Steward Partners’ Accolades for Women Advisors Signal a Winning Growth Strategy

STAMFORD, Conn. – February 11, 2026 – Independent financial services firm Steward Partners is celebrating a significant milestone as three of its leading advisors were named to the prestigious 2026 Forbes/SHOOK Best-In-State Top Women Wealth Advisors list. The recognition for Alicia Fuller, Amy Sabin, and Leah Schwarz underscores a dual achievement: the individual excellence of its top talent and the success of the firm’s deliberate strategy to build a culture that attracts and retains the industry’s best.

In a competitive landscape where firms vie for both client assets and premier advisors, such accolades are more than just a marketing point; they are indicators of a successful business model. For Steward Partners, an employee-owned firm that has seen meteoric growth since its 2013 inception, the honors validate its focus on creating an environment where experienced professionals can thrive.

The honored advisors represent a breadth of experience and geographical reach. They include Alicia Fuller, CRPC™, a Managing Director and Wealth Manager in Naples, Florida; Amy Sabin, CEPA®, a Managing Director and Wealth Manager in Dallas, Texas; and Leah Schwarz, CFP®, WMS™, CRPC®, MBA, a Managing Director and Wealth Manager in San Antonio, Texas.

"This recognition is a powerful testament to the extraordinary women at Steward Partners who lead with both expertise and purpose," said Jim Gold, CEO of Steward Partners, in a statement. "Their inclusion on this list reflects not only their individual excellence, but also our firm's commitment to building an environment where top talent can thrive, grow, and deliver truly differentiated advice."

The Rigor Behind the Ranking

The Forbes/SHOOK list is widely respected within the financial industry for its rigorous and independent selection process. Unlike some industry awards, placement cannot be bought. SHOOK Research, the firm that partners with Forbes, employs a comprehensive methodology based on a detailed algorithm that weighs both quantitative and qualitative factors.

Advisors must be nominated by their firm and have a minimum of seven years of industry experience. The evaluation process includes extensive due diligence, including in-person and virtual interviews, to assess best practices, client service models, and compliance records. Quantitative metrics such as assets under management and revenue trends are considered, but portfolio performance is explicitly not a criterion, as client goals and risk tolerances vary widely. This focus on process, ethics, and client impact aims to identify advisors who serve as true role models for the industry.

Profiles in Excellence

The careers of the honored advisors exemplify the high standards set by the Forbes/SHOOK ranking. Their deep expertise and commitment to clients have been honed over decades in the industry.

Alicia Fuller, who leads Coastal 360 Capital Advisors in Naples, brings over 40 years of wealth management experience to her clients. Before joining Steward Partners, she spent nearly four decades at Merrill Lynch, building a practice focused on generational wealth transfer, estate planning, and retirement strategies. Her team managed over $320 million in assets at the time they transitioned to the firm.

In Dallas, Amy Sabin heads the Valiant Private Wealth team. With over 30 years in the financial world, her career began at NationsBank in 1989 before moving into investment management. Sabin holds the highly specialized Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation, focusing on helping business owners navigate successful exit strategies. She also specializes in diversification strategies for clients with concentrated stock positions, a critical need for many corporate executives and entrepreneurs.

Leah Schwarz, based in San Antonio, holds an impressive array of credentials, including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Wealth Management Specialist™ (WMS™), and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC®) designations, in addition to an MBA, signaling a deep commitment to comprehensive and advanced financial planning.

A Culture That Cultivates Success

The simultaneous recognition of three advisors is not a coincidence but rather a reflection of Steward Partners' foundational philosophy. The firm’s rapid ascent in the industry—climbing to the #9 spot on the 2025 Barron’s Top 100 RIA Firms list from #18 the prior year—is intrinsically linked to its ability to create a destination for top-tier advisors.

As an employee-owned partnership, the firm offers a model that diverges sharply from traditional wirehouses, providing advisors with greater autonomy while delivering robust platform support. This structure fosters a collaborative, entrepreneurial spirit that has proven highly attractive.

The firm's culture has earned it numerous accolades, including being named a 2025 Thrivent Employer of Choice by InvestmentNews and a top workplace by multiple publications. These awards are based on criteria that evaluate a firm’s commitment to professional development, a dynamic workplace culture, and innovative approaches to talent retention—all factors that contribute to a supportive environment for women.

Leading a Shift in a Changing Industry

The success of women at Steward Partners is particularly significant when viewed against the backdrop of the broader financial services industry. While women are set to control an ever-increasing share of global wealth—projected to surpass 50% by 2030 due to income growth and the great wealth transfer—they remain starkly underrepresented in the advisor profession. Women currently make up less than 30% of all financial advisors and hold only about 24% of CFP® certifications.

This gap represents a massive opportunity for firms that can successfully recruit, support, and promote women advisors. As more wealth moves into the hands of women, many of whom prefer to work with female advisors, firms that have built a diverse and inclusive culture are positioned for a significant competitive advantage. Steward Partners appears to be capitalizing on this trend by fostering an environment where accomplished women like Fuller, Sabin, and Schwarz not only join but also continue to reach new heights in their careers.

The firm's growth trajectory, with client assets now approaching $50 billion, demonstrates that its people-first strategy is paying dividends. By investing in its culture and supporting the industry's best talent, Steward Partners has created a powerful engine for growth that is reshaping its corner of the wealth management world.