Kayne Anderson Rudnick (KAR), announced today that Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor Spuds Powell, along with the Kayne Anderson Rudnick Wealth Advisory (KARWA) team, earned the #3 spot on the Barron’s 2026 Top 100 Independent Advisors list. The ranking marks another milestone in Powell’s decades-long track record of guiding clients through changing markets and building lasting relationships built on trust.
Powell and the KARWA team have earned a place among the nation’s top advisors year after year, topping the Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors list five times (2017–2020, 2022). The team has now held a top 10 position for 14 consecutive years, underscoring the staying power of their client-first philosophy.
“This year’s ranking is a strong showing, but what matters more is the consistency behind it,” said Stephen A. Rigali, Executive Managing Director. “Spuds has built his practice on the same foundation for decades, listening closely to clients, staying disciplined through every market cycle, and putting their goals ahead of anything else. That approach is what keeps clients with us for the long haul, and it’s what continues to earn this kind of recognition.”
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors list identifies the nation’s leading independent financial advisors based on a rigorous, data-driven methodology. To be considered, advisors must maintain a minimum of $300 million in individual AUM, hold SEC registration, and have at least seven years of industry experience including a minimum of one year with their current firm. Rankings are based on second quarter data and determined through a formula that evaluates three core categories: assets, revenue, and quality of practice. Barron’s verifies submitted data against firm records and regulatory databases before applying the rankings formula, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the final list.
For the full list of 2026 Top 100 Independent Advisors visit: https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/independent/2026
