Heather Fortner MS , IACCP Chair and CEO Signature FD Atlanta , Georgia
Purposeful Growth
Heather Fortner has enjoyed an impressive journey : She was once a client service associate but she ’ s risen to the roles of chair and CEO of SignatureFD . Under her leadership , the 100-person firm has grown from $ 250 million to more than $ 9.1 billion in assets in just 20 years , an achievement she attributes to the team-based values and purposeful wealth management focus she has introduced .
When she joined the firm in 2003 , she had already worked in financial planning and helped to create a trust company at a bank . But she was eager to be on the private wealth side of the business . “ I knew SignatureFD was a small firm , and there would be opportunities to grow and contribute to its expansion ,” she recalls .
As she mastered her role , she was promoted from client service associate to director of operations and eventually to COO , president , and ultimately CEO and chair . “ The more I mastered my role , the more opportunity I was given ,” she says . “ I ’ m wired to be thirsty for knowledge , and that has allowed me to build a vibrant firm .”
SignatureFD ’ s growth has been a team effort , Fortner says . “ We decided early on what we stood for and what we didn ’ t stand for ,” she explains . That has included focusing each team member on the top two to three tasks they accomplish , ensuring they understand how they influence profitability and tying compensation to bottom-line ( EBITDA ) profitability rather than top-line revenues . “ Everyone understands how they shape this firm and our profitability ,” Fortner says .
One of the firm ’ s guiding philosophies , which Fortner personally championed , is its unique approach to wealth management called “ Net Worthwhile .” This concept guides advisors as they help clients align their wealth with their core values and purpose . “ Money is never the end goal ,” Fortner says . “ As a human , you ’ re so much more , and we create space to understand what matters most to each individual .”
Fortner ’ s background in professional counseling has also helped shape SignatureFD ’ s culture . She says her training in relationship-building , conflict mediation , and non-threatening communication have been invaluable in navigating the male-dominated financial industry .
“ As a woman in leadership , no one is throwing you bones . It ’ s important to surround yourself with people who can help you manufacture wins . Then , you celebrate those wins hard ,” she says .
She also focuses on empowering her team . “ Our core values — greatness , generosity , gratitude , growth , grit and grace — are amplified across everything we do ,” she says . “ It ’ s about creating a responsibility to the organization and the people coming behind you .”
Fortner has also been instrumental in SignatureFD ’ s decision to forgo an aggressive mergers and acquisitions strategy and private equity in favor of organic , thoughtful growth — at least for now . “ The majority of our team members are younger and entrepreneurial and want the freedom to add value and have their voice heard and leave our firm in a better place for the next generation ,” she says .
— Tracey Longo
Daphne Wright CPA , CFP Founder and Financial Advisor Flourish Financial Pathways Sterling , Virginia
Wealth Isn ’ t Just Investments
Daphne Wright says the one thing she has always wanted to do is to help people know about money . And that became even more apparent once she saw her father ’ s savings from a tax-deferred annuity he had with Aetna .
His account statement was lying on the dining room table and “ I saw how much he had put in , and how much he had accumulated . And that just blew me away ,” she says of his $ 100 monthly contribution that grew to six figures . “ I said , if people knew this , they wouldn ’ t be spending all their money . I want to help people to know this .”
Wanting to know more about the business , she visited her father ’ s advisor at Aetna . He ended up getting her a job with the company as a retirement consultant , selling tax-deferred annuities and 403 ( b ) plans to people in the D . C . public school system ( where her father worked ) and in the higher education markets in Maryland .
She educated people on investments and enrolled or switched them from one of the other five carriers serving the district . She did that for about five years before moving within Aetna to work on larger government plans , educating employees on their options , investments and wealth building , she says .
At the same time , Wright , a CPA , had been providing tax services to individuals and small businesses . She still maintains the tax practice she founded in 1992 .
In 2002 , after eight years with Aetna , Wright joined an LPL Financial independent advisory firm that specialized in 401 ( k ) plans . As a registered representative , she provided investment guidance and financial education to plan sponsors and their employees . But as a CFP , she always had her sights set on providing comprehensive financial advice to individual clients and their households . So little by little , she began building her practice .
She left her position as a 401 ( k ) specialist in 2017 and devoted time to her practice . She wanted to dispel the notion that wealth building is just about investment .
She held on to her tax business because it ’ s where most people are first exposed to financial planning , and she wanted to parlay African-Americans ’ wealth within other areas of finance . “ It almost felt like a responsibility ,” she says . About 80 % of her 200 clients are African-Americans .
Getting people to prioritize saving is hard . “ There are people who want to have money but won ’ t do what it takes ,” she says . “ I would sit with people , show them , you know , in seven years , 10 years , this is what you will have , and they still would not move forward .”
A certified personal development coach , she used her coaching skills and behavioral finance research to help clients and others . “ I literally became a coach ,” she says , dealing with people ’ s life issues while helping them get their money straight .
Her advice to those just starting out is to seek mentorship and expand on the concept of financial advising and get those designations . Also , look at what other people are doing successfully and talk to them , be someone ’ s assistant and find yourself a nice niche , she says .
— Jacqueline Sergeant
32 | FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE | MARCH 2025 WWW . FA-MAG . COM