About Our Awards
Birmingham Business Journal Largest & Fastest Growing Money Managers 2025
The Birmingham Business Journal’s rankings include registered investment advisers
based in the six-county Birmingham area, using data reported for 2024. This list is part
of a shift in their research methodology and philosophy in 2025, one that will emphasize
more data and context for readers while better coordinating the resources available to
across the 46 sister publications under the American City Business Journals flag.
Information on the list was obtained from Form ADV filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission or through MSPBJ research.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
Newsweek America's Top Financial Advisory Firms 2025
In order to determine America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms, Newsweek analyzed over
15,000 financial advisers registered with the SEC, scoring several factors, including:
asset performance, client performance, adviser expertise, client ratio, breadth of service
offerings, and conflicts of interest.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
USA Today Best Financial Advisory Firms 2025
The USA Today Best Financial Advisory Firms ranking is based on the growth of the
companies’ assets under management (AUM) over the short and long term and the
number of recommendations they received from clients and peers. USA TODAY and
Statista included separate groupings based on the amount of assets RIAs oversee so
readers can compare firms in similar size classes. Smaller companies may have fewer
clients per adviser and provide more personal service. Larger firms may be able to
charge lower fees because of volume-based discounts or have more resources for
specialized services.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
Citywire RIA 50 Growers Across America 2025
The Citywire RIA 50 Growers Across America report uses metrics including RIAs’ year-over-year AUM growth, percentage of AUM growth and employee headcount growth to rank the fastest-growing RIAs in each state, resulted in 146 firms across America making the list. All of the data used to calculate firms’ growth for Citywire’s report is based on companies’ EOY 2024 figures. However, the AUM figures next to company names in the full Growers report are all derived from the RIAs’ most recent Form ADV documents, to remain as up to date as possible.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies Financial Times 2025
The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2025 highlights companies that have
demonstrated remarkable revenue growth between 2020 and 2023. The selection process
for this prestigious ranking involved rigorous stages:
Initially, over 30,000 eligible companies were invited to apply, with only those meeting
specific criteria eligible for consideration. Statista meticulously analyzed revenue data
from over 1000 publicly listed companies in the Americas, identifying high-profile
companies that demonstrated minimum revenue thresholds, independence, and organic
growth. The compound annual growth rate was then calculated based on verified revenue
figures submitted and verified by the companies. Finally, the top 500 companies meeting
the stringent criteria were honored with The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2025
title, with OneAscent securing a commendable position.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies 2025
Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2021 to 2024. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2021. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2023. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2021 is $100,000; the minimum for 2024 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places.
OneAscent did pay an entry fee to participate or be considered.
Wealth Management.com Industry Award Finalist 2025
CATEGORY: ASSET MANAGERS-ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS
In its eleventh year, the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards is the only awards
program of its kind to honor outstanding achievements by companies, organizations and
individuals that support financial advisor success. A panel of judges made up of top
names in the industry, led by WealthManagement.com director of editorial strategy and
operations David Armstrong, chose the finalists and will determine the winners, which
each year recognizes the firms and individuals who are bringing innovations to market
that make a real difference to the daily activities of financial advisors.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
RIA of the Year Finalist RIA Intel 2024
RIA Intel’s desire is to honor, celebrate, and recognize the top financial advisors, wealth management firms, and industry professionals who make wealth management as vibrant a community as it is.
There are three types of nominations for the RIA Intel Awards: Nominations by peers, nominations by other industry participants, and self-nominations. Nominations for the same firm or individual in multiple categories are accepted. You can nominate yourself and/or your firm. You can nominate others in your firm or outside your firm.
Criteria
Assessment Criteria – Nomination Content
For each nomination, up to five points may be awarded based on the following criteria:
- 5 points – The nomination has addressed all the points of the question and tailored the response to the related award. The written response is clear, concise, and easily understandable, and the data and examples provided are relevant and on point. High credibility.
- 4 points – The nomination has addressed all the points of the question. The data and examples provided are relevant. However, the language is fragmented, thereby impacting the clarity of the answer. Medium high credibility.
- 3 points – The nomination has addressed a majority of the questions. However, the data and examples provided are not clearly stated and on point. Medium credibility.
- 2 points – The nomination addressed less than half of the questions, and the data and examples provided do not meet the standard expected to support the submission with full credibility. Medium low credibility.
- 1 point – The response appears to be the result of a copy-paste section excerpted from a corporate website or other materials. The answers have not been tailored to the specific category/award. Low credibility.
Assessment Criteria – Nomination Source
For each nomination, up to three points may be awarded based on the following criteria:
- 3 points – The origin of the nomination is a peer, therefore suggesting low self-interest and high credibility.
- 2 points – The origin of the nomination is a service provider or manager, therefore introducing the possibility of some self-interest.
- 1 points – The origin of the nomination is the actual nominee or a colleague at the nominee’s organization, therefore suggesting a high degree of self-interest.
There is no nomination/application fee for the RIA Intel Awards, nor will any fees be solicited or accepted in exchange for consideration as a finalist or winner.
OneAscent was nominated by other industry participants.
Birmingham Business Journal Who’s Who in Financial Planning and Wealth Management 2022, 2023 & 2024 – Harry Pearson
The BBJ’s Who’s Who in Financial Planning & Wealth Management highlights top executives in Birmingham in the wealth management industry. The individuals recognized are key leaders in Birmingham’s wealth management industry and include executives from the top firms in the city.
The Birmingham Business Journal’s Who’s Who winners were identified by an editorial panel as the top executives from the largest financial planning and wealth management firms on the BBJ’s most recent Lists.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
ThinkAdvisory Luminary Honoree – Individual / Next-Gen Rising Stars 2024 – Cole Pearson
An evolution of our Broker-Dealers of the Year awards, the LUMINARIES program is now in its fourth year. It aims to highlight how top-performing industry participants — both firms and individuals — produce meaningful results through efforts that matter most to advisors in Community Impact; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Executive Leadership; and Thought Leadership & Education.
Candidates are evaluated by ThinkAdvisor’s editorial team based on the dynamic and inclusive ways that they are driving the wealth, investment and retirement industry forward. In 2024, 39 individuals and organizations were awarded as honorees. Cole Pearson was recognized as one of the winners in the 2024 Next-Gen Rising Stars category.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.
Birmingham Business Journal Best Places to Work 2023
The Best Places to Work Awards recognize local employers that have gone above and beyond to create an outstanding workplace culture. The rankings are based on confidential surveys conducted by our partner, Quantum Workplace, of employees that measure success in team dynamics, trust in leadership, communication and more, with only the top-scoring companies in the region earning the coveted right to be named one of the Best Places to Work.
Birmingham Business Journal identifies and honors metro Birmingham employers that have the most engaged workforces.
Requirements
Eligibility Requirements:
- Minimum of 10 employees located in one of the following counties: Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby. In order to include remote employees, they must report into a physical office from one of the above counties. Remote employees may not participate in any other region’s contest.
- Full or Part-time permanent, W-2 employees (not including owners or partners)
Inc. Regionals Fastest Growing Companies in the Southeast 2022 & 2023
The 2023 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2019 and 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2021. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.
Birmingham Business Journal Fastest Growing Companies 2022
The BBJ’s Fastest Growing Companies highlights top 30 fastest growing companies in Birmingham. The companies recognized are those that have exhibited strong growth over the prior three years.
The Birmingham Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Companies winners were identified by revenue numbers from the prior three years for companies on the BBJ’s most recent Lists.
OneAscent did not pay a fee to participate or be considered.