfree people do not have the same safety net as parents when it comes to long-term care and estate planning. The result is that there is a 'fiduciary void' for Childfree people - who is going to make decisions for them when they can't? This session will dive into ways advisors can help to fill the fiduciary void and work with professional fiduciaries, including Childfree Trust, to solve the Childfree Care Crisis.
- Jay Zigmont - Founder & Chief Visionary, Childfree Trust
- Sam Huszczo - Founder and Chief Investment Officer, SGH Wealth Management
- Erik Lehr - Chief Investment Officer, Empirical Wealth Management
In today’s M&A environment, more options don’t automatically lead to better outcomes, many firms find themselves defaulting into whatever path is most available rather than intentionally choosing the one that best aligns with their goals.
This session delivers a strategic view of the current exit landscape and the three primary paths available today - what each actually optimizes for, where they break down, and how to think about sequencing decisions over time. You’ll uncover the common (and costly) mistakes that quietly erode value - like capacity constraints, founder dependence, undercapitalized succession, and misaligned expectations - and walk away with a clear framework to align your strategy with your goals, maximize value, preserve optionality, and ensure your outcome holds up long after the deal is done.
- Stephanie Bogan - CEO & Chief Possibility Officer, Limitless Adviser Coaching
The Deal Table: An M&A Experience is an engaging and dynamic roundtable event designed for RIAs eager to network and dive deeper into the world of mergers and acquisitions. Featuring multiple tables hosted by seasoned professionals with diverse M&A expertise and backgrounds, this event fosters meaningful conversations and connections. Whether you're exploring new strategies, sharing insights, or simply looking to expand your network, The Deal Table offers a unique opportunity to collaborate, learn, and exchange ideas in a lively yet professional setting.
Host: Capital, Control, and Optionality: Aligning Ownership, Growth, and Exit Pathways, Kim Kovalski, Director, MarshBerry
- Kim Kovalski - Managing Director, MarshBerry
- Understanding the cost-return tradeoff of protection
- Risk management options in 2026
- Dynamic hedging and tactical approaches
- Portfolio construction for inherent resilience – sector rotation through active management
- Darren Hinshaw - Director of Research, NBC Securities
- John Davi - CEO & Founder, Astoria Portfolio Advisors
- Victoria Greene, CFA - CIO and Co-founder, G Squared Private Wealth
- The "new normal" for bonds – higher yields and renewed relevance?
- Credit opportunities across the spectrum’
- Private credit redemptions and its implications
- Duration positioning and yield curve strategies: what does the future hold for interest rates and yield?
- Stephen Tuckwood, CFA® - Director of Investments, Modern Wealth Management
- Matt Dmytryszyn - Chief Investment Officer, Composition Wealth
- Chris O'Neill - Senior Managing Director, Interim Head of Wealth Distribution, TIAA Wealth Management
- Shannon Rosic - Director of WealthStack Content & Solutions, Informa
- David Armstrong - Executive Director, Content and User Engagement, Wealth Management
- Diana Britton - Executive Editor, Wealth Management Group
- Davis Janowski - Senior Editor, Technology & Research Analyst, Wealth Management Group
- Alex Ortolani - Sr. Reporter, Wealth Management Group
- Jamie Hopkins - CEO, Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors
- Kate Healy - CEO and Founder, AdvoKate IQ, LLC
- Samantha Allen - Executive Vice President of Marketing, Merit Financial Advisors
Explore the evolving landscape of mergers and acquisitions, covering the latest trends shaping the market, the drivers influencing deal activity, and the factors impacting valuations.
The session also provides forward-looking perspectives on the future of M&A, offering a comprehensive view of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Attendees will gain valuable insights to better understand the complexities of the current environment and how to navigate them effectively.
- Rush Benton, CFA - Managing Partner, Gorman Jones
- Scott Danner - Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer, Steward Partners
- Nicole Madosik - Partner & Chief Mergers and Integrations Officer, Mission Wealth Management
- Michael Molnar - Head of Corporate Development and M&A, Cetera Financial Group
- Kim Kovalski - Managing Director, MarshBerry
RIA firms that thrive over the long term do more than manage wealth—they establish lasting legacies that outlive their founders. As the industry matures and first-generation leaders near pivotal transition phases, succession planning has shifted from a distant goal to a critical, strategic priority. This session will explore how to build continuity and ensure your firm’s success for generations to come.
- Stephen Caruso - Associate Director of Wealth Management, Cerulli Associates
- Tom Orecchio - CEO, Modera Wealth Management
- Andrew Rosen - Executive Chairman, Diversified, LLC