Kestra Financial Nets Record Attendance at 16th Annual ASCEND Conference

Meeting of over 800 advisors, sponsors and staff concludes with inspiring vision of wealth management industry's future

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kestra Financial, an industry-leading wealth management platform, wrapped its annual ASCEND advisor conference last week, sharing forward-thinking strategies to help advisors drive the growth of their businesses in keeping with the meeting’s theme of looking “Beyond the Horizon.” Held from February 4–7 in Kestra’s hometown of Austin, Texas, this year’s event gathered leaders, colleagues and partners from across the Kestra ecosystem, including Kestra Holdings, Kestra Financial, Kestra Private Wealth Services, Bluespring Wealth Partners, Kestra Investment Management, Arden Trust Company, and Kestra Insurance Planning.

Austin, known as the "Violet Crown" for its stunning sunsets, provided the perfect backdrop for discussions that encouraged participants to look beyond the setting sun of the current horizon to imagine new opportunities ahead. The city’s spirit of progress and innovation reflected the conference’s focus on preparing for the next stage of industry transformation and empowering advisors to be entrepreneurs no matter where they are along the lifecycle of their firm.

The four-day event featured thought-provoking sessions, keynote speeches, and interactive workshops designed to help financial professionals maximize the value they bring their clients and adapt to a rapidly evolving landscape. Leaders from across the industry shared insights on emerging trends, actionable strategies, and the importance of positioning practices to thrive in the years ahead. Specifically, sessions explored topics such as evolving business models, the benefits of outsourcing tasks in favor of spending more time nurturing relationships with clients, technological innovation, and strategies for navigating the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s market. Attendees left with actionable takeaways to implement in their practices, ensuring sustained growth and success in an ever-changing environment.

Kestra’s 2025 ASCEND conference came at a time of growth and evolution for the firm, which recently announced the launch of Kestra Insurance Planning and the promotion of its current Head of Wealth Management, John Amore, to Kestra Financial president. Elsewhere within the Kestra ecosystem, Bluespring Wealth Partners recently announced its new president, Pradeep Jayaraman, and Kestra Investment Management celebrated its three-year anniversary.

“This year’s conference was all about envisioning what lies ahead and preparing our advisor community and partners to embrace change and opportunity,” said Stephen Langlois, President of Kestra Financial. “The conversations and collaboration that took place here will help shape the future of our industry and enable our community to lead confidently, embracing a true entrepreneurial mindset.”

“Gathering with our advisors this year, we took the opportunity to discuss what it means to be a ‘complete wealth manager’ – and how Kestra’s offerings can help support entrepreneurial advisors striving to build and maintain a legacy through their firm,” added John Amore, Head of Wealth Management, Kestra Financial. “We’re looking forward to seeing how our financial advisors apply lessons learned over the coming year and beyond.”

As the conference concluded, the spirit of collaboration and shared vision were evident across the 539 advisors and firm staff members, and 196 sponsors and home office team members in attendance. The Kestra team looks forward to continuing these conversations at ASCEND 2026, which will return to Austin in February of next year.

About Kestra Financial
Kestra Financial is a leading independent wealth management platform headquartered in Austin, Texas. A division of Kestra Holdings and established in 1997, the firm empowers independent financial professionals and wealth management firms – including traditional and hybrid RIAs – by offering personalized support, integrated business management technology, and access to a collaborative community of like-minded financial professionals. With a culture rich in reinvention, Kestra Financial has developed integrated business management technology that, combined with its personalized consulting services, offers exceptional scale and efficiency.

Overseeing $103 billion in assets under advisement (AUA), Kestra Financial supports more than 1,700 independent financial professionals and is committed to delivering superior service that enables their growth, success, and ability to best support their own clients.

The Kestra Financial division includes Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC (Kestra PWS), Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS) and Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Securities offered through registered representatives of Kestra IS. Investment advisory services offered through appropriately licensed representatives of Kestra AS or Kestra PWS. Except for the referenced Kestra companies, Kestra IS, Kestra AS, or Kestra PWS are not affiliated with other entities referenced in this publication.

For more information about Kestra Financial, please visit www.kestrafinancial.com.