Amanda Charles and Kristin Strom named Excellence Awardees for the InvestmentNews Women to Watch Awards in recognition of early-career excellence
NEW YORK—August 17, 2026—Amanda Charles, CSLP®, AIF®, of Moxie Wealth Management, and Kristin Strom, AIF®, of Fortune Financial, were announced today as Excellence Awardees for the Women to Watch Awards from InvestmentNews.
These awards recognize top women financial advisors across the nation for practice innovation and client commitment. Charles received recognition in the Financial Literacy Champion category, with Strom receiving honors in the Rising Star Advisor of the Year category.
“Having two of our rising star advisors at North Star receive this recognition from InvestmentNews is a testament to the strength of their practices and client relationships,” stated North Star CEO Ed Deutschlander, CLU®, CLF®. “We’re immensely proud of their many accomplishments, and the profession greatly benefits from their dedication to excellent service.”
Since joining Moxie as a financial advisor in Minneapolis in 2023, Charles has leveraged their holistic financial planning model to help educate younger generations on smart money management. She has furthered financial education in her community by presenting programs via Heyven, an online platform that connects people, partners and resources to build stronger communities.
Additionally, Charles has been involved with BestPrep, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that provides educational and mentoring programs to students in grades 4-12, since 2023. Specifically, she has devoted her time largely to BestPrep’s Investment Matters program, with additional involvement with their eMentors program and Minnesota Business Venture program.
Charles’ commitment to financial education and helping clients reach their goals has garnered several awards and recognitions. Most notably, she was named a 2026 BestPrep Service Award recipient and a 2025 finalist for the NextGen Advisor of the Year award from InvestmentNews.
“I’m truly honored and grateful to be recognized as a finalist alongside such an inspiring group of women,” commented Charles. “Financial literacy has always been a core passion of mine, and I feel fortunate that this career allows me to pursue it every day. Whether it’s working directly with clients or working with students and teachers across Minnesota through BestPrep’s Investment Matters program.”
Strom has been a financial advisor since 2023 and works out of Fortune’s office in Minnetonka, Minn. In this role, she provides holistic financial planning solutions to clients across the nation.
Since becoming an advisor, Strom has rapidly established herself as a respected figure among clients and peers alike. Named the 2023 Top New Advisor in the Securian Financial network, a 2024 InvestmentNews NextGen Advisor of the Year finalist and a 2025 Finance & Commerce Top Women in Finance honoree, Strom has championed industry advancements such as ESG investing, ETFs and modern annuities tailored to retiree and pre-retiree clients—demonstrating her commitment to innovation and client-centered planning.
In addition to her professional achievements, Strom is an active member of Women Inspiring and Supporting Excellence (WISE), a national professional development organization for women advisors, serves as the OSJ manager for the Fortune office and volunteers with the Breast Cancer Awareness Association. She also mentors other early-career financial advisors and support staff within North Star, serving as an inspiration for others and a leader in her field.
Charles and Strom will be honored alongside the other Excellence Awardees at the InvestmentNews Women to Watch Awards Gala on November 5, 2026, in New York.
To learn more about the Women to Watch awards, visit www.womentowatch.investmentnews.com.
About InvestmentNews
InvestmentNews is a trusted resource for financial advisors, providing investment news and analysis for financial advisors. They include extensive coverage and expert commentary on important topics in the financial advisory industry, and they are committed to maintaining the highest standards of journalistic and editorial integrity. To learn more about InvestmentNews, visit www.investmentnews.com.
About North Star Resource Group
North Star Resource Group is a Minneapolis-based financial services firm that provides both individuals and businesses with the resources to help create, preserve and protect their wealth. North Star has more than 200 full-time advisors and over 218 employees. In a network of 43 offices in over 17 states, they have contributed to the financial security and well-being of over 150,000 individuals and small businesses.* To learn more about North Star Resource Group, visit www.northstarfinancial.com.
*Data as of 12/2025
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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Ian Rich at 612.617.6076 or email him at ian.rich@northstarfinancial.com.
The Investment News Women to Watch list is based on the following criteria: Demonstrated success and leadership in the financial advisory industry; Proven ability or power to effect change in the industry; An exhibited willingness to share her expertise with others in the field, including by serving as a mentor or role model to other female professionals in the industry and speaking at industry events; Has given back to her community through activities such as sitting on boards, volunteering and donating time to help investors. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
Service Award 2026 issued by BestPrep. Luncheon by BestPrep to recognize the students, teachers, and volunteers whose efforts have been outstanding during the year. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of any financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
NextGen Advisor of the Year – 2025 finalist issued by InvestmentNews. To be eligible, nominees must have been accredited as an advisor(must be registered with a regulator) on or after January 1, 2022. The call for nominations is open to all wealth management professionals and organizations – including financial advisors, advisory brokerages, BDMs, fund providers and service providers – from across USA. The InvestmentNews Awards team will conduct research and draw on knowledge and information gained through InvestmentNews to support and supplement nominations received. Once all nominations are considered and research is complete, excellence awardees will be selected in each category (except the Lifetime Achievement category). submissions from our excellence awardees are forwarded to the independent judging panel comprising industry leaders and senior representatives. The panel will assess and vote for their winners in each category according to the relevant category criteria. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
2025 Top Women in Finance Hall of Fame Award Honoree presented by Finance & Commerce is nomination based and honors industry-leading executives, business owners and entrepreneurs in the financial sector for their outstanding contributions and dedication to their profession, their communities, and society at large. To be eligible for consideration, candidates must work in Minnesota. Nominations are reviewed and determined by the Finance & Commerce selection committee. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
NextGen Advisor of the Year – 2024 (finalist) issued by InvestmentNews. The call for nominations is open to all wealth management professionals and organizations – including financial advisors, advisory brokerages, BDMs, fund providers and service providers – from across USA. The InvestmentNews Awards team will conduct research and draw on knowledge and information gained through InvestmentNews to support and supplement nominations received. Once all nominations are considered and research is complete, excellence awardees will be selected in each category (except the Lifetime Achievement category). submissions from our excellence awardees are forwarded to the independent judging panel comprising industry leaders and senior representatives. The panel will assess and vote for their winners in each category according to the relevant category criteria. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
Registered representatives offering securities through Cetera Wealth Services, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.