Summit Financial, ​​a preeminent financial planning and wealth management firm, today recapped a historic year of strategic execution and growth in 2025, while outlining ambitious plans to accelerate performance in 2026.​

2025: A Defining Year of Growth and Scale

2025 was a milestone year for Summit—a year where the firm turned strategy into action and positioned itself for the next level of growth. Summit’s enterprise expanded rapidly, with assets growing approximately 6x since 2020 to about $24 billion, driven by a balanced mix of growth that was roughly 60% M&A and 40% organic. Over the same period, revenue grew about 4x and headcount grew 91% to more than 525 professionals, underscoring sustained investment in people, platform, and client experience.​

Summit’s national footprint now spans 26 states and 70+ affiliated firms, reinforcing its position as a scaled, partner-of-choice RIA platform for entrepreneurial advisory businesses across the country. The firm’s performance was further validated by inclusion in prominent rankings of top RIA firms, highlighting both its growth trajectory and the strength of its model.​

“A year like 2025 doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of advisors who bet on themselves, teams who embrace change, and a culture that is focused on doing what is right for the clients,” said Stan Gregor, CEO & Chairman of Summit Financial. “Expanding our national footprint and growing our enterprise at this pace are of that shared commitment.”

Strategic Investments and Infrastructure Advancements

Throughout 2025, Summit strengthened its leadership bench with key hires across growth, revenue, and business development, including strategic growth officers, business development officers, and senior revenue leadership. The firm launched a dedicated M&A team and a new trading desk to support increased transaction volume and advisor needs, while adding more than $6 million in total resources to deepen expertise across the organization.​

Summit also formalized its Innovation & Advisor Committee to encourage fresh thinking, stronger advisor engagement, and smarter collaboration across its network. On the infrastructure side, the firm rolled out more than 15 new technologies, six of them AI-focused, and advanced its software stack aligning operations, governance, and reporting.

Recognition and Thought Leadership Momentum

Public relations and media activity in 2025 delivered record visibility for Summit, with 164 media mentions and 943.6 million total impressions for the year. Quarterly volume built steadily, with mentions rising from 27 in Q1 and 25 in Q2 to 50 in Q3 and 62 in Q4, demonstrating growing demand for Summit’s perspectives across the industry and broader business community.​

Summit’s momentum further translated into meaningful third-party recognition and presence on key industry stages. Ranking No. 35 on the Barron’s 2025 Top 100 RIA Firms list, its fourth consecutive year to be recognized, and No. 31 on the Forbes Top RIA Firms list, further cementing its status among the leading RIA firms in the United States.

2026: Converting Progress Into Performance

The progress made in 2025 set a clear tone for 2026. This year is about momentum, enhancing Summit’s Family Office style service model, further expanding its investment platform, and amplifying training and development for both current advisors and next-generation leaders. The firm plans to broaden its M&A focus across both minority and full-acquisition opportunities, while continuing to integrate new technologies and AI solutions that improve how advisors and teams operate every day.​

“As we look to 2026, our focus is on execution. Turning progress into performance and ideas into impact,” Gregor said. “We’ve built a powerful foundation of scale, brand, and capability. Now we’re focused on harnessing that momentum for our advisors, our clients, and our partners.”​

About Summit Financial

Summit Financial (“Summit”) is a preeminent investment advisory firm with over 40 years of experience helping advisors elevate their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. Built by advisors for advisors, Summit champions independence while providing the tools, capital, and resources needed to achieve growth and success.

Summit Financial, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“RIA”) established in November 2018, is the successor firm to Summit Equities, Inc. (registered with the SEC in 1991) and Summit Financial Resources, Inc. (registered with the SEC in 1983) for all of their investment advisory and financial planning business. Summit Financial, LLC, is wholly owned by Summit Financial Holdings, LLC ("SFH"), which is owned by Stanley Gregor and Merchant Wealth Management Holdings 3, LLC (“MWMH”). MWMH is wholly owned by Merchant Wealth Partners, LLC, which is wholly owned by Merchant Investment Management, LLC. Minority investments are made by SFH.

A 2025 Forbes|SHOOK® and 2025 Barron’s Top 100 RIA Firm, Summit is deeply committed to its founding principles of independence and powerful financial planning. Interested advisors and firm leaders can learn more about Summit’s all-inclusive platform of fully integrated industry-leading services, thought leaders, and innovative technology—known as the SummitVantage™—at www.summitfinancial.com.

Forbes| SHOOK® America’s Top RIA Firms (October 1, 2025), and Barron's 2025 Top 100 RIA Firms (awarded September 12, 2025, based on data as of June 30, 2025). Rankings were determined based on proprietary evaluation processes conducted by Forbes|SHOOK® and Barron’s. Summit Financial, LLC, did not pay a fee to obtain these rankings. A fee may be paid to the ranking provider for associated marketing and promotional activities.

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Summit Financial recapped a historic year of strategic execution and growth in 2025, while outlining ambitious plans to accelerate performance in 2026