Mission Wealth, which is headquartered in Santa Barbara, has announced it has been named to the 2017 edition of the Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers.

The list recognizes top independent RIA firms from across the U.S. This is the fourth consecutive year Mission Wealth has been recognized.

Mission Wealth manages more than $1.5 billion in assets and serves some 800 clients and organizations. In addition to Santa Barbara, the firm has seven other offices in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Colorado.

“We are proud to be included in the FT300 for the fourth year in a row,” said Brad Stark, Mission Wealth’s founder and chief compliance officer.

“Earning awards and recognition is nice, but it’s due entirely to the long-standing, trusted relationships we have built over the years with our clients, and to our dedicated professionals who look after our clients’ best interests,” he said.

RIA firms applied for consideration on the list, having met a minimum set of criteria.

Applicants then were graded on six factors: assets under management (AUM); AUM growth rate; years in existence; advanced industry credentials of the firm’s advisers; online accessibility; and compliance records.

There are no fees or other considerations required of RIAs that apply for the FT 300. The final FT 300 represents a group of elite RIA firms, who hail from 37 states and Washington, D.C.

“This award belongs to the collective that has endured and thrived over the past 17 years,” Stark said. “As early proponents of holistic, independent wealth management, we look forward to the future and continuing to evolve in search of the ‘next-level experience’ for our clients.”

This is the fourth annual FT 300 list, produced independently by the Financial Times in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides business intelligence on the investment management industry.

— Renee Hennessee for Mission Wealth.