Silver Oak Securities CEO Billy Hopkins Named CEO of the Year at ThinkAdvisor 2025 Luminaries Awards

There’s a moment in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland where Alice admits she doesn’t much care where she ends up. The Cheshire Cat’s reply is blunt: then it doesn’t matter which road you take.

Most financial professionals care deeply about where they’re going. The firms recruiting them often don’t.

That’s the problem in today’s talent market. Mega broker-dealers and large RIAs compete hard for top advisors, offering impressive transition packages and sign-on deals. What they rarely do is sit down, ask the right questions, and genuinely listen to the answers.

Billy Hopkins addresses this head-on in his latest article, A Tad from Perfect. He shares a candid conversation with a financial professional who believed Silver Oak was the better firm but assumed a larger competitor could pay more. Maybe, but that firm probably never asked where the advisor truly wanted to go.

Money matters, but numbers won’t tell you whether a firm will support your long-term vision or just plug you into their existing model.

We call ourselves “a tad from perfect” on purpose, investing heavily in our people, our technology, and our advisor community rather than a marketing budget. Over 26 years, we’ve built a flywheel around five disciplines that independent entrepreneurial advisors need to scale: wealth management, financial planning, technology, business planning, and community.

The framework supports advisors on their own terms. No one tells you what to do or how to do it.

Stop asking what can get you where you want to go and start asking who.

Read the full article for more here.

JACKSON, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Billy Hopkins, Founder and CEO of Silver Oak Securities, a leading independent broker-dealer and SEC Registered Investment Advisor, was recently named CEO of the Year at the ThinkAdvisor 2025 Luminaries Awards. Now in its fifth year, the ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards continue to redefine excellence in financial services, spotlighting outstanding contributions from both organizations and individuals.

The CEO of the Year award honors chief executives who demonstrate exceptional leadership through strong client service, innovation in programs and platforms, and measurable organizational growth. Hopkins was recognized for his work building Silver Oak into one of the fastest-growing independent broker-dealers in America while maintaining an unwavering commitment to advisor independence. Under his leadership, the firm has grown to 137 branch locations and 196 registered representatives as of December 31, 2025.

“We’re honored by this recognition from ThinkAdvisor,” said Hopkins. “The award belongs to our entire team and the financial professionals who trust us to support their practices. Everything we do centers on one principle: empowering advisors to serve their clients with excellence while building enduring businesses that reflect their own values.”

The firm continues to expand its advisor-centric platform, most recently launching AFX Custom Models, a curated series of multi-manager model portfolios featuring institutional-grade investment solutions from industry-leading asset managers including Invesco, Fidelity Investments,, and Aptus Capital Advisors.

“The 2025 Luminaries Awards continue to set new standards for excellence in financial services,” said Janet Levaux, editor-in-chief of ThinkAdvisor. “This year’s honorees shine not only through bold leadership and groundbreaking innovation, but also through their deep commitment to strengthening communities and advancing the industry. Their achievements highlight the dynamic, evolving nature of financial services, and we are proud to showcase their work as an inspiring example for others to follow.”

A panel of independent judges composed of distinguished industry professionals determined the 2025 winners, who were recognized at an awards ceremony at the New York Hilton Midtown on December 4th.

For more information about Silver Oak, visit www.joinsilveroaksecurities.com, and follow Billy Hopkins on Linkedin for compelling insights about Silver Oak’s approach to supporting independent advisors.

About Silver Oak Securities

Silver Oak Securities, Inc. is an independent, full-service Broker-Dealer and SEC-Registered Investment Advisor committed to supporting independent financial professionals. With equity ownership opportunities, modern technology, and a high-touch support model, Silver Oak empowers advisors to build meaningful client relationships and grow their practices on their own terms.

About ThinkAdvisor

ThinkAdvisor (ThinkAdvisor.com) provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors, and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services, and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health, and life decisions. The website showcases advisors adapting and succeeding in new ways, translating the impact of industry regulation, dealmaking, and technology into digestible coverage, so advisors have more time to spend advising clients and running their businesses.

Fidelity Investments^® is an independent company, unaffiliated with Silver Oak Securities. Fidelity Investments was not involved in the preparation of this material. [1243546.1.0]

Contacts

Media Contact:
Hollie Murrin
Director of Marketing
Silver Oak Securities
[email protected]