WSR’s Pathfinder Awards series honors excellence in wealth management among underrepresented communities in the industry, as well as firms and organizations that support them. We are excited to kick off the fourth year of the series by honoring the Top Black Industry Leaders of 2025 during Black History Month. This year we again recognize outstanding Black leadership in the wealth management industry.
The Pathfinder Awards also provide a platform for professionals within our industry to address the industry on matters of concern such as DEI and advancement of underrepresented communities. For this, WSR is concurrently publishing two articles for winners to share their views.
Winners are selected based on strong track records, dedication to the industry, excellent reputations, broad influence and the ability to serve as role models for persons in or considering a wealth management career. This year’s winners come from a broad range of professional backgrounds as well as two firms – one that serves communities and one that empowers employees.
Please join us in congratulating the winners, who are in alphabetical order below:
Black CFO of the Year
Gerard Daniels, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development, PureFacts
A seasoned finance and operational strategy executive with over 20 years of experience building relationships and developing teams, Gerard Daniels specializes in solving problems, delivering insights and implementing financial initiatives to increase profitability and revenue growth.
Daniels leverages his experience in financial analysis, corporate development and management consulting in his role at PureFacts. Joining PureFacts as Chief Operating Officer in 2017, Daniels has played a vital role in its development and growth initiatives, including undertaking a majority investment from Growth Curve Capital in 2024.
Prior to PureFacts, Daniels served as a Management Consultant at Carly Rian Group, Senior Manager Corporate Development at Symcor, and in various roles at IBM Canada. He holds a Master of Business Administration in finance from Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in physics and mathematics from Dalhousie University.
Black Entrepreneur of the Year
Brandon Dixon-James, President and Co-Founder, Resilient Wealth Management
Brandon Dixon-James has been in the financial services industry for two decades. He founded Fresno, California-based Resilient Wealth Management, part of NWF Advisory, five years ago with his wife, Nicole James. Before founding Resilient, he was a Certified Financial Planner at Royal Alliance for 12 years. Prior to that, he was a Financial Advisor and Vice President of Investments at Chase Investment Services, and held advisory roles at Prudential Financial, Citi and Washington Mutual.
Dixon-James volunteers with Fresno’s underserved communities, including leading financial literacy courses for youth and involvement with diversity and inclusion initiatives. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a member of Osaic’s National Advisor Board and a Father Member of Jack and Jill of America. He currently serves on the CFP Board’s Diversity Advisory Group and previously served with its Disciplinary and Ethics Commission.
With long connections to the Fresno community, Dixon-James graduated from California State University, Fresno with a Bachelor of Science in business administration and an emphasis in finance. He received his Personal Financial Planner Certificate from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Black Financial Advisor of the Year
Victor Hicks II, Wealth Advisor, Perigon Wealth Management
Victor Hicks II has more than 30 years of wealth management experience working with entrepreneurs and their families. In addition, he is a 401(k) advisor to small businesses, helping owners reduce their administrative burden, lower expenses, maximize benefits to executives and improve employee retirement security.
Prior to Perigon Wealth Management, Hicks was the owner and Managing Principal of Lumin Financial, which he co-founded in 2000 and grew to $175 million in assets. Before that, he served as a Pension Consultant at Freedman Benefits Group and in pension sales and service at ING Retirement Services.
Hicks resides in Michigan with his family. Outside the office, he enjoys competitive sports, the performing arts and spending time with family and friends. In the community, he works to raise awareness on the issues of financial literacy and family unity. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan – Stephen M. Ross School of Business and is a member of the National Association of Plan Advisors.
Black Financial Planner of the Year
Cordi Powell, Founder and Principal, Favored Financial Planning
Cordi Powell is Founder and Principal of High Point, North Carolina-based Favored Financial Planning, offering holistic financial planning that integrates tax strategies for comprehensive, long-term success. She founded the firm in 2012 to address financial concerns unique to women who bear responsibility of managing their household finances. Powell stresses a personalized approach and provides steps to break down complex topics into manageable segments.
Before transitioning into financial planning, Powell was a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. Her passion for personal finance developed as she helped individuals better understand and manage their finances.
Powell serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP) and on various committees, including as Content Management Chair, where she’s focused on restructuring ACP’s training program and educational resources for member advisors.
In addition, Powell has taught pro bono financial literacy classes at a local church and community college since 2007.
Black Community Service Program of the Year
Prudential Advisors’ Blueprints to Black Wealth
Prudential Financial’s Blueprints to Black Wealth is a holistic and multifaceted strategy to address the financial wellness needs of Black Americans by expanding access. It began with an initiative to gain a greater understanding of the unique needs of Black Americans to help drive the creation of inclusive products, services and distribution channels to help foster wealth-building opportunities for Black communities.
A cornerstone of Blueprints to Black Wealth is Prudential Advisors’ Blueprints Certification Program, launched in the spring of 2024, which equips financial professionals with the skills and cultural competence needed to better serve Black communities.
Designed with input and feedback from multiple stakeholders, including customers and employees, the program trains advisors in market segmentation, historical and cultural insights, and effective engagement strategies for advisors to better address the financial needs of Black consumers. All Prudential advisors are encouraged to participate in the training, and nearly one-third of them are Blueprints certified to date.
Black CEO of the Year
Kenneth Royster, President and CEO, First Genesis of Virginia
With over 40 years of financial services experience, Kenneth Royster is President and CEO of First Genesis of Virginia, part of Stratos Wealth Partners and based in Norfolk, where he provides financial planning for business owners, professionals and families, as well as clergy compensation planning.
An Army veteran, Royster is a Past President of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals, as well as a member of the Financial Planning Association, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the Association of African American Advisors.
He holds the Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter and Retirement Income Certified Professional designations, and is a Certified Life Underwriter Training Council course instructor.
Black Employee Empowerment Program of the Year
SageView Advisory Group’s Black Employee Network
SageView Advisory Group launched its Black Employee Network in 2023 to create a supportive, empowering community and sense of belonging for Black employees at the firm, while amplifying their voices at all levels in the organization. The network is co-chaired by SageView Vice Presidents Amani Green, Vice President, Onboarding and Integration; and Sharina Merid, Vice President, Compliance.
The Black Employee Network provides education around important holidays including Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. It partners with SAGEVets for Tuskegee Airmen Day. In 2024, it organized a speaker series for Black History Month that featured SageView team members and external professionals sharing how diversity has positively affected their lives and careers. A similar event is planned this month.
Black COO of the Year
Kyle Samuel, Chief Operating Officer, Alera Group
Kyle Samuel has over 30 years of leadership experience in insurance, risk management and financial services. In January 2025, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Alera Group. In his role, Samuel is responsible for driving operational excellence, refining business strategy, and spearheading the firm’s growth and innovation initiatives, including continuing to expand its national presence.
Before joining Alera, he served as Chief Operating Officer at McGriff. Prior to that he held executive positions at Aon, Chubb, M&T Bank and Wells Fargo. He holds a Certified Insurance Counselor designation from the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance.
Samuel currently serves as a Board of Trustees member and Chair of the Governance committee at his alma mater, Colorado College, where he formerly served as President of the Colorado College Alumni Association, and participated in the Black Student Union, the Colorado College football team and Kappa Sigma fraternity.
Samuel is a Board Member of Building Bridges Across The River, a nonprofit dedicated to providing residents east of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., with access to best-in-class facilities, programs and partnerships in arts and culture, economic opportunity, education, recreation, health and well-being.
Black Marketing Executive of the Year
Shantese Smithers-Alexander, Marketing Manager, Wealthcare Capital Management
As the Marketing Manager at Wealthcare Capital Management for the past decade, Shantese Smithers-Alexander leads marketing strategy and delivery for the firm, providing marketing advice to the leadership team and the advisor network, creating and producing advisor recruitment campaigns and collateral, promoting and protecting the company’s brand, and providing marketing support for the firm’s affiliated advisors. With her support, Wealthcare advisors grow at three to four times the industry average, according to the firm.
She recently led a campaign celebrating the firm’s 25th anniversary. She also launched a campaign promoting Wealthcare’s flexible affiliation models, including a series of videos featuring Wealthcare advisors and their stories. She believes marketing and branding are extensions of a company’s values and worth, and that a brand should reflect the standards a company’s services or products provide to support that company’s mission.
Smithers-Alexander is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional with the Digital Marketing Institute and a Professional Certified Marketer in Digital Marketing with the American Marketing Association. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Outside the office, she cares for her special needs daughter with her husband in Richmond, Virginia. She enjoys riding roller coasters and sky diving.
Black M&A Executive of the Year
Cameron Stagg, Director of Mergers & Acquisitions, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors
As Director of Mergers & Acquisitions at Signature Estate & Investment Advisors (SEIA) since September 2023, Cameron Stagg has driven the firm’s growth by sourcing and closing high-value transactions, expanding into new markets and leading a team of business development professionals. His responsibilities also include managing cross-departmental coordination, integrating acquired firms and developing strategic M&A plans.
Last year, Stagg led the acquisition of Cedar Brook, a $2 billion firm in Cleveland – SEIA’s largest expansion into the Midwest and its biggest deal since Reverence Capital Partners’ 2022 investment in SEIA. He also led the acquisition of Beverly Investment Advisors.
Before SEIA, he led the M&A team at EP Wealth Advisors, sourcing over $1 billion in assets under management (AUM) and closing $4 billion in transactions, and at Focus Financial Partners. He began his career at ClearPath Capital Partners.
Black Strategy Executive of the Year
Tamekia Thompson, Director, Operations, Prospera Financial Services
With over 20 years of experience in financial services, Tamekia Thompson joined Prospera Financial Services in 2021, where she leads operations, collaborating with departments across Prospera to drive organizational success.
Prior to Prospera, she served as an Investment Manager for the City of Memphis, working directly with the Mayor and City Council to ensure effective city fund management. Thompson began her career as a trading liaison at Morgan Keegan (now Raymond James) and later played a pivotal role in building AUM of over $1 billion at First Tennessee Brokerage.
Thompson is actively involved in the Operational Excellence Roundtable, a group of industry professionals focused on emerging trends. She holds Series 7, 24, 66, and 99 licenses. She holds degrees from the University of Memphis and Bethel University’s College of Professional Studies.
Janeesa Hollingshead, Contributing Editor at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at editor@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
