Chris Vizzi, Co-Founder of South Coast Investment Advisors and an Elite Advisor with Independent Financial Group (IFG), has been named a winner of ThinkAdvisor’s 2025 Luminaries With Heart Award. Now in its fifth year, the Luminaries program redefines excellence in financial services by spotlighting individuals and organizations whose work drives meaningful, positive change. The Luminaries With Heart category honors individuals whose philanthropic leadership creates measurable, high-impact change across their communities.
Vizzi was recognized for his exceptional philanthropic leadership through the LIFT Foundation, the 100% volunteer-run nonprofit he founded in 2013 with his wife, Candice. Dedicated to addressing food insecurity, educational access, and global child welfare, LIFT has raised more than $300,000 in the past year alone, funding over $1 million in groceries for local families, scholarships and supportive services for single mothers, and critical resources for foster youth. He also launched the LIFT Jr. Board, empowering high school students to engage in hands-on philanthropy, including fully funding four orphanages in India. With seven active outreach programs and a model built on transparency, community partnerships, and direct impact, LIFT is creating measurable, generational change both locally and abroad.
“What an incredible honor to accept this award on behalf of everyone at the LIFT Foundation,” said Vizzi. “Candice and I are continually humbled by the amazing people we’ve met and have the privilege to serve alongside. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by volunteers, partners, and families who show up and stand in the gap for others every single day. This recognition reflects their heart and their impact. And truly, we’re just getting started.”
“Chris exemplifies the values we champion at IFG: leadership, integrity, and a deep commitment to serving others,” said David Fischer, Co-Founder and CMO of Independent Financial Group. “We are incredibly proud to celebrate Chris and this well-deserved recognition of the impact he’s making in the community.”
By setting a new standard for recognition based on achievement, innovation, and community contribution, the ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards program inspires the financial services industry to strive for greater leadership and engagement. A panel of independent judges, made up of distinguished industry professionals, selected the 2025 winners, who were honored during a ceremony at the New York Hilton Midtown on December 4, 2025.
“The 2025 Luminaries Awards shine a spotlight on how excellence is being reimagined in financial services,” said Janet Levaux, editor-in-chief of ThinkAdvisor. “This year’s finalists and winners stand out not only for their leadership and innovation but also for their dedication to creating lasting, positive impact across both their communities and the industry. Their work illustrates the ever-evolving nature of financial services, and we are proud to spotlight their achievements as powerful examples of what’s possible.”
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About Chris Vizzi
Chris Vizzi is a Certified Financial PlannerÒ and co-founding partner of South Coast Investment Advisors. He is a twelve-time Elite Advisor at IFG and holds Series 7, 66, and California Life and Health Insurance licenses. Vizzi was named to InvestmentNews’ “40 Under 40” Class of 2020, recognized as Alternative Investment Advisor of the Year in 2024, and selected as one of the Top 100 Advisors for 2025. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2013, Vizzi founded the LIFT Foundation, a non-profit 501c3 based in Orange County, CA, where he currently serves as Executive Director.
About Independent Financial Group
Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG) is a privately held independent wealth management provider based in San Diego, California. Founded in 2003, IFG supports more than 600 independent financial professionals in over 400 offices nationwide with a comprehensive suite of business solutions. IFG has been widely recognized as a leading independent broker-dealer. In 2025, Financial Advisor magazine listed IFG as the 15th largest national independent broker-dealer and #2 for privately held broker-dealers based on gross revenue. Financial Planning ranked IFG 1st for women as a percentage of producing representatives in 2025 and 7th for financial advisor payout in 2024. InvestmentNews ranked the firm in the top 10 for payout and account assets in 2024. IFG is an eight-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list of "Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the US," and the San Diego Business Journal ranked IFG #7 among the Largest Private Companies in San Diego in 2022 and 2023.