Guide to Submitting Your 2024 Industry Award Nominations
Below you'll find information about the nomination submission process, helpful hints, and steps for nominating a company initiative and/or an executive
Overview of the submission process
1. Before you start
- Prepare your nomination in advance: You’ll be asked between 4 - 6 questions to describe and distinguish the company initiative and/or executive you plan to nominate. You can also upload up to 3 support materials (brochures, white papers, research reports, videos, etc.) to further demonstrate the strengths of your nomination to our judges.
- Keep it current: The Awards program is designed to recognize new initiatives, current enhancements and recent outstanding leadership activities that facilitate financial advisor success.
- Ready materials for upload: In addition to the nomination description and optional support materials, you’ll be asked to upload a logo for the company you are nominating (Vector image; EPS or Adobe Illustrator preferred file format) and a high-resolution headshot (jpg preferred) of the person you wish to be associated with the nomination. Please gather those files in the appropriate file format prior to starting your submission.
- Arrange for approvals in advance: We may use some of the nomination materials you provide (initiative description, company description, company logo, headshot, etc.) for promotional purposes on our web site and in print. We WILL NOT make public any results or support materials that may be confidential. Be sure all materials have been internally reviewed and approved prior to submission to WealthManagement.com.
2. During the process
- Complete your contact information: The contact-related questions provide us with information about you, the nominator, in case we have any questions. This information will remain strictly confidential.
- Tell us about the company, initiative and/or executive up for nomination: The remainder of the form focusses on the company, initiative and/or executive being nominated. Unless otherwise stated, this information may be used in public forums to promote and report about the Awards on our web site and in print.
- Select the award category that best suits your nomination: This year we have a total of 110 categories/subcategories for your consideration. Be sure to review the criteria of each category and include your submission(s) in the category/subcategory that best matches your initiative.
- Complete your nomination prior to the April 4 deadline: You have the option of completing the nomination process in one sitting, or you can save your progress and complete the nomination at a later date. Just be sure to keep your log-in information handy if you plan to return to a submission already in progress.
3. After you're done
- You’ll see a confirmation page: This page will advise that your nomination has been received for consideration. If you don’t see that confirmation page, then you have not successfully completed the process and need to re-check your submission.
- An email confirmation will also be sent to your attention: It will confirm your successful upload with a link to your submission. Be sure to check your SPAM account if you don’t notice the confirmation in your inbox.
- We’ll be in touch via email with any questions about your submission: Program updates will also be sent to you when available. The Finalists will be contacted/announced on June 4.
Helpful hints for completing your nominations
Nomination Information
Nomination categories
Refer to the dropdown menu to review category options.
There are a total of 23 primary categories to select from. Many of the primary categories have subcategories to further refine your category selection. Once you make your primary category selection, subcategory options will automatically appear if applicable.
Nomination type
There are two different types of nominations for your consideration.
- Company initiative: If you are nominating a company initiative, select the category that aligns with your company, and if applicable, a subcategory for your nomination. For example, if your company identifies as an Asset Manager and your initiative is a new or enhanced ETF tool or program, then you would select Asset Manager (Initiatives) for your category and ETFs as the subcategory. There are a total of 87 categories for initiative nominations.
- Individual executive/leader: If you are nominating an individual in one of the leadership subcategories, you would select the category that aligns with your company and the executive’s role. For example, if your company identifies as a Technology Provider and your executive is the Chief Marketing Officer, you would select Technology Provider (Executives) for your category and Chief Marketing Officer of the Year as the subcategory. There are a total of 23 categories for executive nominations.
Category criteria
- Each category and subcategory has its own set of criteria and list of questions to help you explain what makes your nomination unique and worthy of recognition.
- Once you select your category/subcategory from the pulldown menu, the category criteria and questions for your response will automatically appear.
Nomination title
The title of your nomination should be brief (6 to 8 words preferred), descriptive and clearly identify the company initiative or individual executive you are submitting for nomination.
- For a company initiative, be sure to state the type of initiative being nominated (i.e. an application, a campaign, a platform, a report, etc.), as well as a few descriptive words to clearly identify your initiative.
- For a company executive/leader, type the individual’s name, title and company as you would like them to appear in print and online (i.e. Joe Smith, CEO, XYZ Corporation or Joseph P. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, XYZ, etc.)
Questions for initiative nominations
If you opt to nominate an initiative, the following series of questions will appear to help you describe and identify the initiative to the judges. The use of clear descriptions, metrics, usage stats and evidence showing how the initiative facilitated advisor success will be important for the judges as they evaluate each nomination.
Initiative type - you can select either a NEW initiative, which is obviously a recently introduced program/project, or an ENHANCED initiative. If you are nominating an enhanced initiative, be sure to provide details in your answers to explain the specific enhancement that was made to an existing project.
Initiative timeframe - please note that the initiative you nominate needs to be recent. You will be asked to verify that your initiative has been launched or developed within the last 18 months.
Initiative description - this question will give you the opportunity to briefly define and explain either the new initiative or enhancement you are submitting for nomination. NOTE: This information will be used in promotion of the Industry Awards, Finalists and/or Winners both online and in print.
Initiative goals - this question is where you will briefly state the primary goal(s) of the new initiative or enhancement. NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Industry Awards, Finalists and/or Winners both online and in print.
Initiative results - this is where you should quantitatively provide support that shows how the results of the new or enhanced initiative met your goals. Refer to the category criteria as a benchmark for evaluation as well, specifically noting how the new or enhanced initiative met the stated criteria of the category. NOTE: any information provided in response to this specific question WILL NOT be made public or shared with anyone other than the judging panel.
Initiative Impact - tell us how the new or enhanced initiative made an impact on the financial advisor community. Specifically, how has it helped the community and contributed to the success of financial advisors. NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Industry Awards, Finalists and/or Winners both online and in print.
Questions for company executive or team leader nominations
If you opt to nominate a company executive or team leader, the following series of questions will appear to help you present the merits of the candidate to the judges. The use of clear descriptions, metrics, stats and evidence showing how the nominee facilitated advisor success will be important for the judges as they evaluate each nomination.
Nominee role - this question gives you the opportunity to briefly describe the role of the individual you are nominating and the scope of his or her responsibility within the company and/or industry. NOTE: This information will be used in promotion of the Industry Awards, Finalists and/or Winners both online and in print.
Nominee achievements - this question is where you will briefly state how the nominee has met the criteria for this category over the last 18 months. Refer to the category criteria as a benchmark for evaluation, specifically noting how he or she met the stated criteria of the category. NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Industry Awards, Finalists and/or Winners both online and in print.
Company results - this is where you should provide quantitative and qualitative results demonstrating the results your company has experienced due to your nominee’s leadership efforts and abilities over the last 18 months. NOTE: any information provided in response to this specific question WILL NOT be made public or shared with anyone other than the judging panel.
Industry impact - tell us how your nominee’s leadership and achievements have set a positive example and made a measurable impact on the financial advisor community over the last 18 months. NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Industry Awards, Finalists and/or Winners both online and in print.
Materials upload and final submission
Required materials
A company logo and executive headshot must be uploaded to complete the submission process. Instructions and file specs are clearly noted on the nomination form.
Optional materials
You’ll also have the opportunity to upload additional support materials to add a further dimension to your nomination. Optional uploads include:
- Support documents: you can include up to two collateral pieces for judge review such as marketing materials, white papers, research reports, survey results, etc. Please note in your description which documents support which points in your nomination. NOTE: Support documents WILL NOT be made public or shared with anyone other than the judging panel.
- Multimedia upload: you can also upload a video to further enhance your nomination. Specs are included on the nomination page.
- Team photo: you’re invited to upload a photo of the team members associated with your nomination. The photo may be used on the Awards website or in promotion of the Awards program.
Steps for nominating a company initiative
Step 1. Contact information
The information requested below relates to you, the person completing this nomination form.
NOTE: We will consider you our primary contact if we have any questions about the company, executive and/or initiative you are submitting for nomination.
First Name
Last Name
Job Title
Company Name (the company you work for)
Phone
Email
Your relationship to the nominated company (I work for nominated company, parent company or outside agency)
Step 2. Nominated company information
The information requested below relates to the company whose executive or initiative you are nominating for submission.
NOTE: The information and submission materials you provide may be used online and in print to promote the Industry Awards and identify the company, executive and/or initiative you are submitting for nomination. Please be sure all elements of your nomination have been internally reviewed and approved prior to submission to WealthManagement.com.
NAME OF NOMINATED COMPANY (Enter the name of the company whose executive or initiative is being nominated)
NOMINATED COMPANY LOCATION (Complete with city, state, country)
NOMINATED COMPANY PROFILE (This profile should relate to the company associated with the executive or initiative being nominated and is limited to 150 words)
NOTE: This description will be used in materials to promote the Awards, its finalists and/or winners. Please be sure to include information as you would like it to appear online and/or in print.
NOMINATED COMPANY WEB ADDRESS (Provide website address/URL. It will be used to promote finalist and winning submissions online and in print)
PARENT COMPANY NAME (Provide if applicable)
FINALIST CONTACT INFORMATION (Provide name, title, company and email of the person who should receive complimentary marketing/PR materials [special Finalist logo, press release template, etc.] should your nomination be named a Finalist)
Step 3. Nomination information
The information requested below relates to the executive or initiative you are nominating for consideration.
NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, the information and submission materials you provide may be used online and in print to promote the Industry Awards and identify the company, executive and/or initiative you are submitting for nomination. Please be sure all elements of your nomination have been internally reviewed and approved prior to submission to WealthManagement.com.
You have the option to download a “Helpful Hints” document from the nomination web site regarding completing Steps 3 and 4 of the submission form.
NOMINATION CATEGORIES
There are a total of 23 primary categories and a wide array of subcategories to help you refine your category selection. Company initiatives are eligible to be nominated in 87 of the (sub)categories.
To review your options in advance, download the 2024 category file lists from the nomination website.
CATEGORY SELECTION (Select your nomination category/subcategory from the dropdown menu)
NOTE: Once you make your selection, the Category Criteria will appear for your review along with a series of questions pertaining to the executive or initiative being nominated.
YOUR NOMINATION’s TITLE (Initiative) - Provide a Nomination Title that is brief (6-8 words preferred) descriptive, and clearly identifies the initiative you are submitting for nomination. Clearly state the type of initiative being nominated in the title, i.e. New Investor Portal, Cyber Security Policy Enforcement System, Client Survey Tool, Software for Fiduciaries, etc.
NOTE: There is a 10-word limit on Nomination Titles.
INITIATIVE TYPE (Select the option which best describes your initiative)
__ New initiative
__ Enhanced initiative
INITIATIVE TIMEFRAME (Confirm that the initiative was launched or enhanced in the last 18 months)
__Yes
__No
NOTE: The Awards program is designed to recognize new initiatives as well as new enhancements to an existing program, product or platform. For example, if you have an existing technology platform, and in the last 18 months added a new feature, you can submit that new feature as your initiative. Just be sure to label and describe it as such. If your new or enhanced initiative was not enacted in the last 18 months, then it does not qualify for nomination and you should not continue with this submission.
IDENTIFY YOUR INITIATIVE (Please select the noun that best describes your new initiative or enhancement from the pulldown menu)
Options include: Application, Campaign, Event, Model, Plan, Platform, Portal, Product, Program, Research, Service, Software, Solution, System, Tool, Other
INITIATIVE DESCRIPTION (Briefly define and explain the new initiative or enhancement being submitted for entry; 125 words maximum)
NOTE: This information will be used in promotion of the Finalist and/or Winner entries, both online and in print.
ENHANCEMENT IDENTIFICATION (If you are submitting an ENHANCED initiative, briefly identify and describe the exact enhancement that was made to the existing product or service. If submitting a NEW initiative, type “not applicable” in the box.)
INITIATIVE GOALS (Briefly state the primary goal(s) of the new initiative or enhancement; 100 words maximum)
NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Finalist and/or Winner entries, both online and in print.
INITIATIVE RESULTS (Tell us in quantitative and qualitative terms how the results of the new initiative or enhancement met your goal(s) and the criteria for the category; 100 words maximum)
NOTE: This information WILL NOT be made public or seen by anyone other than the judging panel.
INITIATIVE IMPACT (Describe how the new initiative or enhancement has impacted and contributed to the success of the financial advisor community; 100 words maximum)
NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Finalist and/or Winner entries, both online and in print.
Step 4. Materials upload and final submission
The fields below provide the option for you to upload additional materials in support of your nomination, as well as required materials and information to complete the submission process.
COMPANY LOGO (required upload)
Please upload the logo of the company whose initiative or executive is being nominated.
Required Logo Specs:
- Vector image
- EPS or Adobe Illustrator (AI) file (preferred formats*)
- Label the logo file with the full company name
*You may receive an error message or not be able to complete your submission unless you upload a high-resolution file in an acceptable format (EPS or Adobe Illustrator preferred).
EXECUTIVE HEADSHOT (required upload)
Headshot should be of the executive or team leader associated with the nomination.
Required Image Specs:
- Total size should be 3 inches wide
- Show full face/shoulders at approximately 2 inches wide
- 300 dpi
- jpg, jpeg, tiff files accepted
- Leave some space around the head (not cropped too close)
- Show a medium-tone background (NOT white)
- Label the photo file with the company’s name followed by the executive’s name and title (XYZ Company_Mary Jones_CEO)
SUPPORT MATERIALS (optional)
(Up to two documents, such as promotional and marketing materials, research reports, white papers, etc., may be uploaded below in support of your nomination; doc, docx, pdf, xlxs files accepted)
NOTE: All support materials with be kept strictly confidential.
MULTIMEDIA UPLOAD (optional)
(A 1-2 minute video may be uploaded below in support of your nomination; 3GP, AAC, AVI, FLV, MP4 and MPEG-2 files accepted)
NOTE: All support materials with be kept strictly confidential.
TEAM PHOTO UPLOAD (optional)
As an option, you can also upload a photo of the team members associated with the initiative you have nominated. This photo may be used in our website gallery or in promotion of the Industry Awards
Specs: 300 dpi; Jpeg file format preferred.
SUBMISSION MATERIALS AGREEMENT (Each applicant must read and agree to the following paragraph)
I understand and agree that, with the exception of those sections noted and the optional Supporting Document materials, any/all of the nomination elements provided with this submission may be used "as is" by WealthManagement.com in support and promotion of the 2020 Industry Awards Program online and in print. Internal review and approval of all materials should be obtained from the Company being nominated prior to submission to WealthManagement.com. Once materials have been submitted, they cannot be changed or altered.
NOTE: Although Support Materials are not required with each nomination, it is strongly recommended that you upload any available materials in support of your nomination. The judges will review all uploaded documents and take them into consideration when evaluating your submission. All supporting documentation materials will be kept strictly confidential.
__ I agree
MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
Multiple entries per company are allowed. Please be sure to read the guidelines below before proceeding with any additional submissions:
- Nomination limit: Individual companies are limited to submitting a total of 10 nominations across all categories. If any company submits more than 10 nominations, the nominator(s) will be asked to select the 10 they would like to have the judges consider for final review.
- Nominations per category: More than one initiative can be entered per category.
- Nominations across categories: The same initiative/executive can be entered in multiple categories provided the criteria is met. In that case, each submission should be tailored to the specific category criteria. If nominations are not tailored to the criteria, the judges will use their discretion to decide the best category match based on the information provided.
- Judges' discretion: If upon review the judges determine a nomination does not meet the specified criteria of the selected category, they will, at their discretion, re-assign the nomination to the proper category.
COPY INTENT
Please choose one option below:
__Yes, I plan to copy this nomination and submit it into an additional category.
__No, I only plan to submit this nomination in one category.
TO COPY YOUR NOMINATION
To copy your nomination to an additional category, click the button at the bottom of this page that reads, "I want to enter this, and copy the same initiative to an additional category." Then click "Save and Submit."
NOTE: The same initiative or executive can be entered in multiple categories provided the criteria is met. In that case, each submission should be tailored to the specific category criteria. If nominations are not tailored to the criteria, the judges will use their discretion to decide the best category match based on the information provided.
Steps for nominating an executive
Step 1. Contact information
The information requested below relates to you, the person completing this nomination form.
NOTE: We will consider you our primary contact if we have any questions about the company, executive and/or initiative you are submitting for nomination.
First Name
Last Name
Job Title
Company Name (the company you work for)
Phone
Email
Your relationship to the nominated company (I work for nominated company, parent company or outside agency)
Step 2. Nominated company information
The information requested below relates to the company whose executive or initiative you are nominating for submission.
NOTE: The information and submission materials you provide may be used online and in print to promote the Industry Awards and identify the company, executive and/or initiative you are submitting for nomination. Please be sure all elements of your nomination have been internally reviewed and approved prior to submission to WealthManagement.com.
NAME OF NOMINATED COMPANY (Enter the name of the company whose executive or initiative is being nominated)
NOMINATED COMPANY LOCATION (Complete with city, state, country)
NOMINATED COMPANY PROFILE (This profile should relate to the company associated with the executive or initiative being nominated and is limited to 150 words)
NOTE: This description will be used in materials to promote the Awards, its finalists and/or winners. Please be sure to include information as you would like it to appear online and/or in print.
NOMINATED COMPANY WEB ADDRESS (Provide website address/URL. It will be used to promote finalist and winning submissions online and in print)
PARENT COMPANY NAME (Provide if applicable)
FINALIST CONTACT INFORMATION (Provide name, title, company and email of the person who should receive complimentary marketing/PR materials [special Finalist logo, press release template, etc.] should your nomination be named a Finalist)
Step 3. Nomination information
The information requested below relates to the executive or initiative you are nominating for consideration.
NOTE: Unless otherwise specified, the information and submission materials you provide may be used online and in print to promote the Industry Awards and identify the company, executive and/or initiative you are submitting for nomination. Please be sure all elements of your nomination have been internally reviewed and approved prior to submission to WealthManagement.com.
You have the option to download a “Helpful Hints” document from the nomination web site regarding completing Steps 3 and 4 of the submission form.
NOMINATION CATEGORIES
There are a total of 23 primary categories and a wide array of subcategories to help you refine your category selection. Individual executives are eligible for nomination in 23 of the subcategories.
To review your options in advance, download the 2024 category file lists from the nomination website.
CATEGORY SELECTION (Select your nomination category/subcategory from the dropdown menu)
NOTE: Once you make your selection, the Category Criteria will automatically appear for your review along with a series of questions pertaining to the executive or initiative being nominated.
NOMINATION TITLE - EXECUTIVE
Provide a Nomination Title that is brief (6-8 words preferred) descriptive, and clearly identifies the executive you are submitting for nomination.
Type the executive's name, title and company as you would like them to appear in print and online, i.e. Joe Smith, CEO, XYZ Corporation or Mary J. Jones, Chief Technology Officer, ABC Financial, etc.
NOMINEE ROLE (Briefly describe the role of the individual you are nominating and the scope of his or her responsibility within the company; 125 words maximum)
NOTE: This information will be used in promotion of the Finalist and/or Winner entries, both online and in print.
NOMINEE ACHIVEMENTS (Briefly describe how your nominee has met the criteria for this category over the last 18 months; 100 words maximum)
NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Finalist and/or Winner entries, both online and in print.
COMPANY RESULTS (Please provide quantitative and qualitative results your company has experienced due to your nominee’s leadership efforts over the last 18 months; 100 words maximum)
NOTE: This information WILL NOT be made public or seen by anyone other than the judging panel.
INDUSTRY IMPACT (Tell us how your nominee’s leadership set an example and made a measurable impact on the financial advisor industry over the last 18 months; 100 words maximum)
NOTE: This information may be used in promotion of the Finalist and/or Winner entries, both online and in print.