Less than 3 months after it was announced that the 2024 event would be the final Wealth@Wor(k) conference, Advisor2x CEO and Founder Ross Marino, CFP, announced in an X post on Jan. 2 that he has closed the conference’s parent company, Advisor2x, effective immediately, and canceled the SHIFT conference that had been scheduled for 2025.
“This was a tough but necessary decision for personal reasons… I simply lack the capacity to continue Advisor2x, Shift, and my RIA.”
Ross Marino in X post
“This was a tough but necessary decision for personal reasons. Family obligations require me to eliminate most travel and work from home regularly. I simply lack the capacity to continue Advisor2x, Shift, and my RIA,” Marino said in the X post.
Marino founded Advisor2x in 2009, with a focus on live events and online shows designed to help financial advisors grow their practices. The social entrepreneur, author, and 2016 founder of Transitus Wealth Partners, a fee-only financial planning firm specializing in “human-first financial guidance” has been a financial advisor for over 30 years. According to his posts, he intends to continue with his RIA.
Attendees at the Wealth@Wor(k) conference in San Antonio back in October 2024 were surprised to learn during the opening general session from Trey Dowdy, CFO at Advisor2x, that it would be the final Wealth@wor(k) conference. The event featured its usual strong lineup of respected retirement industry leaders discussing topics of pressing interest to workplace retirement plan advisors.
That conference followed the 2024 SHIFT conference held in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. in March. The 2025 SHIFT conference had been scheduled for March 23-24 in San Antonio. It had been billed as “the go-to industry event for financial advisors who celebrate the impact of holistic, human-first financial advice and explore the latest industry changes.”
In related news, Lisa Allen, who was Chief Revenue Officer at Advisor 2x for the past 6 years, announced today on LinkedIn that she is stepping into the role of CEO at the Financial Transitionist Institute.
Allen, who had been on sabbatical since October 2024, said she was looking for a strong culture fit and a meaningful mission.
“Joining the extraordinary Susan Bradley, someone I admire deeply, makes this journey even more special. I’m delighted to be part of this incredible team and eager to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead,” Allen said on LinkedIn. “Here’s to 2025—a year of growth, purpose, and new beginnings!”
SEE ALSO:
• Wealth@wor(k): AI in Wealth and Retirement, Guaranteed Income, and a Big Announcement
• Don’t Gamble on Waiting to Register for 2025 NAPA 401(k) Summit
Veteran financial services industry journalist Brian Anderson joined 401(k) Specialist as Managing Editor in January 2019. He has led editorial content for a variety of well-known properties including Insurance Forums, Life Insurance Selling, National Underwriter Life & Health, and Senior Market Advisor. He has always maintained a focus on providing readers with timely, useful information intended to help them build their business.
