Seven winners recognized at ADISA’s 2026 Annual Conference & Trade Show

ADISA, the nation’s largest trade association for the alternative investments industry, announced the recipients of its 2026 industry awards, including honorees in four new award categories introduced this year.

ADISA’s new award categories recognize distinct contributions from across its membership. The awards honor product sponsors, allocator firms and professionals, and individuals or firms whose innovations have meaningfully affected the industry. The winners of the 2026 inaugural awards are:

• Difference Maker of the Year: The Bowman Law Firm
  • The Difference Maker of the Year award recognizes those behind an idea, structure, technology or process that has meaningfully changed how the industry operates, with emphasis on adoption and impact.
• Sponsor Champion of the Year: MDS Energy Development
  • The Sponsor Champion of the Year award recognizes a product sponsor demonstrating leadership, engagement, transparency, investor stewardship, responsiveness to due diligence and advisor inquiries, and commitment to industry education.
• Allocator Champion (Firm): Concorde Investment Services
  • This award recognizes an allocator firm that has advanced the evaluation and delivery of alternatives through due diligence infrastructure, advisor education and industry engagement.
• Allocator Champion (Individual): Douglas Blake, Kingswood U.S.
  • The Allocator Champion (Individual) award recognizes an individual who has advanced the thoughtful use of alternatives through advocacy, education, industry involvement and mentorship.

Runners-up in the four inaugural categories were:

• Difference Maker of the Year: VENTURE.co; American Estate & Trust; Prospect Capital Management; Creative Capital Wealth Management Group; and Cove Capital Investments.
• Sponsor Champion of the Year: CEDARst Companies; ExchangeRight Real Estate; Griffin Capital Company; Sovereign Partners; Veritas Group; Sterling Group; U.S. Energy Development Corporation; and Hamilton Point Investments.
• Allocator Champion (Firm): Arete Wealth Management; Alexander Capital; Independent Financial Group; and Legacy Wealth Management.
• Allocator Champion (Individual): Brandon Bruckman, Insight Investment Advisors; Jamie Furlong, Legacy Investments & Real Estate; and Rizwan Ibrahim, Magnolia Private Wealth.

Recipients of the President’s Award, a longstanding ADISA honor, are selected by the president of ADISA’s board of directors. The award recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding contributions in their field, service in local, state or national affairs, or support of ADISA’s advancement and continued excellence. This year’s recipients are Sydney Hockaday of Concorde Investment Services, and Katie Shook of Eagle Point Securities.

The Foundation Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated significant support for the ADISA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that assists with scholarships and special projects to grow the study and appreciation of the alternative and direct investment space. This year’s recipient is Dobbs Ackermann of Ackermann Group.

“The alternative investments industry is made stronger by contributions that take many different forms, from thoughtful product sponsorship and rigorous due diligence to education, advocacy and innovation,” said Jade Miller, chief executive officer of ADISA. “These awards give ADISA an opportunity to recognize individuals and organizations across our community whose work is helping advance the industry. We are proud to congratulate each of this year's honorees.”

The awards were presented at ADISA’s 2026 Annual Conference & Trade Show, the association’s marquee event bringing together around 1,000 professionals from across the alternative investments industry each fall. This year’s conference is being held Oct. 5–7 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. For more information about ADISA’s year-round events, visit www.adisa.org/events.

ABOUT ADISA

The Alternative & Direct Investment Securities Association is the nation’s largest trade association representing the non‐traded alternative investment space. ADISA’s members are typically involved in non-traded real estate investment trusts, business development companies, master limited partnerships and private and public funds (LPs/LLCs), 1031 exchange programs (DSTs/TICs), energy and oil and gas interests, equipment leasing programs, or other alternative and direct investment offerings. The association was founded in 2003 and has approximately 5,000 members who are key decision-makers, representing more than 220,000 professionals throughout the nation, including sponsor members who have raised in excess of $200 billion in equity and serve more than 1 million investors.

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The alternative investments industry is made stronger by contributions that take many different forms, from thoughtful product sponsorship and rigorous due diligence to education, advocacy and innovation.