Cassaday & Company, Inc., Founder, Chairman & CEO Steve Cassaday has been named to Virginia’s 500 Power List for 2023. Now in its fourth year, the Virginia 500 is an annual directory of the commonwealth’s most powerful and influential leaders according to Virginia Business.

Cassaday is one of only 45 individuals listed in the Finance & Insurance category. This category includes banks, venture capitalists, and other various financial and investment firms in addition to wealth management. Due to the breadth of this category, only 1% of the list are wealth management professionals, making Cassaday’s place on the list an exclusive achievement.

Publishing this directory fits neatly into Virginia Business’ mission to be Virginia’s leading source of business intelligence. This listing answers the question: Who are Virginia’s most powerful and influential leaders in business, government, politics, and education this year?

About this Award

In assembling this annual list, Virginia Business considers a variety of factors, including — but not limited to — annual revenue, newsworthiness, community involvement, diversity, number of employees (in Virginia and worldwide), and how large a presence the organization has in the commonwealth. Some leaders on this list are well known and have decades of experience, while others may be brand-new to their roles but are on the list due to the prominence of their positions.

Executives are divided into 20 categories and are listed in alphabetical order within each category.

The Virginia 500: The 2023 Power List is a recognition of a person’s influence and importance in their field as compiled by Virginia Business. Inclusion in the Virginia 500 is not an endorsement by Virginia Business. For more details on award criteria see Virginia Business’ website: How we assemble the Virginia 500 – Virginia Business.

What Makes Cassaday Stand Out

When Virginia Business asked Steve what his best advice to others would be, he said, “Invest in people, practice radical inclusion, and empower them to think like owners.” These values have been at the core of Cassaday’s practices since 1993.

Cassaday has created a culture where employees feel valued and empowered, and each person has the opportunity to provide input on major decisions within the firm. As a result, employees are motivated to work collaboratively with the central goal to always do what’s right for clients while providing unparalleled dedication and service. When asked about this employee-centric approach, Steve said, “Saying employees are our greatest resource is a slogan at most businesses, but here, it’s part of our ethos.”

By not only investing in personnel, but also in infrastructure, training, and technology, Cassaday has been able to ensure clients receive a boutique-style of service, without missing out on the capabilities of larger firms.

Cassaday is honored to have been named to Virginia’s 500 Power List in both 2021 and 2022.

The entire Virginia 500 Power List can be found here: Virginia 500 – Virginia Business

Award Disclosures:

Virginia Business – Virginia 500 Power List (2021-2023) – Awards and recognitions by unaffiliated publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that the client will experience a certain level of results if Cassaday & Co. is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should they be construed as a current or past endorsement of Cassaday & Co. or its representatives by any of its clients. Rankings published by magazines and others are generally based on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. The Virginia 500 rankings are based on research conducted by Virginia Business’ editorial staff, not through nominations; however, Virginia Business does accept suggestions for candidates. Some of the list is determined by a person’s position (such as leadership in a high level government position, or the head of a Fortune 1000 corporation. Other factors considered include company revenue the number of employees a leader oversees, the scope of their responsibilities, how newsworthy the executive is, and how prominent they are within their industry and/or community. We examine board memberships, as well as philanthropy. Virginia Business strives to inventory the most powerful and influential leaders and executives in Virginia across 20 major sectors, ranging from real estate and manufacturing to higher education and government. Cassaday & Co. did not pay a fee to be included on this list.