2026 Alliance Summit: Visionary Leadership

Room Block & Venue

JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
5402 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253

Discover JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, an award-winning hotel in Scottsdale, near Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, AZ. Our luxury Scottsdale resort welcomes you with attentive service, deluxe amenities, heated outdoor pools, garden terraces, and desert trails in the Sonoran Desert.

Book your room via this link (Note: the room block expires on Friday, February 13, 2026, but may fill up prior to that date. We recommend booking your accommodation as soon as possible. The group rate will not be available after Friday, February 13.)

The group rate for the event is available for three days prior and three days after the event.

Property Details:
Check in: 4:00 pm
Check out: 11:00 am

Complimentary valet and self-parking on site.

Agenda

Note: Agenda, speakers and schedule are subject to change.

Monday, March 9^th

4:00 pm: New Attendee Reception

4:30 pm: General Registration

5:00 pm: The Secret to Inspiring Others (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

A visionary leader stands out by inspiring others and clearly communicating purpose. In this compelling keynote, Dr. Suzanne Peterson, Partner at CRA, argues that true inspiration can be crystallized into one simple idea: honor others or they fail to honor you.

While traditional motivation and inspiration literature focuses on how leaders talk, encourage, and challenge, Dr. Peterson will offer the Admired Leaders® approach to inspire by leading honorably and respectfully. Admired Leadership® focuses upon how leaders recognize others for their contributions, translating that recognition into everyday behaviors. This method offers behavioral routines for communicating a vision, offering rewards, empowering others, and offering praise to your employees or clients to inspire them to a greater level of performance.

Speaker: Dr. Suzanne Peterson, Partner, CRA | Admired Leadership

6:00 pm: Welcome Reception and Dinner
 

Tuesday, March 10^th

7:30 am: Registration & Breakfast

8:30 am: Welcome Remarks &  Alliance Research

9:15 am: Unpacking Organic Growth (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

Organic growth is a deceptively simple idea that becomes complex the moment firms try to operationalize it, especially when balancing innovation, client needs, firm culture, and long‑term strategy. This session opens the conversation by inviting firm leaders to share how they currently define and think about organic growth in their organizations.

Rather than prescribing best practices, this panel will explore the questions, frameworks, and challenges leaders are wrestling with today: How are firms measuring organic growth – or how do they wish they were measuring it? Which aspects of organic growth feel most promising, and which are proving difficult given firms’ unique models and circumstances?

This exploratory discussion is intended to spark the ideas and themes we’ll build on throughout 2026, setting a foundation for deeper research and continued dialogue.

Speakers: 

• Drew McMorrow, President & CEO, Ballentine Partners
• Jack B. Petersen, Managing Partner, Summit Trail Advisors, LLC
• John W. Sleeting, Managing Partner, Family Office Services, Clearwater Capital Partners
• Moderated by John Furey, Managing Partner, Advisor Growth Strategies

10:05 am: Break

10:25 am: Are You Chasing Growth or Designing It? (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

Growth challenges are often misdiagnosed as sales or activity problems when they are, in fact, design problems. Heather Ettinger introduces the Growth by Design Framework, revealing how niche mastery reshapes firm strategy, referral dynamics, and decision clarity. In this interactive session, attendees will gain a new lens on organic growth and why focus has become a decisive competitive advantage.

Speaker: Heather Ettinger, CEO, Luma Thrive

11:25 am: AI with Intention (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

The buzz around artificial intelligence is undeniable. Firms that strive to be forward-thinking early adopters are eager to embrace its transformative potential. Yet, in this rush toward innovation, there's a critical danger: adopting AI for the sake of AI, without a clear, purposeful strategy.

This panel brings together leading voices who are navigating this complex landscape with vision and vigilance. The discussion will focus on new ways of thinking about AI integration, examining how leaders can achieve a balanced and strategic approach to innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable profitability.

Speakers: 

• Channing Olson, Chief Operating Officer, Private Client, Wealthspire
• Allison DiLiberto, Managing Director, Head of Finance and Operations, Altair Advisers
• Brooks Lloyd, Manager, F2 Strategy
• Moderated by Mary Claire Allvine, Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Doyenne Wealth Advisors

12:15 pm: Lunch

1:30 pm: From Onboarding to Ownership: Employee Engagement Strategies (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

Our industry has a talent shortage. Finding qualified early and mid-career professionals is hard and keeping them engaged for the long haul is even harder. In this session, leaders will explore employee engagement initiatives designed to build a sense of ownership and loyalty in the employee’s journey from the first day on the job and beyond. We’ll showcase programs and cultural practices that build confidence, accelerate skill development, and foster genuine belonging. Attendees will walk away with actionable ideas to transform career talent into committed long‑term contributors.

Speakers: 

• Jessica Beavers, Sr Vice President, Sawmill
• Randi Bellner, Managing Executive, Head of Strategic Planning and Development, Gryphon Financial Partners
• Laura Carr, Chief People Officer, HB Wealth
• Moderated by David Plotts, Director of Wealth Strategy & Family Wealth, Glenmede

2:20 pm: Table Discussion: Championing Culture as a Visionary Leader

3:15 pm: Midday break

6:00 pm: Dine-Arounds (pre-registration required)

8:00 pm: After Party 

Wednesday, March 11^th

7:30 am: Breakfast

8:30 am: Opening Remarks

8:40 am: Should You Really Be Doing That? A Masterclass in Delegation (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

During registration for this event, each attendee was asked which area of leadership they find most challenging, and the most popular response was clear: delegation. You already know you can’t do it all – and you don’t want to! But the stakes are high and the margin for error is razor thin. So, you stay close longer than you should, review things no one else thought to check, and step in when things need to get done more efficiently. It might feel like leadership, but it keeps you locked in tactical mode and prevents your team from stepping up.

Successful delegation is a long-term project, requiring clear and consistent communication about who should do the work, how it should be done, and what standards will be used to evaluate it. In this interactive session, attendees will level up their understanding of this much-misunderstood leadership skill, learning how to enforce accountability, foster confidence, and empower their teams to operate independently.

Speaker: Sonya Jury, Certified EOS Implementer, EOS Worldwide

10:00 am: The Visionary Leader (eligible for 1 CPE credit)

It’s lonely at the top. As a leader, you might feel like no one sees how many competing priorities you’re balancing or how many difficult decisions you navigate each day – all while trying to uphold a positive culture and guiding your firm’s higher-level mission and vision. After all, your firm, team, and clients are all counting on you to lead the way. (No pressure.)

Against that backdrop, our conversation turns inward, giving firm executives a platform to name those tensions and articulate how they navigate them with intention. They’ll share how they embody visionary leadership in their own journeys, offering reflections on key turning points, compromises, and bold choices that led their teams and clients forward.

Speakers: 

• Austin Brockenbrough IV, CEO, Brockenbrough
• Jack Ginter, CEO & Founding Partner, Callan Family Office
• Kara Pass, President & CEO, Market Street Trust Company
• Moderated by Rachel Hyman, President & Managing Director, The Family Wealth Alliance

11:00 am: Conference concludes

Mary Claire Allvine Managing Director & CEO Doyenne Wealth Advisors	Jessica Beavers Sr Vice President Sawmill	Randi Bellner Managing Executive, Head of Strategic Planning and Development Gryphon Financial Partners
Austin Brockenbrough IV CEO Brockenbrough	Allison DiLiberto  Managing Director, Head of Finance and Operations  Altair Advisers	Heather Ettinger CEO Luma Thrive
John Furey Managing Partner Advisor Growth Strategies	Jack Ginter CEO & Founding Partner Callan Family Office	Rachel Hyman President & Managing Director The Family Wealth Alliance
Sonya Jury Certified EOS Implementer EOS Worldwide	Brooks Lloyd Manager F2 Strategy	Drew McMorrow President & CEO Ballentine Partners
Channing Olson Chief Operating Officer, Private Client Wealthspire	Kara Pass President & CEO Market Street Trust Company	Jack B. Petersen Managing Partner Summit Trail Advisors, LLC
Dr. Suzanne Peterson Partner CRA-Admired Leadership	Dave Plotts Director Of Wealth Strategy & Family Wealth Glenmede	John W. Sleeting Managing Partner, Family Office Services Clearwater Capital Partners

Additional speakers to be announced!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is this event being held?

The 2026 Alliance Summit will be held at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (5402 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253)
 

Who should attend the Alliance Summit?

Every FWA member firm is eligible to send two or three senior leaders to the Alliance Summit (dependent on membership tier). We anticipate the Summit will reach capacity prior to registration close on February 13th, at which point no additional seats can be claimed. Please identify your qualified attendees and register them as soon as possible; seats are first-come, first-served.

Note: We do not sell tickets to non-members for this event. 
 

What is the dress code?

Conference attire is resort casual for all events. Please remember convention room temperatures may not be to your personal preference, so come prepared with an additional layer. Some activities will be hosted outdoors as well.
 

Is the group hotel rate available for pre or post event?

Yes, the group rate for the event is available for three days prior and three days after the event. You can make your reservation here. (Note: the room block expires on Friday, February 13, 2026, but may fill up prior to that date. We recommend booking your accommodation as soon as possible. The group rate will not be available after Friday, February 13.)
 

How can I learn more about becoming an FWA member firm?

If you are interested in learning more about FWA membership, please reach out to info@fwalliance.com. FWA member firms receive complimentary seats to all of our in-person Signature Events.