About
Debra
For more than three decades, Debra Brede has worked to exemplify exceptional leadership, innovation, and client-first integrity in the wealth management industry. As the founder of her own company then merging with Focus, Debra built a respected independent advisory firm grounded in her belief that investors deserve unbiased guidance, disciplined planning, and deeply personalized service.
Across her 35-year career, Debra has been consistently named as one of America’s leading wealth advisors. Her industry honors include:
* All-Star Women Advisors – Barron’s (2015)
* Top 100 Women Financial Advisors in the U.S. – Barron’s (2006-2026)
* Top 1,200 and 1,500 Advisors in America – Barron’s (2017, 2021, 2022, 2024-2026)
* Top Independent Advisors – Barron’s (2020)
* America’s (Top 250) Wealth Advisors – Forbes (2016-2026)
* Best-in-State Wealth Advisors – Forbes (2018-2026)
* America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors – Forbes (2017-2026)
* Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State – Forbes (2022-2026)
* Financial Advisor IQ Leadership Council Member – Financial Times (2022-2024)
* FT 400 Top Financial Advisers – Financial Times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020)
* Pennsylvania State University – Distinguished Alumni Award (2009)
These longstanding achievements reflect not only her technical expertise, but also the trust she has earned from clients and peers nationwide.
Debra’s contributions extend beyond her professional accomplishments. As a committed philanthropist and global advocate for vulnerable children, she has devoted years of service to Agape AIDS Orphan Care, providing humanitarian support to children in India. Her impact earned her recognition as a finalist for the Invest in Others and InvestmentNews Global Community Impact Award. She has also served on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Boston Rescue Mission and Newton-Wellesley Hospital, demonstrating her belief in using her success to improve lives and strengthen communities.
As an author, thought leader, and Forbes Books contributor, Debra continues to influence the industry through her work on purpose-driven retirement planning. Her lifetime body of work has been defined by integrity, innovation, and service.
Focus Partners, LLC (“Focus”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with offices throughout the country. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training and does not imply that the SEC has endorsed or approved the qualifications of Focus or its representatives. Focus has been part of the Focus Financial Partners partnership since 2011. Services and investment advice are only provided pursuant to an advisory agreement with the client.
Awards listed include those received by Debra Brede while at Focus Partners (formerly known as The Colony Group) andwhile at GW and Wade (before GWW merged with Colony), and/or during the time D.K. Brede Investment Management Company was part of Commonwealth Financial Network.
Fees were paid to Barron’s and Forbes for use and promotion of the rankings, but not to be considered for the awards. No compensation was paid with respect to the other awards. The criteria and year(s) for each award listed above are as follows:
Forbes America’s Top Women Advisors and Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State. Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors and Top Women Wealth Advisors: Best-In-State awards are announced annually in February for data as of June 30th of the prior year. Data was provided and rankings were developed by SHOOK® Research, LLC and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client impact, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: AUM and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criteria. She received the Top Women Advisors award from 2017 through 2026 and the Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State award from 2022 through 2026.
Forbes Best-in-State. Criteria: Award is based an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data, including years of experience, revenue trends, AUM, compliance records, client retention, best practices, and approach to working with clients. The award is announced annually in April based on data as of June 30th of the prior year. Debrah Brede received the award from 2018 through 2026.
Forbes America’s (Top 250) Wealth Advisors. Criteria: Award based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria learned through telephone, virtual and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data such as revenue trends and assets under management. The algorithm additionally weighs factors such as service models, compliance records and industry experience, and focuses on those that encompass best practices in their approach to working with clients. The award is announced annually in April for the twelve months ending on June 30th of the prior year. Debra Brede received the award from 2016 through 2026.
Barron’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors. Criteria: Barron’s proprietary analysis of the following qualitative and quantitative criteria: a minimum of 7 years of financial services experience, acceptable compliance record, client retention, assets under management (AUM), revenues generated, and the quality of the advisor’s practice. A portion of the ranking considers a sampling of a financial advisor’s clients. The award is announced annually in July for the twelve months ending on March 30th of the same year. Debra Brede received the award from 2006 through 2026. The list also recognized financial advisors that made the list for 10 years as “All-Stars” in 2015.
Barron’s Hall of Fame Advisor. Criteria: The award recognizes advisors who have ranked for ten or more years on any one of following Barron’s Top Advisor lists: Top 100 Financial Advisors, Barron’s Top Women Financial Advisors, or Top 100 Independent Advisors. Debra Brede received the award in 2019.
Barron’s Top 1,200 and 1,500 Financial Advisor. Criteria: Barron’s creates its ranking based on a formula that takes into consideration three major categories, including assets, revenue, and quality of practice. Barron’s also considers a wide range of qualitative factors, including the advisor’s experience, their advanced degrees and industry designations, the size, shape, and diversity of their team, their charitable and philanthropic work and their compliance record. In 2025, Barron’s changed the number of advisors ranked from 1200 to 1500. The award is announced annually in March for the twelve months ending on September 30th of the prior year. In combination, Debra Brede received the award in 2017, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors. Criteria: Advisors who wish to be ranked fill out a survey about their practice. Barron’s verifies that data with the advisors’ firms and then we apply our rankings formula to the data to generate a ranking. The formula features three major categories of calculations: (1) Assets (2) Revenue (3) Quality of practice. In each of those categories we do multiple subcalculations.
Barron’s recognized Debra Brede as a Top Independent Advisors in September 2020 based on data gathered by Barron’s for 2019. This ranking was earned while Ms. Brede was with Commonwealth Financial Network.
Financial Times 400 Financial Advisors. Criteria: FT recognized Debra Brede as a FT 400 Financial Advisors 2020. Financial Times creates a numeric score that is based on AUM, asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials, and accessibility. AUM and AUM growth accounted for over 85% of the score. Although the survey was completed while Ms. Brede was at Commonwealth Financial Network, The Colony Group reasonably assumes the survey makes it equally easy for participants to provide both positive and negative responses. No fee was paid to FT 400 Financial Advisors to participate in, or to promote these rankings.
Leadership Council Membership: FT recognized Debra Brede as a FT 400 Financial Advisors 2020. As a result of this recognition, Ms. Brede was invited to be a member of the Financial Advisor IQ Leadership Council for subsequent years. The leadership council is a membership that requires completion of surveys for research purposes and not qualification purposes. No fee was paid to be a member of this council.
For more than three decades, Debra Brede has worked to exemplify exceptional leadership, innovation, and client-first integrity in the wealth management industry. As the founder of her own company then merging with Focus, Debra built a respected independent advisory firm grounded in her belief that investors deserve unbiased guidance, disciplined planning, and deeply personalized service.
Across her 35-year career, Debra has been consistently named as one of America’s leading wealth advisors. Her industry honors include:
* All-Star Women Advisors – Barron’s (2015)
* Top 100 Women Financial Advisors in the U.S. – Barron’s (2006-2026)
* Top 1,200 and 1,500 Advisors in America – Barron’s (2017, 2021, 2022, 2024-2026)
* Top Independent Advisors – Barron’s (2020)
* America’s (Top 250) Wealth Advisors – Forbes (2016-2026)
* Best-in-State Wealth Advisors – Forbes (2018-2026)
* America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors – Forbes (2017-2026)
* Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State – Forbes (2022-2026)
* Financial Advisor IQ Leadership Council Member – Financial Times (2022-2024)
* FT 400 Top Financial Advisers – Financial Times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020)
* Pennsylvania State University – Distinguished Alumni Award (2009)
These longstanding achievements reflect not only her technical expertise, but also the trust she has earned from clients and peers nationwide.
Debra’s contributions extend beyond her professional accomplishments. As a committed philanthropist and global advocate for vulnerable children, she has devoted years of service to Agape AIDS Orphan Care, providing humanitarian support to children in India. Her impact earned her recognition as a finalist for the Invest in Others and InvestmentNews Global Community Impact Award. She has also served on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Boston Rescue Mission and Newton-Wellesley Hospital, demonstrating her belief in using her success to improve lives and strengthen communities.
As an author, thought leader, and Forbes Books contributor, Debra continues to influence the industry through her work on purpose-driven retirement planning. Her lifetime body of work has been defined by integrity, innovation, and service.
Focus Partners, LLC (“Focus”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with offices throughout the country. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training and does not imply that the SEC has endorsed or approved the qualifications of Focus or its representatives. Focus has been part of the Focus Financial Partners partnership since 2011. Services and investment advice are only provided pursuant to an advisory agreement with the client.
Awards listed include those received by Debra Brede while at Focus Partners (formerly known as The Colony Group) andwhile at GW and Wade (before GWW merged with Colony), and/or during the time D.K. Brede Investment Management Company was part of Commonwealth Financial Network.
Fees were paid to Barron’s and Forbes for use and promotion of the rankings, but not to be considered for the awards. No compensation was paid with respect to the other awards. The criteria and year(s) for each award listed above are as follows:
Forbes America’s Top Women Advisors and Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State. Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors and Top Women Wealth Advisors: Best-In-State awards are announced annually in February for data as of June 30th of the prior year. Data was provided and rankings were developed by SHOOK® Research, LLC and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client impact, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: AUM and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criteria. She received the Top Women Advisors award from 2017 through 2026 and the Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State award from 2022 through 2026.
Forbes Best-in-State. Criteria: Award is based an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data, including years of experience, revenue trends, AUM, compliance records, client retention, best practices, and approach to working with clients. The award is announced annually in April based on data as of June 30th of the prior year. Debrah Brede received the award from 2018 through 2026.
Forbes America’s (Top 250) Wealth Advisors. Criteria: Award based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria learned through telephone, virtual and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data such as revenue trends and assets under management. The algorithm additionally weighs factors such as service models, compliance records and industry experience, and focuses on those that encompass best practices in their approach to working with clients. The award is announced annually in April for the twelve months ending on June 30th of the prior year. Debra Brede received the award from 2016 through 2026.
Barron’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors. Criteria: Barron’s proprietary analysis of the following qualitative and quantitative criteria: a minimum of 7 years of financial services experience, acceptable compliance record, client retention, assets under management (AUM), revenues generated, and the quality of the advisor’s practice. A portion of the ranking considers a sampling of a financial advisor’s clients. The award is announced annually in July for the twelve months ending on March 30th of the same year. Debra Brede received the award from 2006 through 2026. The list also recognized financial advisors that made the list for 10 years as “All-Stars” in 2015.
Barron’s Hall of Fame Advisor. Criteria: The award recognizes advisors who have ranked for ten or more years on any one of following Barron’s Top Advisor lists: Top 100 Financial Advisors, Barron’s Top Women Financial Advisors, or Top 100 Independent Advisors. Debra Brede received the award in 2019.
Barron’s Top 1,200 and 1,500 Financial Advisor. Criteria: Barron’s creates its ranking based on a formula that takes into consideration three major categories, including assets, revenue, and quality of practice. Barron’s also considers a wide range of qualitative factors, including the advisor’s experience, their advanced degrees and industry designations, the size, shape, and diversity of their team, their charitable and philanthropic work and their compliance record. In 2025, Barron’s changed the number of advisors ranked from 1200 to 1500. The award is announced annually in March for the twelve months ending on September 30th of the prior year. In combination, Debra Brede received the award in 2017, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors. Criteria: Advisors who wish to be ranked fill out a survey about their practice. Barron’s verifies that data with the advisors’ firms and then we apply our rankings formula to the data to generate a ranking. The formula features three major categories of calculations: (1) Assets (2) Revenue (3) Quality of practice. In each of those categories we do multiple subcalculations.
Barron’s recognized Debra Brede as a Top Independent Advisors in September 2020 based on data gathered by Barron’s for 2019. This ranking was earned while Ms. Brede was with Commonwealth Financial Network.
Financial Times 400 Financial Advisors. Criteria: FT recognized Debra Brede as a FT 400 Financial Advisors 2020. Financial Times creates a numeric score that is based on AUM, asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials, and accessibility. AUM and AUM growth accounted for over 85% of the score. Although the survey was completed while Ms. Brede was at Commonwealth Financial Network, The Colony Group reasonably assumes the survey makes it equally easy for participants to provide both positive and negative responses. No fee was paid to FT 400 Financial Advisors to participate in, or to promote these rankings.
Leadership Council Membership: FT recognized Debra Brede as a FT 400 Financial Advisors 2020. As a result of this recognition, Ms. Brede was invited to be a member of the Financial Advisor IQ Leadership Council for subsequent years. The leadership council is a membership that requires completion of surveys for research purposes and not qualification purposes. No fee was paid to be a member of this council.