Finalists for 2018 Money Management Institute/Barron's Industry Awards Announced

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Money Management Institute (MMI) announces the finalists for the 2018 MMI/Barron's Industry Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in the investment advisory solutions industry.

"Now in their tenth year, these annual awards celebrate outstanding achievement and honor firms that have raised the bar by delivering ground-breaking investment advisory solutions and related programs for financial advisors and investors over the past year," said Craig Pfeiffer, MMI President and CEO. "Once again, we are pleased to have Barron's, one of the world's most respected financial publications, join us as a co-presenter of these prestigious awards that recognize all the innovative work being done in the investment advisory space."

Sterling Shea,? Global Head of Wealth & Asset Management at Dow Jones, which is the publisher of Barron's, added, "At a time when investors are increasingly in need of professional investment guidance to help them fulfill their financial goals and dreams, these awards acknowledge industry-leading firms that are supporting financial advisors and their clients with state-of-the-art investment solutions, addressing critical industry issues, and giving back to the communities they serve."
Winners in the following ten categories will be announced during the 2018 MMI/Barron's Industry Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 16 at the 2018 MMI Annual Conference in Dallas.

Tools & Technology: honoring advances in financial advisor- or investor-facing technology
BlackRock ? 360o Evaluator
Envestnet ? Wealth Management Technology Platform
LifeYield ? Taxficient Scoretm
PIEtech® ? MoneyGuidePro® G4

"Doing Good": honoring programs that support a deserving cause or give back to the communities we serve
Eaton Vance ? Making a Difference Committee
Envestnet ? Envestnet Institute on Campus
Foresters Financial ? The Foresters Difference
PIMCO ? Purpose at PIMCO ? Hunger

Diversity: honoring efforts to promote and increase workplace diversity in the investment advisory solutions industry
Advisor Group ? Women Forward
CFP Board Center for Financial Planning ? Advancing Diversity Initiatives
PIMCO ? Global Inclusion, Diversity & Culture Initiative

Sustainable Investing: honoring programs that support awareness and adoption of sustainable and ESG investing
Bank of America Merrill Lynch ? GWIM Impact Investing Initiative
Calvert ? Calvert Ultra-Short Duration Income NextShares
Morgan Stanley ? Investing with Impact Platform
Morningstar ? Sustainability Ratings, Research, and Tools Services, including the Morningstar Carbon Risk Score

Field Sales Distribution: honoring firms that exemplify excellence and innovation in wholesaling practices
American Funds ? Wide-ranging Distribution Capabilities
BNY Mellon's Lockwood Advisors ? Business Development & Advisory Consulting Teams
MFS ? Client Acquisition and Growth Strategies
Russell Investments ? Innovative Wholesaler Practices

Home-Office Sales Support: honoring firms that provide exemplary and innovative advisor sales support from the home office-level
Advisor Group ? Future is Now
Bank of America Merrill Lynch ? ISG Portfolio Strategist Team
Russell Investments ? Practice Management Program

Sponsor Platform of the Year: honoring a sponsor platform that exemplifies innovation and achievement in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors
Envestnet ? Envestnet | PMC Impact Investing Quantitative Portfolios
Morgan Stanley ? WealthDesk
Primerica ? Lifetime Investment Platform

Asset Manager of the Year (AUM of $25 billion or less): honoring a smaller asset manager that exemplifies innovation and achievement in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors
Clark Capital Management Group ? Navigator® Investment Strategies
Horizon Investments ? Goals-Based Investing
Tortoise ? Making an Impact with Essential Asset Solutions

Asset Manager of the Year (AUM of more than $25 billion): honoring a larger asset manager that exemplifies innovation and achievement in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors
AllianceBernstein ? AB FlexFeetm Funds
Legg Mason ? MDA Program
Natixis ? Natixis Active Index Advisors®

Solutions Provider of the Year: honoring a solutions provider (technology or service provider) that exemplifies innovation and achievement in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial advisors
ACA Technology Solutions ? NorthPoint Platform
Envestnet ? Holistic Wealth Management Technology
Fiserv ? Unified Wealth Platform
iCapital Network ? Alternative Investments Technology Solution

Nominations for the 2018 MMI/Barron's Industry Awards were submitted in an open nomination process, and finalists were selected by a special review committee representing all segments of the MMI membership. The winners in each category will be determined by a vote of MMI member firms.

Proceeds from the 2018 MMI/Barron's Industry Awards Dinner will benefit MMI's Gateway to Leadership Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that support a variety of programs to foster career awareness and workforce readiness for aspiring minority students seeking internships and entry-level employment opportunities in the financial services industry.

About the Money Management Institute (MMI): Since 1997 MMI has been the leading voice for the global financial services organizations that provide financial advice and professionally-managed investment advisory solutions to individual and institutional investors. Through programs focused on member interaction, education and professional development, data analytics and insight, next-generation initiatives, and thought leadership and advocacy, MMI supports and advances the growth of a diverse spectrum of investment advisory solutions that serve an evolving worldwide financial landscape. MMI member organizations are committed to the highest standards of fiduciary responsibility and ethical conduct and to creating the most successful outcomes for investors at every level of assets. For more information, visit http://www.MMInst.org.

About Barron's: Barron's (http://www.barrons.com) is America's premier financial magazine, known for its market-moving stories. Published by Dow Jones since 1921, it reaches an influential audience of professional fund managers, financial advisors, affluent individual investors, financial-services professionals and senior corporate executives. With new content available every business day in digital form and every week in print, Barron's provides readers with an intelligible recap of recent market action coupled with insights on what's likely to happen in the market in the days and weeks to come. In addition, its annual series of exclusive conferences for financial advisors and investors is dedicated to identifying, enhancing and expanding best practices in investing. As a result of these initiatives, Barron's is the trusted financial-publishing brand that people active in the market turn to for information, ideas and insights they can use to increase their professional success and enhance their personal, financial well-being.

SOURCE Money Management Institute