Vanilla

Aug 26, 2026

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Vanilla Named a Finalist in Two Categories at the 2026 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards

BELLEVUE, WA (August 24, 2026) — Vanilla, the modern estate planning platform built for financial advisors, today announced it has been named a finalist in two categories at the 2026 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards: Thought Leadership and Education (Firm), and C-Suite Leader of the Year, where President and CEO Gene Farrell and VP of Marketing Emily Tran were both selected.

The Thought Leadership and Education recognition honors the research and education program Vanilla has built for advisors over the past year. That work includes the 2026 State of Estate Planning Report, drawn from a survey of more than 1,000 advisors and consumers, and the firm’s inaugural Women & Wealth study, which examined how women approach estate planning and where advisors are missing the chance to serve them well. Vanilla pairs that research with continuing education courses, live sessions with practitioners, and a steady stream of practical guidance for advisors bringing estate planning into client conversations for the first time.

In the C-Suite Leader of the Year category, Farrell and Tran were each named finalists. Farrell has led Vanilla through a period of rapid expansion, closing a $35 million round led by Insight Partners with participation from Vanguard and Edward Jones, securing the first U.S. patent granted for estate planning technology, and rebuilding the platform around AI purpose-built for estate work. Tran leads the marketing organization and has spent her time building Vanilla into the category leader in estate planning, work that spans the firm’s original research, its education program for advisors, and the point of view Vanilla brings to the industry.

“Estate planning is the most personal conversation an advisor will have with a client, and the most comprehensive. It takes understanding someone’s whole life, not just their portfolio,” said Gene Farrell, President and CEO of Vanilla. “The research we publish exists to help advisors have that conversation well, so families are left with a plan and the reasoning behind it. I’m glad to share this recognition with Emily, who has done as much as anyone to put that work in front of the advisors who can use it.”

The recognition follows a run of industry honors for Vanilla, including Best Technology Start-Up at the Thirteenth Family Wealth Report Awards, finalist selections in two categories at the 2026 Wealth Management Industry Awards, and finalist selections in two categories at the 2026 MMI/Barron’s Industry Awards.

Now in its sixth year, the ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards recognize the firms and individuals setting new standards across financial services. A panel of independent judges will select the winners, who will be honored at an awards ceremony in New York City on December 3, 2026.

About Vanilla

Vanilla is the modern estate planning platform built for financial advisors. By transforming complex legal documents into clear, interactive visuals, Vanilla enables advisors to deliver more personal, impactful conversations around legacy, wealth transfer, and generational planning. With deep integrations, intuitive workflows, and expert support, Vanilla helps advisors bring estate planning into the heart of holistic financial advice. Learn more at justvanilla.com

Media Contact:
Rocco Aloe Gregory for Vanilla
vanilla@gregoryagency.com